SQE Legal Training Programme in Birmingham

The Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE) route is designed to open the legal profession to a wider pool of talent. At Flex Legal, our mission is to help historically under‑represented aspiring solicitors make the most of the SQE and QWE opportunity. Our aim is to place our trainees in high‑calibre legal teams where they can gain valuable Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), while offering the opportunity to access SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses and exams.

Flex works with innovative and exciting legal teams to make sure trainees are exposed to a wide range of work. Our trainees are placed in renowned companies, including international banks and other financial services organisations, leading manufacturers and retailers, technology and telecoms companies, as well as charities. Trainees are employed by Flex Legal on a fixed‑term contract and seconded to an in‑house legal team, typically for a minimum period of 12 months or for up to 24 months, to gain QWE.

Our SQE route supports trainees with QWE by offering secondments to our in‑house clients. While the goal is for trainees to gain two years of QWE, the specific placement length and experience are subject to client demand and the trainee’s prior qualifications. Placement lengths may change subject to factors such as performance and client demand. Access to SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses and exams are subject to placement length, prior qualifications, and conditions being met.

Flex Legal operates two annual cohorts:

• Spring: Includes a Readiness Programme in March, with client secondments beginning in April.
• Autumn: Includes a Readiness Programme in October, with client secondments beginning in November.

For our Autumn 2026 cohort, the Readiness Programme runs from 12th–30th October, with client secondments starting on 2nd November 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

• Location: You must be looking to work around Birmingham, Wolverhampton or Coventry as we have clients looking to hire in each of these locations.
• Social Mobility: You must meet our social mobility criteria, which are based on the Social Mobility Commission's framework. You will be asked questions about your economic circumstances whilst growing up during the application process.
• Academic Requirements: You must have completed a UK Qualifying Law Degree from a course listed on the SRA website, and have achieved a grade of 2.1 or above. If mitigating circumstances prevented you from meeting the 2.1 requirement, please provide details in your application for our consideration.
• SQE exam status: We now accept candidates at all stages of their SQE academic journey and will consider applications from those who have not started their SQE exams, those who have completed and passed the SQE1 or LPC, and those who have already completed and passed both the SQE1 & SQE2, and just require QWE.
• Right to Work: Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.

What you will receive

Wherever you go during the programme, your 'home‑base' will always be Flex Legal, who will ensure that you're well taken care of. As a Flex Trainee you will receive:

• A salary of £32,000, rising to £35,000 in year two.
• A Qualifying Work Experience secondment with a top in‑house legal team (past clients include: ASOS, Trustpilot, Natwest, The Crown Estate, and Mondelez).
• Access to SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses (additional courses subject to T&Cs) and your first sitting of each SQE exam, subject to conditions being met.
• A bespoke Readiness Programme before you start to allow you to hit the ground running.
• An in‑house supervisor who meets with Flex every month to review your progress.
• Regular 1:1 support and coaching from the Flex Team.
• Introductions to mentors across the legal industry.
• Exclusive access to industry networking events.
• Access to our SQE Journal to help you easily track your Qualifying Work Experience progress.
• Other benefits include private health care, a cycle‑to‑work scheme and nursery benefits.

Application process and start date

Please ensure you understand our application process by reviewing the following link: https://flex.legal/apply/flex-trainee. Apply via our careers page or one of our partner websites. If successful, complete our online assessments. If successful, book a 1‑1 Zoom interview with a member of our Talent team. If successful, attend an assessment centre. If successful, you will become a “Trainee in Waiting.” If offered a secondment by one of our clients, you will be issued with a Flex Legal employment contract and start on our Readiness Programme in October 2026.

Trainee in Waiting Process

Entering the Trainee in Waiting pool confirms that you have successfully passed our Flex Legal screening and are now eligible to be matched with our clients in the hope of securing a secondment. It is important to note that this is not yet an offer of employment. Our team will begin sending you client opportunities that align with your experience and preferences. You are welcome to decline any proposals that are not of interest; however, please understand that doing so may reduce your likelihood of securing a secondment within the cycle. A formal offer of employment to join the Flex Trainee programme can only be extended once you have successfully interviewed with and accepted a secondment offer from a client. At our discretion, candidates can remain in the Trainee in Waiting pool for two consecutive cycles at any one time. If your fixed‑term contract is for a period of fewer than 24 months, then at the end of your placement, you have the opportunity to re‑enter the ‘trainee‑in‑waiting’ pool and get matched to new Flex Trainee opportunities.

Applications for Flex Trainee close at 9am Monday 29th June. We review applications on a rolling basis, which means assessment centre spaces are limited and fill up fast. There is no advantage to waiting until the deadline; applying now gives you the best chance of securing your preferred slot before they are gone. While we are committed to responding to every candidate, please note that progression sometimes depends on us confirming client placements in your specific location. If your application is affected by this, we will hold it and update you the moment we have news. We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing your application soon!

What Flex assess through our recruitment process

Throughout our recruitment process we’re not just assessing your legal knowledge! We’re most interested in hearing about your aspirations, your reasons for applying to Flex Legal and why you want to qualify as a lawyer. We will also be assessing your commercial knowledge and reasons for wanting to qualify in an in‑house setting. In terms of competencies, we look to the O Shaped Lawyer for guidance on the most desirable attributes for an in‑house lawyer. We are a Disability Confident employer. We will make reasonable adjustments to support candidates throughout the recruitment process. If you require any adjustments or accommodations, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.