Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme

Prior to joining, you will be invited to an introductory session for all incoming apprentices so that you can meet each other and your key points of contact at the firm. You will also find out more about the qualifications you will be working towards and what you can expect from our academic provider.

On joining, you will have a focused induction programme to help you settle into your new role. You will have the opportunity to meet people from various different groups and teams in the firm, so you can start to network from day one. The induction will also include sessions on lifestyle management to help you with the transition from school to work. 

You will be allocated one day per week for focused study time. This will give you dedicated time to work towards achieving your LLB Law degree and prepare for the SQE assessments.

You will be enrolled in a study programme with an accredited industry leading provider, giving you all the tools, resources and materials you need to navigate your studies and develop your knowledge and skills. The programme will involve a combination of in-person workshops and online self-study, with access to highly experienced tutors to guide and support you throughout. 

During the six years, you will undertake a comprehensive legal and skills training programme, with sessions delivered on a wide range of subjects by partners, other senior lawyers and our Learning and Development team.

Mentoring provides a valuable forum to seek support, reflect on your career development, discuss professional goals and expand your network. We offer a diverse range of mentoring programmes to our solicitor apprentices.

Solicitor apprentices will also be allocated a Continuity Partner to provide support and guidance. The Continuity Partner is separate from your supervisor, so you will have an additional, senior contact at the firm to catch up with at regular points during the programme. 

You will have a dedicated HR Adviser on hand to support you across the entire programme. They will support you from the moment you accept your offer, and throughout your apprenticeship. Our educational provider will also be in regular touch with you over the course of your studies to make sure you’re in the best place to succeed.

To ensure you have a good insight into a career as a commercial lawyer here at Slaughter and May and to help you build a strong application, we’d recommend:  

• Completing our Explore Law Virtual Insight Programme
  During the programme, you will explore four of our main practice areas: Financing, Corporate, Competition, and Disputes and Investigations – as you advise an imaginary client on a transaction and gain valuable insights into the types of work our lawyers do at the start of their careers. This programme has been designed for 16-18 year olds and those just starting to explore a career in commercial law.
• Learning more about four distinct differences that set up apart from other global law firms
  You can read more about these here or watch this webinar where two of our partners involved in Early Careers Recruitment talk about these differences.
• Researching some of our recent deals and consider the role of the legal advisers, the key commercial drivers and the challenges in these
  You can also read about the role of our trainees in recent deals here.

• Reading about our lawyers’ own career experiences to gain insights into life as a commercial lawyer
  You can also watch this webinar where a panel of partners, associates and trainees discuss what our multi-specialist approach means to them.

On the application form, you will be asked provide some personal details and a full breakdown of your GCSE and A-level (or equivalent) results or predicted grades.

There is space on each section of the form to provide details of any extenuating circumstances, including a disability or long-term health condition, which have materially affected your results.

You will be asked the following key question within the 500 word limit: 

“Why are you interested in becoming a Solicitor Apprentice at Slaughter and May?”

Your answer to this question should demonstrate:

• Your understanding of the role of a Solicitor Apprentice
• Your personal motivations and enthusiasm for pursuing this route
• Your personal interest in and understanding of what a career in commercial law entails
• Your understanding of Slaughter and May
• Strong written communication skills

Your answer should be personal to you and to your experiences.  You should include evidence to support your answer where relevant.  For example, to demonstrate the research you have completed, this may include referencing events, legal or non-legal work experience, virtual internships, and other resources that you have found useful.

The use of generative AI to help you prepare your application may result in inaccuracies and a lack of originality and creativity. Strong applications will be authentic and personal to you.

We recommend that your CV is no more than 2 sides of A4. The information included should be factual – tell us what you have done, where and when.

Your CV should include the following.

• A breakdown of your GCSE and A level grades (please state if these grades are actual or predicted)
• Legal work experience and events (this can include virtual programmes)
• Non-legal work experience
• Paid employment
• Extracurricular activities.

You should include details of everything you have been involved with, whether or not these activities are related to a career in law. We want to understand your journey and how you spend your time outside of your studies.

Please click here to view an example CV. Please note that this should be used only as an example of how to structure your CV and should not be used as a template.

Once you have submitted your application, you will be asked to complete a situational judgement test within 2 days.

The aim of this test is to assess how you may decide to behave in common situations you may encounter as a Solicitor Apprentice at Slaughter and May.

You will be presented with 15 scenarios and asked to rank the response options from most effective to least effective. The test is not timed and should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. You can see an example scenario here. 

Please note that this assessment does not require any legal knowledge.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview at our London office.

The interview process will include:

• Written exercise
• Interview with lawyers
• Tour of the office with a trainee solicitor
• HR interview