Tag: apprenticeship

Kennedys Birmingham Graduate Apprenticeship Opportunity – Apply by 29 May

Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship 2026 – Professional Liability 

The 30 month training programme will involve working alongside our experienced lawyers in one of our legal teams, whilst studying with BPP one day per week.

In addition to a dedicated supervisor at Kennedys, you will have a tutor and skills coach at BPP, to ensure that you have all the support you need at work and with your studies.

Over the course of the programme, you will gain Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) by working alongside experienced legal professionals on real cases, whilst studying towards a Level 6 CILEX qualification, developing your legal knowledge and skills.

You will also prepare for and complete the SQE, paving the way to becoming a qualified solicitor.

This route provides an alternative to the traditional rotational training contract and allows you to earn while you learn, building a solid foundation for a successful legal career.

Graduates looking to start the programme must have completed a law degree or a non-law degree and a law conversion course, prior to starting with Kennedys. Kennedys will fully fund your training during the programme.

For more details and to apply now, click here.

Team

Kennedys’ professional liability team deal with all areas of professional liability and handle claims of all sizes and complexity, including insurers who underwrite some of the world’s largest financial institutions, global law firms, the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, as well as insurers who underwrite regional, local and smaller institutions and firms.

Clients

Insurers
Self-Insureds
Construction professionals
IT professionals
Insolvency practitioners
Solicitors

To be considered for the SQE training programme, you will need:

To have completed a law degree or a non-law degree and the GDL/PGDL

Close date: 29 May 2026.

Please let us know if you require any additional support or adjustments to be made in order to submit your application to Kennedys.

Please note that this vacancy is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

About Kennedys

Kennedys is a global law firm with expertise in dispute resolution and advisory services. With over 2,400 people worldwide across 44 offices in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and America we have some of the most respected legal minds in their field.

Our lawyers handle both contentious and non-contentious matters, and provide a range of specialist legal services, for many industry sectors but we have particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, especially in defending insurance and liability claims.

We’re a fresh-thinking firm, and we’re not afraid to bring challenging new perspectives to the table way beyond the traditional realm of legal services. We empower our clients with a diverse range of ideas, tools and technology to make their lives easier, as well as delivering exceptional results, every time.

What do we have to offer?

We welcome high-performing lawyers, business services professionals, secretaries, graduates and apprentices to join our rapidly expanding global firm. Whatever your role at Kennedys, you’ll be involved in exciting and stimulating work, where your input will make a difference.

Our culture and values form a big part of who we are and we take them seriously. We make a difference by being approachable, straightforward, supportive and distinctive. Our values are at the core of who we are and what make us a great firm to work with and for.

We develop careers in an innovative and collaborative global environment, with our values at the core. We believe that supporting individual growth and development puts us in the best position to attract and retain talented individuals. Regardless of role or level, everyone has access to virtual learning to help you develop your skills, wherever you are in the world. A variety of other exciting opportunities are available including secondments to clients and our global offices as well as a comprehensive benefits package (details are available upon request).

We’ve created a culture based on client service, professional excellence, hard work and trust. We deeply value the relationships we build with our clients and we know that they value our warm, friendly human approach. We are here to provide answers, recommendations, strategy and tactics.

Kennedys is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. We expect all employees to be aware of and comply with all relevant policies and procedures within their jurisdiction, including those relating to Information Security, Data Protection and Quality Management, refer any breach promptly to Risk & Compliance and to complete all mandatory training when requested.

 

What is a solicitor apprenticeship?

A solicitor apprenticeship is usually a six-year programme comprising a combination of on-the-job training and studying, at the end of which you will qualify as a solicitor.

The idea behind solicitor apprenticeships is to make careers in law more accessible. An apprenticeship also offers the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’, so that you don’t have to start your legal career drowning in student debt.

Apprenticeships have been growing in popularity in recent years. Taylor Wessing is one of the latest firms to announce that it is launching an apprenticeship scheme.

Level 7 Apprenticeship

This is the most common type of apprenticeship offered by law firms at the moment. It is aimed at students who have completed their A-Levels but who have not yet done an undergraduate degree. Paralegals and chartered legal executives can also take this route.

Apprentices will also need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) before being admitted as a solicitor.

Level 7 apprenticeships will take six years for school leavers to complete. Apprentices who have already gained some legal experience may be able to cut this time down.

How does the solicitor apprenticeship work?

Apprentices will spend approximately 80% of their time working in a law firm, and the other 20% at law school or college studying for academic qualifications. In practice, this could mean four days in the office and one day at college.

As part of the academic portion of the apprenticeship, you will study modules such as tort, contract and criminal law, alongside practical legal skills.

How much can I expect to earn as a solicitor apprentice?

Salaries for solicitor apprentices start from around £20,000 in London and £14,000 outside of London

Where can I do a solicitor apprenticeship?

Here is a list of Legal 500 Future Lawyers firms currently offering solicitor apprenticeships. Please note this list is not exclusive and you should check each individual firm website:

Addleshaw Goddard

Bevan Brittan LLP

Burges Salmon

Charles Russell Speechlys

CMS

Fladgate

Hill Dickinson

Irwin Mitchell

Kennedys

Mayer Brown

Michelmores

Norton Rose Fulbright

Osborne Clarke

RPC

TLT LLP