Begin your career with WTW where every step is an opportunity. Join a company with a global scale and diverse perspective where you can deepen our collective insight, set the bar high and succeed your way.
Whichever early careers programme you join, you’ll go into a role with real responsibilities, exposure to client assignments and the opportunity to build up valuable experience. With WTW behind you, you’ll learn and develop the skills to succeed in your chosen role.
Where you means all of us
We’re proud of our culture and committed to making a real impact for our clients and colleagues. That’s why we constantly challenge ourselves to grow our inclusive culture and create a place where we’re bolder together. Our inclusion networks help us to live our values and our defined inclusion and diversity commitments improve and measure our progress. For you, this means joining a company where you can bring your whole self to work.
Your future in sharp focus
We leverage the global view and local expertise of our 47,000 colleagues serving 140 countries and markets to transform tomorrows. At WTW, you’ll tackle challenges with the help of a diverse, expert global team and identify strategic solutions that move us – and the world’s most powerful organisations – forward.
The role
This is an exciting opportunity to become a Legal Apprentice within our legal function. You will be reporting to our Ipswich Global Contracting Team Leader to undertake reviews of a range of legal contacts between WTW and its’ clients, insurer trading partners and suppliers, working alongside colleagues in our broader Business Legal Team around the globe. You will study one day a week and work towards a legal qualification over the course of the apprenticeship scheme.
You will be part of a local apprentice team but also included in a wider growing group of apprentices in other offices and disciplines. Your manager and assigned mentor will be always on hand to fully guide you through your programme to ensure you achieve your full potential.
The Legal Function
The Legal Function is responsible for advising WTW on all legal matters, including:
- advising on transactional matters
- assisting with contract negotiation
- managing litigation risks
- handling government and internal investigations
- providing advice on Mergers & Acquisitions transactions, employment and compensation matters advising on substantive technical legal and regulatory matters.
We work closely with our colleagues in the Office of the General Counsel, including the Compliance, Risk and Corporate Secretariat teams. Our aim is to enable the company’s strategic goals in a sustainable way that protects the company and appropriately limits legal risk and costs, reduces litigation exposure and ensures legal compliance. We aim to do so efficiently, expeditiously, reliably and professionally.
We have a newly formed Global Contracting Team which is setting up a presence in Ipswich, UK. We are therefore looking to hire a number of Legal Apprentices in our Ipswich office, and this presents a rare opportunity to join a highly-regarded in house international Legal Team (shortlisted for The Lawyer’s In House Financial Services Team of the Year 2023) and to work towards a legal qualification under our UK apprenticeship scheme.
Training & qualifications
This apprenticeship is a thirty-month programme with sittings for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) 1 and 2 towards the end of that period. Throughout the duration of the programme you will be provided on the job training and a highly competitive study package, fully supported by WTW and our official government approved training provider.
Legal Apprentices will also become involved in reviewing and updating our contracting framework including playbooks, guidelines and policies and contribute to the continued streamlining of WTW’s contracting processes. Over time, there may also be opportunities to become involved in the broader work of the Legal team and to support projects. More specifically, Legal Apprentices will undertake reviews of Non-Disclosure Agreements/Client Contracts, including Master Services Agreements, Scopes of Work and related client contractual documents/Disclaimer and Release Letters/Tenders/Standard Software Agreements/Privacy Agreements/Supplier Agreements and Carrier Agreements between WTW entities and relevant parties.
The requirements
- Excellent command of written and spoken English.
- A minimum 2:2 English Law degree OR a 2:2 non-law degree PLUS a pass on an English law conversion course (which must have been achieved in the last 5 years).
- Experience of working in the Financial and Professional Services Industry an advantage.
- Attention to detail, quality and accuracy.
- Ability to prioritise and organise tasks.
- Ability to learn new processes and systems.
- Flexible and adaptable to changing demands.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Should be a quick learner and team player.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Candidates who have already achieved a paralegal qualification through another employer are welcome to apply, and may have to pass an assessment with WTW’s training provider before being permitted to join the solicitor qualification course.
The application process
Stage 1: Online application, including CV Stage
Stage 2: Online testing Stage
Stage 3: Video interview – in partnership with the Bright Network, we have created an academy module on “How to Ace your Video Interview”. Click here to sign up and watch it!
Stage 4: Online assessment centre
Stage 5: Offer and on-boarding
WTW is an equal opportunity employer
WTW believes that effectively managing a diverse workforce is vital to our business strategy. We have an obligation to our organisation, ourselves and our clients to hire and develop the best people we can find. We will continually review our policies and practices to ensure that all areas of the employment process (including recruiting, hiring, work assignments, compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, company-sponsored development programs and overall workplace experience) are free from discriminatory practices. We are committed to equal employment opportunities at WTW.
Why work at WTW?
WTW offers a variety of benefits to support your physical, emotional and financial wellbeing, as well as help you develop in your career, and balance your life inside and outside of work. Among other things, these include WTW Work Flex, shared parental leave, a range of Learning & Development (L&D) opportunities and a competitive pay and benefits package (which includes Private Medical Insurance and Life Insurance).
WTW Work Flex
At WTW, we see things differently. We understand flexibility is key to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and so we have a variety of different working arrangements which we call “WTW Work Flex”. We encourage colleagues and candidates to make requests for the types of flexible working arrangements that suit them.
