At Watson Farley & Williams, we believe there is more than one route to becoming an exceptional lawyer. Our six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme offers the opportunity to qualify as a solicitor while earning a salary, gaining real-world experience and studying towards a law degree and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), with all tuition fees funded by the firm.
A different apprenticeship experience
At Watson Farley & Williams, we take a broad approach to your development.
During your first year, you will spend time in business function teams including Innovation, Compliance and Knowledge. This provides a deeper understanding of how a modern international law firm operates and helps you develop the commercial awareness, professional judgement and transferable skills that great lawyers rely on throughout their careers.
You will then spend the following years building experience across a range of legal practice areas. As your experience grows, you will move onto rotations that mirror our trainee solicitor programme.
One of the distinctive features of our programme is the opportunity to spend four months in one of our international offices during the final stage of the apprenticeship.
What you will gain
- A fully funded LLB (Hons) Law degree and SQE qualification.
- A competitive salary from day one, with no university tuition fees to pay.
- Exposure to both business services and legal practice areas.
- Practical experience supporting live client matters.
- Ongoing support from supervisors, colleagues and a dedicated study coach.
- The opportunity to undertake an international secondment.
Why Watson Farley & Williams?
Our apprenticeship combines academic study, international exposure, commercial insight and meaningful responsibility. By the time you qualify, you will have developed not only the legal knowledge required of a solicitor, but also a deep understanding of the sectors, clients and markets that define our business.
