Skip the burdensome loans and uncertainty that often accompany full-time university degrees. If your dream is to become a solicitor, Dentons offers a clear and financially sound alternative – our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme.

You won’t accumulate eye-watering debt. Our Apprenticeship programme allows you to train for your future career without the financial stress.

As a Dentons apprentice, you’ll embark on a unique journey. You’ll start working towards your LLB university degree alongside your day job. It’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and earn simultaneously.

Your journey to becoming a solicitor starts here.

• 6 years
• 1 day per week study with BPP university
• No university fees
• 4 days per week work
• LLB Law Degree
• Qualification as an England & Wales solicitor
• Designed for school leavers who have yet to commence an undergraduate degree.

Applications for our 2025 London and Milton Keynes Solicitor Apprenticeships starting in September 2025 will open on 11 November 2024. Applications will close on 20 December 2024.

We have two Insight Events this autumn. Both cover the above topics, so register to attend on the date/time that suits you best.

In person on Wednesday 30th October – 11am – 1pm
Virtual on Tuesday 5th November – 5pm – 6pm

If you are interested in our opportunities at our Milton Keynes or London offices beyond 2024, you can also sign up to Dentons.Next Talent, our talent network, to be alerted when applications open. You will also to receive invitations to attend skills workshops, webinars and panel events that cover topics from how to prepare a successful application, opportunities to hear from our solicitor apprentices, and further insights into life at Dentons.

THE WORK

As an Apprentice at Dentons, you’ll dive headfirst into the world of law. Four days a week, you’ll be in the office, where your journey will span six exciting years. During this time, you’ll explore eight different practice areas or departments. This allows you to hone a wide range of skills and discover your passion within the legal field.

Here’s what to expect:

• You’ll spend six months to a year in each practice area, gaining invaluable insights and experience. In each department, you’ll have a dedicated supervisor to guide and mentor you
• From day one, you won’t be a passive observer. You’ll be a key member of your team, contributing to real projects and making an impact. As the years pass, you’ll undertake increasing responsibilities
• Throughout the programme, you’ll build a portfolio of skills. These skills will not only contribute to your degree but will also play a crucial role in qualifying as a solicitor.

At the end of the six-year journey, we encourage all our Apprentices to apply for Associate (Qualified Solicitor) with the Firm. This is just the beginning of what we hope will be an exceptional career.

THE STUDY 

You’ll spend one day a week (usually Mondays) studying with BPP University. You’ll take part in workshops and seminars and complete various assessments across the six years, all working towards completing your Law degree.

BPP make studying as accessible as possible, providing a large amount of the course as e-learning.

You can read the full curriculum on the BPP Website.

SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT 

• Each practice area will provide you with a dedicated supervisor to guide your professional growth
• You’ll have access to an HR manager to assist with your career development
• A personal tutor will be there to support your academic progress and well-being
• A student manager will be your go-to resource for any questions or challenges you encounter

At Dentons, we believe in nurturing talent, and your six-year apprenticeship is the foundation for a successful and rewarding legal career. Your future begins here.

Find out how to apply.

Dentons has welcomed eight cohorts of solicitor apprentices over the years, and we are now recruiting for our ninth cohort who will start with the firm in September 2025.

We are pioneers in this space as one of the first firms to introduce a Solicitor Apprenticeship in 2017, and we have proudly seen two cohorts of Solicitor Apprentices qualify through the route since 2023.

Since the start of our programme, we have welcomed 33 school leavers, and positioned ourselves as one of the leaders in the UK legal market with one of the largest cohorts.

We are proud of our constant development in this space, and have received extensive recognition for our programme by being shortlisted for multiple awards in 2023/2024 including: the Legal 500 ESG Awards, Women Influence & Power in Law Awards, ISE Awards, People in Law awards. We also received Excellence in Human Resource Innovation in the Legal Innovation Awards 2024.

We are a member of City Century, the award-winning solicitor apprenticeship initiative that identifies, recruits, educates, and develops the very best talent, connecting them to the City of London. Within this initiative we have been using our experience to mentor other firms as they embark in their journey to welcome their first cohort of Solicitor Apprentices.

At Dentons, we are committed to ensuring parity across all routes to qualification within the firm. At the end of our Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme, participants are encouraged to apply for Associate roles across a range of our practice areas. This reflects our belief in the equal opportunity of our talent, regardless of their route into the profession and recognising the need to enhance social mobility.

“I chose the apprenticeship route to avoid the debt! On the programme, I have been able to work on trailblazer cases and draft complex legal documents with support from highly experienced lawyers. This route has laid a solid foundation for me to thrive in a (hopefully!) successful legal career.” Ameena Ahmed, Solicitor Apprentice, Year 4. 

• Starting salary: £27,000 (London), £25,800 (Milton Keynes)
• Starting work bonus: £1,500
• Salary increases annually
• Gym membership allowance
• Health insurance
• 24 annual leave days
• Pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to well-being resources
• Restaurant discounts.