Our apprenticeship

Our programme allows you to qualify as a solicitor while gaining experience in up to nine teams and achieving a law degree and the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). You'll be earning a salary from day one.

Over the course of the six-year apprenticeship, you will be studying for your apprenticeship whilst simultaneously working and gaining practical skills of how to become a successful qualified solicitor in a supportive and collaborative law firm. This is the same time it would take you to qualify if you went to university and studied law, completed the SQE and finished a training contract programme. Plus, the apprenticeship allows you to apply the theoretical knowledge you study, right away as well as earn while you learn and work towards your legal qualifications.

This route helps you build a strong foundation for your future career. You'll develop the skills, knowledge and commercial acumen needed to become a successful solicitor. Our apprenticeship programme is designed to help you realise your potential and equip you with the skills to deliver client excellence and work in a creative, collaborative and commercial way.

How does it work?

Over the course of the six-year programme, you will spend your first six-months in one of our business support teams before then gaining experience in up to eight of our legal teams across our Business, Real Estate and Private Client groups. Our structured programme provides you with the opportunity to rotate across our different legal groups, providing you with the breadth and depth of experience that will support you as a newly qualified solicitor. The final two years of the programme follows the structure of our training contract (4x 6-month seats.)

Throughout your apprenticeship you will spend four days a week working closely with qualified lawyers and other professionals in a team and have one day to study at the University of Law.

As our fourth cohort of apprentices on our programme, you'll be allocated one of our current apprentices as your buddy, have a dedicated mentor and supervisor as well as ongoing support from the Early Careers team to ensure that you have the support you need throughout the programme.

This is a Bristol based apprenticeship that will begin in September 2026.

Why Michelmores?

Michelmores is the destination law firm for the ambitious, the imaginative and the distinctive. We help enterprises and individuals navigate change to find a positive future.

We are a flexible, friendly and inclusive organisation with as clear a focus on fresh thinking as we have on growth and success. We value and nurture our people’s potential and inspiration and give them a creative, open and collaborative environment in which to develop a career and succeed.

As an apprentice at Michelmores, you will find the best blend of varied, high-quality work in a flexible and supportive environment.

Alongside building your understanding of the law, you’ll gain a real grasp of the commercial realities that affect our clients and how we help them make the most of their opportunities.

You will be joining a firm that wants to make a positive difference to the world around them, for their people, their clients, the local communities we work in and the planet. Find out more by clicking here.

Who are we looking for?

• Individuality
• The right values and behaviours – proactive, curious and adaptable
• A growth mindset
• Future leaders
• Candidates who are passionate about law and a career at Michelmores

Next Steps To apply please click the link below or if you would like to talk to someone about the role, please email early.careers@michelmores.com and we can arrange a call.

Michelmores LLP is an Equal Opportunities Employer

We do not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, marital status, age, religion, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation in the selection, recruitment and treatment of our staff.

View our Inclusion and Belonging pages for more information.

As part of our recruitment policy our candidates are subject to pre-employment screening checks. The Employee Screening Process includes DBS screening, adverse media checks, financial screening, and will also involve verification of employment history, your right to work in the UK and any relevant qualifications and memberships. If you would like further information around this, at this stage, please get in touch with our recruitment team (early.careers@michelmores.com)

Do you sponsor visas for international candidates?

All employees must have a legal right to work in the UK in order to undertake any UK based employment. British and Irish citizens currently have an automatic right to work in the UK. All other citizens must have a UK visa or settled status in the UK. Please provide us with full details of your immigration status and, where appropriate, how you intend to qualify for a UK visa so that we can consider whether or not it is possible for us to progress your application. We will look at each application on a case-by-case basis. Any offer will be conditional upon your right to work in the UK.

There are minimum salary and skill requirements that need to be met to be eligible for a sponsored visa. Full details on restrictions including course completion requirements can be found on the Home Office website. UK Immigration Rules are subject to change with little or no notice.

Potential sponsorship options are subject to UK immigration policies and any corresponding reviews. Michelmores cannot make any guarantee that you will be eligible for sponsorship. Michelmores keeps its approach under review in line with new government guidance, as it is published.

Please also be aware that should any subsequent changes to the UK immigration rules affect the viability of your application before your start date, we reserve the right to change how we process applications, in line with the new regulations. Once we become aware of any changes we will let you know at the earliest possible opportunity.

Application deadline:
Monday, 23 February 2026 at 23:59 (UTC)
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