Our events – Complete for 2023
What an incredible month, we had over 2,500 attend our London and Manchester events! The feedback has been excellent, with loads of students getting the chance to meet our passionate member firms as well as getting valuable insight from our fabulous speakers.
If you didn’t get the chance to attend, don’t worry, you can catch all the sessions with our amazing panelists in the links below.
We are a collaboration of over 50 esteemed City of London law firms, led by the City of London Law Society, and are here to ignite and revolutionise the legal profession.
School leavers stand at the threshold of endless possibilities. Our mission is to inspire bright and talented individuals like you to explore a career path you may have never considered before: City solicitor apprenticeships. A debt-free option where you can earn while you learn. Say goodbye to traditional student loans and hello to a transformative opportunity. By joining one of our members’ apprenticeship programmes, you’ll immerse yourself in a community of the next generation of lawyers – young minds bursting with potential, just like yours.
Our goal is simple yet groundbreaking: to revolutionise the legal landscape by empowering students from diverse backgrounds to pursue a career they may have never thought possible. We want to shape the minds of tomorrow’s legal talent, and that talent could be you. So, if you’re ready to break free from the ordinary, step into a world of endless possibilities, and discover the exciting realm of law in the heart of London, join us on this exhilarating journey. Together, we will redefine the future of the legal profession and unlock your true potential.
City Century is led by the City of London Law Society
Read our press release here
A debt-free option where you can earn while you learn
Say goodbye to traditional student loans and hello to a transformative opportunity.
Solicitor apprentice positions by September 2024.
City firms
Solicitor apprentice positions by September 2024.
City firms
Why become a City solicitor?
The City of London is the world’s leading financial centre and home to the world’s most exciting and high profile deals. As a City lawyer, you will be doing complex, challenging and innovative work in a fast-paced environment, working collaboratively with a diverse group of leading professionals. You will have the satisfaction of helping your clients to achieve their goals and the ability to make a real difference and bring about positive change through extensive pro bono opportunities. And of course you will be entering a highly competitive, high status, high reward profession.
Feeling convinced? Search for a firm here.
Why become a solicitor apprentice?
A Level 7 legal apprenticeship is a great route to becoming a solicitor. Over a six-year period, through work-based learning (four days a week) at a law firm and part-time study at one of the UK’s leading law schools, you’ll gain valuable legal experience and practical business skills as well as a law degree (LLB) and the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE). The key benefits compared to the traditional trainee solicitor route are far more extensive work opportunities and exposure, and the ability to earn while you learn, with no University fees or student debt.
For lots more videos and content on why this route could be for you – follow us on TikTok.
Feeling convinced? Search for a firm here.
When, where and how can I apply?
Many City Century firms have launched their solicitor apprenticeship processes for September 2024 positions. Click here to view our member firms and apply directly with them.
What are your top tips for applying?
Our TikTok community asked us this very question and our “Schoolictor” Arina gave us her advice for tackling and navigating your applications this coming autumn. You can watch her response here.
I wanted to work in law because I think it’s a really dynamic profession, it’s ever changing and stimulating. No two days are the same which keeps it a really exciting profession to be in.
Kierra, Solicitor Apprentice
This collaboration of 50 City law firms offering solicitor apprenticeships is a dream, a hope and attainable option for students like me looking to secure their social and career mobility and get into the profession at the age of 18, without worry of the costs.
Sarah, Year 12 Student and aspiring solicitor apprentice
One of the biggest draws at the moment is the ridiculous cost of full-time university. Whereas going via the apprentice route your firm pays for your degree, you earn as you learn and you get to try out all different areas of law as you do it.
City law firms offer the most incredible solicitor careers. I look back now at a career that has given me an opportunity to do work that makes the headlines, for brilliant clients and where I got to work with the best people. I want us to ensure that others have that opportunity, no matter what their background.
A genuine initiative to tackle social diversity, City Century’s work can only improve the work we do and the reputation City of London lawyers have in the world.
Colin Passmore, Partner at Simmons & Simmons and Chair, City of London Law Society
City law firms want the best talent and solicitor apprenticeships offer a different but no lesser way to attract that talent, without the individual incurring debt. This is a great opportunity to develop the next generation of outstanding lawyers who help to make the City of London one of the best places in the world to do business.
Sarah de Gay, Master, City of London Solicitors’ Company, and President, City of London Law Society (2023/24)
It’s great to see many of the major City law firms finding new ways to support talented and aspiring young lawyers.
The Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Attorney General
It is fantastic to see the launch of City Century, whose excellent work in the legal sector is helping to shape the future of law firms, bolstering the number of solicitor
apprentices and supporting firms to access the best apprentice talent.
Clare Marchant, UCAS Chief Executive
Thanks to City Century there’s more opportunity to come, with 50 City Law firms collaborating for the introduction of a substantial increase in the number of solicitor apprenticeships available in the City – this will make the next steps for students like myself much less daunting and more accessible.
Tamana, Year 12 Student and aspiring solicitor apprentice
It is fantastic news that these 50 City law firms have committed to increasing the number of London-based solicitor apprentices. I commend their commitment to social mobility.
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Minister of State (Education)
I find it hugely exciting to see the generosity of spirit flowing between firms.
Joanna Hughes, Joanna Hughes Solicitor Apprenticeships
When we spoke to 50 City law firms at the end of last year, it quickly became clear that the conversation was changing– to ‘let’s get this done now’ – a real sense of City firms wanting to create an appealing hiring message and do something special.
Patrick McCann, Director Learning Linklaters and Chair of CLLS Training Committee