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.

Feeling convinced? Search for a firm here.

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.

Looking for more info? Check out our guide on why solicitor apprenticeships are great for school leavers.

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.

City Century law firms will be launching their solicitor apprenticeship processes for September 2026 positions from October 2025. Each law firm will have a different application window, but most will run from October 2025 to mid-February 2026.

Click here to view our member firms and apply directly with them.

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.

The ability to earn a good salary is – unsurprisingly – front of mind for students and parents. This chimes with what we are told by schools, colleges, UCAS and other early careers specialists – potential candidates interested in apprenticeships want to know how financially stable they will become as apprentices. But there is a (false) perception that apprenticeship wages are low and the earning potential for apprentices is lower than for graduates.

Check out this 12-minute video Q&A between an aspiring solicitor apprentice and two current solicitor apprentices. Their wide-ranging conversation covered:

• the salaries paid by City firms to solicitor apprentices at various levels
• how comparable these salaries are to the traditional trainee route
• why salaries differ between firms
• how to research what each firm pays
• what additional support they may offer and
• how to manage your finances once employed.