- Manchester
- health and safety, inquest and inquiries
- j.down@hempsons.co.uk
- 0161 234 2496
Qualify as a solicitor through the SQE while gaining paid, hands-on experience Our Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship offers an alternative route to qualification for law graduates who want to start their legal career without the burden of further tuition fees. You’ll qualify as a solicitor by completing SQE1 and SQE2, while working in a leading healthcare law firm, gaining real experience from day one and earning a salary throughout the programme. The apprenticeship is 30 months long and is fully funded by Hempsons, including tuition and exam fees through our training partner, BPP University.
What is the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship?
The Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship is a structured training programme designed for:
- Law graduates (LLB), or
- Non-law graduates who have completed the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
You will:
- Work four days a week within the firm
- Study one day a week with BPP University
- Complete qualifying work experience (QWE) across a range of practice areas
- Prepare for and sit SQE1 and SQE2, supported throughout by both Hempsons and BPP
This route allows you to progress straight from university into a professional legal role, gaining experience, responsibility and financial independence from the outset.
What you can expect as a Graduate Solicitor Apprentice
From your first day at Hempsons, you’ll be treated as a valued member of the team. You will:
- Work alongside experienced and highly regarded healthcare lawyers
- Be supported by a dedicated supervising partner within the firm
- Receive academic and pastoral support from a BPP tutor and skills coach
- Take on real responsibility, with appropriate supervision and guidance
Your work will include:
- Supporting lawyers on live client matters
- Drafting legal documents and correspondence
- Attending client meetings and hearings
- Assisting with case management and project planning
- Gaining exposure to court work where relevant
Like our trainee solicitors, you will complete three or four seats over the course of the programme, allowing you to build a broad understanding of our specialist services.
Practice areas you may work in
Depending on business need and office location, seats may include:
- Healthcare litigation
- Healthcare advisory
- Regulatory and crime*
- Employment
- Commercial real estate
- Corporate and commercial*
*Availability is dependent on office location.
Why join Hempsons?
Hempsons has been supporting organisations across the health, social care and charity sectors for decades, advising on the legal, regulatory and commercial challenges that shape vital public services. Working with clients that make a real difference to people’s lives, we help navigate complex issues with clear, pragmatic advice and a strong understanding of the environments in which they operate.
As part of the HF group of companies, we combine specialist legal knowledge with innovative technology and modern ways of working to deliver effective solutions for our clients. With offices in London, Harrogate, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton, we offer the reach of a national firm alongside the collaborative culture and sector focus that set us apart.
We offer:
- A supportive, inclusive and collaborative culture
- High-quality training and supervision
- Cross-office working and exposure to a wide range of clients
- Long-term career development, with the aim of retaining apprentices on qualification
Salary and benefits
We offer competitive starting salaries:
- £24,000 (regional offices)
- £30,400 (London)
Alongside a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- 25 days’ annual leave plus a discretionary day on Christmas Eve
- Study leave allowance
- 5.2% employer pension contribution
- Private medical health cover
- Group income protection
- Death in service benefit
- Interest-free season ticket loan
- Employee assistance programme
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- Employee referral bonus scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Sports and social events
What we are looking for
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including mature candidates. You will be:
- Bright, motivated and adaptable
- Interested in building a long-term career with Hempsons
- Comfortable working in a professional, client-focused environment
Academic requirements
Ideally, you will have:
- A 2:1 law degree (LLB), or
- A non-law degree plus a pass in the GDL (either completed or expected)
We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates who:
- Have experience in healthcare, social care or the third sector
- Hold a qualification in a medical or healthcare-related discipline
Application and hiring process
Our 2026 graduate recruitment round is currently open to internal applicants only.
We are always keen to hear from individuals interested in working with us. If you can’t see a role that would fit your skills and you would like to work for a leading health and social care law firm, please feel free to get in touch with us at recruitment@h-f.co.uk
Please consider completing our optional equality and diversity survey to assist us in monitoring our employment applications process. Any application submitted and unsuccessful will be retained for a period of twelve months only, under data protection guidelines.