FAQs

We run three Vacation Schemes. The spring scheme is one week long and usually takes place the week prior to the week in which the Good Friday bank holiday falls in the UK. 

There are then two schemes in the summer lasting two weeks – one in June and one in July. 

No. We recognise that candidates may have commitments that mean they can only take one week to attend a scheme which is why the spring scheme is shorter. It does mean that there is more in the daily schedule, but you will be assessed in the same way as those attending the two-week summer schemes.

We also recognise that candidates may only be able to attend certain dates. Attending the last scheme does not reduce your chances of securing a Training Contract. Vacancies are not all filled until we have had time to reach a decision on all candidates.

Yes, you will need to be available to attend the entire scheme. You will be working full-time (our core hours are 0930 to 1730) for five days a week. 

No. Our Vacation Schemes run in-person, in our London office, and cannot be completed remotely.

Yes. If you accept a Training Contract offer before you start studying your PGDL and/or SQE we will ask you to complete your studies with the University of Law. This ensures our future trainees receive the same training and are able to start getting to know each other. 

Yes. If you are currently studying or have already completed your studies with a provider other than the University of Law, this will not disadvantage your application.   

Yes, you can apply to us if you have completed the LPC. You should note, however, that the firm has fully transitioned to the SQE route to qualification. You will, therefore, still need to complete part of the SQE (SQE 2 and our SQE plus programme) before you start your Training Contract.  

Yes. We will cover the cost of your tuition fees with the University of Law and your SQE assessment fees. We also provide a maintenance grant to help with accommodation and living costs whilst you are studying.  

We do not reimburse expenses for completed courses but if you are currently studying at the point you accept your Training Contract offer we will provide sponsorship on a pro-rated basis. 

Yes. Our current trainees, having most recently completed the SQE, run a ‘Top Tips’ session for future trainees embarking on their studies and preparing to sit their assessments.  We would also encourage you to speak to us at any time during your studies if you feel you need any extra support or need to discuss any concerns. 

We ask that you contact us straight away if you fail any exam or assessment to discuss your individual circumstances. We have an exam re-sit policy which outlines our typical position regarding exam failures which you will be given when you accept a Training Contract with us.  

Our apprentices come from a variety of schools, colleges and backgrounds. We have six schools represented across all our intakes. We interview on a school and college ‘CV blind’ basis which means interviewers will not be given details of your school or college.

You must either have already completed your A-Level or equivalent studies or be a year 13 student due to complete your A-Level or equivalent studies by the summer of the year in which the programme starts. We expect candidates to be on track to, or to have achieved, BBB (120 UCAS tariff points) at A-Level, 32 IB points or equivalent. We also look for seven GCSEs including Maths and English or equivalent, at Grade C/4 or above.

We consider every application holistically, however the minimum entry requirements for the LLB at The University of Law means that most successful candidates will have achieved our academic requirements. If you have not achieved (or are not predicted to achieve) these grades you are welcome to apply, and your application will be reviewed. Please note that the entry requirements for The University of Law may mean we are not able to progress your application.

Yes, you must meet the UK Government’s funding requirements for the Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship to be eligible to apply. The funding requirements, while generally stable, do undergo periodic reviews by the UK Government so it is important to check every year.

We recognise that personal or external circumstances may have affected your academic journey and there is space on the application form for you to explain these, if relevant. Your application will be looked at holistically, considering your overall academic performance and any context you provide. We will also look at any relevant insights from the Rare contextual recruitment system we use as part of our screening process.

The Solicitor Apprenticeship is designed for individuals beginning their legal career without completing a university degree. As a result, we are unable to accept applications from those who have commenced the second year of an undergraduate degree. If you have commenced your first year of a university undergraduate degree and you have decided to change pathways and apply to HFW for our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme, there is a section on our application form to provide more detail about your decision and your future career ambitions.

To complete any type of apprenticeship programme in the UK, you must have been resident here for three years before applying, and you must hold the appropriate right to work without requiring additional visa sponsorship. This is a UK government funding requirement for all apprenticeship programmes.

Due to the volume received, we review all applications in the order in which they are submitted. As a result, candidates may be shortlisted and invited to an assessment day while applications are still open. We advise you to take the time you need to research the firm and prepare your application form but would recommend you apply as soon as you are able to in the application window

Our aim is to make the process accessible and fair for everyone. There is space on the application form for you to outline support you may need at any stage of the recruitment process. We recognise that this will vary, so please give as much detail as you are comfortable sharing. We would also recommend you reiterate your requirements at each stage of the process if you are shortlisted.

If you would find it helpful to discuss your requirements prior to completing your application form, please complete an enquiry form and a member of the Early Careers team will be happy to speak to you.

We recognise that Generative AI offers support to candidates and that it is becoming an increasingly prevalent tool. If choosing to use it, we encourage you to consider the skills that you are being assessed on as part of the recruitment process. Please avoid relying solely on it, as we are keen to see your own research and thoughts.

There is no single formula for a successful application. We look for candidates who can demonstrate a genuine interest in HFW, our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme and the sectors in which we operate. We are an international firm, so we value candidates with a global outlook and an interest in international business. Most importantly, focus on the experiences, skills and perspectives that make you unique. There is more detailed guidance on our Recruitment process page.

Our assessment days are run virtually. Where attendance at our London office is required for an HR interview or final Associate interview, we would reimburse reasonable travel expenses up to £150. If you need your travel to be paid in advance of your attendance, please complete an enquiry form and a member of the Early Careers team can discuss this with you.

You will need a quiet space, a computer and access to a stable internet connection to attend a virtual assessment day. If this will be difficult for you, please complete an enquiry form as soon as possible after you receive your invite to attend and we can discuss your circumstances. We can provide a room and/or laptop in our London office if needed.

Due to the volume of application forms we receive we are unable to offer you feedback at the application stage of the process. If you attend one of our assessment days, and/or a HR or final stage interview we will provide you with feedback if you request it.

You can submit one application per recruitment cycle for our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme. If unsuccessful at the application stage, you may reapply in a future recruitment cycle. We would not recommend reapplying more than three times unless your application has significantly changed.

If you are unsuccessful at the assessment day or final interview stage, you may reapply in a future recruitment cycle. We would normally only consider two assessment day attempts.

Our preferred provider is The University of Law. If you accept a Solicitor Apprenticeship with us, you will be enrolled on the LLB and SQE (Part 1 & 2) course and you will have to complete a series of onboarding steps with both The University of Law and the firm. More detailed guidance on each step will be provided to you after the offer stage.

Our current trainees, having most recently completed the SQE, run a ‘Top Tips’ session for future solicitor apprentices embarking on their studies and preparing to sit their assessments. We would also encourage you to speak to us at any time during your studies if you feel you need any extra support or need to discuss any concerns.

We ask that you contact us straight away if you fail any exam or assessment to discuss your individual circumstances. We have an exam re-sit policy which outlines our typical position regarding exam failures which you will be given when you are at the point where you will start studying for your exams.

Yes, we offer additional study leave during the programme for both mock and assessed examinations as well as one day of study leave per academic year for assessed coursework.

We have one Solicitor Apprentice intake each year, starting in September. We typically take two apprentices each year, but this number may change due to business need.

Your first seats: Your first six seats are pre-allocated to help you build a broad understanding of how a law firm operates. You will spend three months in Global Research and Resources, six months in Marketing and Business Development, and nine months in Risk, Compliance and Conflicts.

Choosing further seats: After this, you will move into fee-earning practice groups and spend one year in each seat before undertaking a guaranteed six-month international secondment. Before each seat rotation, we will discuss your preferences and ask you to submit three choices. We do our best to accommodate preferences while balancing business needs and previous seat allocations, and we aim to give everyone at least one first-choice seat.

To offer our solicitor apprentices the guaranteed international secondment and resource the needs of our global network, we need our solicitor apprentices to be committed to going overseas for at least one seat during the programme. We recognise, however, that circumstances can change and if it becomes difficult for you to go, we will discuss this with you.

No, there is no need to speak the language of the country in which you complete your international secondment. The work you do will be conducted in English. We provide language tuition to help with everyday living.

We recruit a relatively small number of solicitor apprentices each year, allowing us to provide high levels of support and development throughout the programme. This approach also contributes to our strong retention rates on qualification.