Legal Assistant Programme

Are you a final-year student looking to excel in law?

Apply for Freeths’ Legal Assistant Progamme and make the best start to your career

Are you a standout individual with a burning ambition to be a brilliant lawyer? At Freeths, we get you off to a flying start.

We’re a full-service law firm with more than 1,000 freethinking colleagues, spread across 13 UK offices. 

We’re smart and entrepreneurial. We’re bold in how we engage with our clients. And we’re a friendly, diverse and together team who always look out for each other.

Unique opportunity at our leading firm

Our Legal Assistant Programme is open to final year students and provides a stepping stone to our graduate apprenticeship and ultimately becoming a lawyer at our high-performing firm.

You’ll work alongside our talented team, providing administrative and legal support to trainees, lawyers and partners – giving you a true picture of what a career in law can offer.

We’re looking for outstanding candidates, with excellent grades and first-class organisation, who are friendly, flexible and ready to contribute and succeed with us.  

How does the programme work?

• Legal Assistant positions run for six months and we review your performance every three months. 

• After six months, we decide if your performance merits a second six-month contract. 

• After nine months, we decide whether to offer you funding for the Solicitor Qualifying Examinations (SQE) plus a further contract to complete your Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

• If you’re successful at each step, you’ll join our Graduate Apprenticeship and begin formal training. 

• During the Graduate Apprenticeship, you’ll work at Freeths for four days a week and study for one day at the University of Law to prepare for and take the SQE 1 and SQE 2. 

• The apprenticeship lasts for 25 months and you’ll work in different areas of law within Freeths while completing your QWE. You’ll also have the option to ‘top up’ your apprenticeship to a Masters qualification.

Once you’ve completed our Graduate Apprenticeship and passed your exams you’ll be ready to qualify as a solicitor.

Why choose Freeths?

We take your growth seriously: We make sure everyone feels connected through a clear progression pathway and ongoing mentoring. Our modern training is rounded, relevant and focused on unlocking your potential. 

We recognise what you do: When you do great work at Freeths, it gets noticed. You receive excellent career development and our rewards and benefits are among the best in the market. 

We take care of you: We combine a high-performance culture with a caring one, where your wellbeing and work-life balance are taken seriously. 

We know that differences add strength, so we have a diverse culture where everyone has the freedom to be your authentic self.

Can you apply for the Legal Assistant Programme if you’re a non-law graduate?

Yes. If you’re successful at the nine-month review, we’ll fund a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), which you’ll complete before starting the Graduate Apprenticeship.

When should you apply?

Apply towards the end of your degree. If you’re successful, you’ll join us when you graduate. Apply at https://freeths.grad.allhires.com/app/ and set your potential Free.

As an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and inclusion, our aim is to attract and empower the most talented people.  We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  

We celebrate difference, encourage diversity of thought and are dedicated to continually challenging our processes to maintain fairness, equity and transparency. If you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact !earlycareers@freeths.co.uk and we will be happy to discuss.