The Legal Cheek View
This is the Forsters profile for those considering solicitor apprenticeships. Students looking to apply for training contracts should check out Legal Cheek‘s main Forsters profile.
London law firm Forsters was originally formed when a unit of 10 partners broke away from one of the UK’s oldest law firms, Frere Cholmeley Bischoff, after it decided to merge with Eversheds. Nowadays, its lawyers operate out of its sleek new Marylebone office, handling a variety of high-end private client, property, construction, and corporate work.
For Forsters apprentices, the combination of the firm’s broad specialisms and supportive culture drew them to apply. “Forsters appealed because I could see how the firm’s identity translates into the work it does and the clients it works with,” says one apprentice; “the firm felt like the right fit for me in terms of the work, wider opportunities and focus on junior development.” Another apprentice adds, “I chose this firm because I knew that the culture and values they set would provide a productive setting for my legal development. As an apprentice it is vital to ask questions and expose yourself to difficult scenarios, and at this firm I knew that they would prioritise my learning to help me through it.” Apprentices are also excited to be growing and developing alongside this ambitious firm: “In my opinion, the key strength of the firm is its strong growth. As an apprentice, I hope to continue to grow with the firm and see all the exciting new changes that may happen,” one insider shares.
These keen juniors praise the apprenticeship route and the opportunities for hands-on learning it offers. “I’ve always been more of a practical person, so the opportunity to apply what I learn in my studies directly to real legal work really appealed to me. Being involved in live matters has helped me develop a much deeper understanding of the law, as I can see how it works in practice and how transactions progress from start to finish,” one of our insiders explains. Another apprentice was torn between apprenticeship and university but revealed to Legal Cheek that “being an apprentice allows you to develop soft skills that are necessary for the workplace but aren’t a focus when pursuing a degree through the traditional route. I am so glad that I have made the choice to be an apprentice as I have become more confident, well rounded and knowledgeable than I would have been otherwise.”
Apprentice newbies at Forsters spend the first two years of the programme in their first ‘seat’, meaning that they’ll be gaining a huge amount of knowledge and confidence working in their first practice area. This also allows school-leavers to settle in and become acquainted with legal work. In this time, apprentices will also complete a six-month seat with the firm’s compliance team, providing an insight into the non-legal, business underbelly of the firm. Moving on to their third and fourth years they will embark on annual rotations across some of the firm’s key practice areas. Likely seats for apprentices include construction, commercial real estate, property litigation, and residential property.
During the final two years of their six-year stint, apprentices join graduates on the Forsters training contract. They will rotate six times across the firm’s different practice areas in these final years, providing an opportunity to explore the different areas of law on offer at the firm. The final seat for both trainees and apprentices will be their selected qualifying seat (i.e. the area of law that budding lawyers want to specialise in), enabling Forsters’ soon-to-be solicitors to gain a head start building connections and experience in this practice area before qualifying.
Insiders at the firm assure Legal Cheek that copious support is provided to apprentices throughout the scheme. “From the start of the apprenticeship, Forsters provided regular training sessions to ensure a smooth transition from school into the professional environment. We still have regular catch ups with the Early Careers team and the partners which gives us the opportunity to share feedback, discuss development, and give ideas on how the programme can be even better,” one spy reveals. Another mentions that “training may range from technical sessions with Knowledge Development Lawyers to workshops with the Learning and Development team. This means you are able to develop the skills needed for your specific team as well as the wider soft skills.” In addition to formal training, we hear that within Forsters teams “everyone has been incredibly generous with their time” and “people really try to integrate you into their matters if you have shown a genuine interest in the work”, leaving apprentices feeling that “the firm wants you to grow.” The training is said to be “tailored to us” as well as “structured and intentional in not trying to overload us with too much information too early on.”
When it comes to their legal education, apprentices will also pursue a part-time law degree with BPP Law School alongside their legal work. Their LLB studies will consist of one day per week over the first four years, while devoting the other four days to legal work. In years five and six, seasoned apprentices will undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) and, upon completion of the programme, emerge as fully qualified solicitors.
Describing the balance between academic study and legal work, one apprentice says, “at the beginning this was slightly tricky as the whole process was completely new to me. However, after a few weeks I found my preferred method, especially since I understood what the studying element looked like a bit more.” Current Forsters apprentices recommend trying to fit an hour of study in before work to ease the pressure on the study day. However they choose to balance their workload, it seems that consistency and routine are key. One apprentice emphasises that “both the firm and university want you to be able to perform to the best of your abilities in every aspect of the apprenticeship” and recommends “effectively managing expectations and communicating your different deadlines well in advance.” Apprentices assure LC that their study day is “always protected” and that university timetables are released in advance “so there are no surprises with deadlines.”
The social scene at Forsters is vibrant, we’re told, with a variety of firm socials and clubs that apprentices can participate in. There’s an in-house football team, netball team, rounders team and running group for sporty team members. Apprentices can also join the Forsters diversity and inclusion and charity networks, which organise events throughout the calendar year. In addition to a weekly choir and reading club for bookworms, the firm also runs a lunch club that helps feed those in need at a local church on Thursdays. Apprentices can also participate in regular firm-wide and team gatherings and are likely to become involved with the firm’s internal junior lawyers’ social group, which typically meets at the local pub. “Forsters has so much to offer to prospective apprentices but I have found that the firm’s primary strength comes from the people you get to work with,” one of our insiders tells us.
Offering advice to those who are considering applying for apprenticeship at Forsters, one apprentice says, “Be yourself. Don’t try and change who you are to fit in.” Another chimes in, “It is also important to ensure that you undertake your research and know about the firm you are applying to.” Apprentices also advice being confident in yourself and not overthinking the application process: “The firm wants to get to know you through the application process so don’t worry about what experience you have had to date, you aren’t expected to have a wealth of knowledge, just a real interest in the firm and the work that we do!”
This is Forsters’ Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read Forsters’ full Legal Cheek profile here.