Bevan Brittan — solicitor apprenticeship

But what was it about Bevan Brittan that drew these school-leavers in? “I’d done some work experience with different firms where I’d sat in the clinical negligence department and realised how much I enjoyed it. Bevan Brittan has a strong reputation within its healthcare team, and this initially attracted me,” one apprentice explained. The firm’s client-base was also a pull for many of her peers, one of whom told us “the fact that the firm’s main client base consists of Councils and the NHS really attracted me to work for the firm and make a difference to society.” Another inside source revealed,

“I was drawn to BB due to the core values that drive the firm. The ambition, investment in genuine relationships, responsible business efforts and positive culture all contributed to my decision.” Several apprentices we spoke to praised the firm’s warm and supportive culture, which makes itself apparent right from the start of the application process. “I quickly discovered how welcoming, approachable, and encouraging the people are,” one told us, while another revealed, “Bevan Brittan’s application process was the most personable out of all of the apprenticeships I applied for!” As a firm which was a relative pioneer in the apprenticeship game, the experience that Bevan Brittan can offer also played a major role in one apprentice’s decision. “It showed the firm’s commitment to early learning and development,” she says. “I thought — ‘they must be quite on-it in the legal sector!’”.

Structurally, Bevan Brittan’s apprenticeship programme is divided into three core seats over six-years. The first four years see rookies nestle into one of the firm’s main practice areas, gaining experience and emerging veritable specialists. “You get to a level where you’re a very reliable member of the team with lots of responsibility,” one insider remarks when asked for her thoughts on the structure of the scheme. “Towards the end you gain a huge level of exposure to the cases and matters in your team. My supervisors wanted me to jointly work their cases start to finish in clinical negligence towards the end of my four-years.” Rather than joining the training contract rotations, the final two years of the apprenticeship allow seasoned recruits to embark on two one-year-long seats in practice areas of their choosing.

This level of responsibility can be challenging but these can-do apprentices relish the opportunity to sharpen their legal skills. “I’ve had the chance to work on real matters from the start, developing both my legal knowledge and practical skills” one insider told Legal Cheek, “I feel I’m continuously learning and growing!” Others echoed this sentiment, telling us “I learn something new every day,” and “I have progressed so much.” Apprentices praise the support they have received from supervisors and other colleagues, explaining how crucial this has been to their development. “Everyone is always willing to help you out, even partners or people who aren’t in my team,” revealed one of our sources. Another chimed in, “Having such a supportive team has facilitated a smooth transition from A-Levels to the world of work, which isn’t always easy!”

Sitting in commercial and infrastructure, one new apprentice tells us that there’s plenty to take in and lots of legal jargon to get accustomed to, but that the support from her team has been second-to-none and the work is “super interesting”. Her day-to-day in this team involves a lot of “drafting documents and contacting clients” as well as “creating instruction notes and attending client meetings”. A transactional seat working with schools and other public bodies, she tells us it’s really rewarding being able to get involved in varied work with plenty of cross-over with other practice areas. 

When it comes to the one-day-a-week study on the apprenticeship, we heard from one insider that “Managing work alongside studying has been challenging at times, but it’s taught me valuable skills in organisation, prioritisation, and time management.” Working alongside studying can also have great benefits, as one source told us “I’ve had loads of support from my supervisor, who’s always willing to help me to apply my studying to my workload, so I can get a real grip on the synergies between academics and practice.”

An interviewee who is close to sitting her Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) tells us that “it definitely gets harder over the years and coursework can be quite hefty”. Now, she says, “I find most weekends I’m putting at least some hours in towards my education”. She warns that “especially coming up to exam time, if you want the top grades, you’ll have to sacrifice some evenings and weekends”. Fortunately for Bevan Brittan’s lawyer hopefuls, the firm is particularly generous with its study day allowances, and gives apprentices an extra two days off per exam to study as well as a half-day for taking the exam itself.

Away from the legal work and studying, the firm’s recruits rave about the social scene. One Birmingham-based source reveals the apprentices “are all so close”, adding that they’ve been on ski trips to Austria and France, and regularly go on spa breaks together too. “My buddy on the apprenticeship programme is someone who I clicked with immediately and is one of my best friends to this day”, she says. “This is why I think Bevan Brittan really stands out, because you don’t tend to get this level of genuine friendship at other firms.”

As well as these organic friendships, BB has plenty of organised social opportunities. “At Bevan Brittan, the trainees and apprentices are strongly encouraged to get involved in planning (and attending!) social events. I joined the Social Committee at the start of my apprenticeship, and this has allowed me to meet a wide range of people at various levels and across different departments,” one recruit told us. Another has “enjoyed being part of the Bevan Brittan 7-a-side team on Wednesdays” which is “not only is a good chance to get to know colleagues in an informal environment, but we also play other law firms which contributes to expanding my network in law.”

On the other “pull factors” of the Bevan Brittan apprenticeship, Legal Cheek’s interviewees emphasise “how supportive and committed the firm are to your learning and to shaping you as an individual”. In nature, Bevan Brittan is said to be a very “friendly and approachable” firm with insiders lauding the supportive culture in each team. “Every employee brings something different and that diversity is respected, applauded and encouraged,” we heard while one happy recruit reflected, “The supportive atmosphere and collaborative environment at BB is perfect for school-leavers starting out their legal careers.”

Convinced a Bevan Brittan apprenticeship is for you? On her advice to apprentice hopefuls, one recruit recommends “reflecting on who you are as an individual, your life experiences and what qualities you may have which would be valuable to the firm,” she says, “If you can get this across in your application, you’ll be golden.” This is echoed by another insider who revealed “The interviews I performed best in were the ones where I took the pressure off and was relaxed and as authentic as possible. You want the firm to hire you as a person and not an over-prepared, robotic version!”

And if you’re looking for even more insider insights, this apprentice recommends utilising your digital network: “LinkedIn has plenty of current solicitor apprenticeships who make really insightful posts on all things to do with the apprenticeship. Reaching out to people who have been in your position gives you a direct insight into their experience.”

This is Bevan Brittan’s Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read Bevan Brittan’s full Legal Cheek profile here.