The Legal Cheek View
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Hogan Lovells is quickly establishing itself in the solicitor apprenticeship market, having launched its programme in Autumn 2024 with an initial cohort of three apprentices. New joiners can expect to dive into a wide range of practice areas, from core fields like corporate and finance to specialised areas such as IP, media and technology, litigation, and regulatory work. This breadth ensures apprentices gain a well-rounded introduction to City law.
Legal Cheek sat down with current apprentices at Hogan Lovells to get the inside track on the programme. On why she opted for the TC alternative, one apprentice told us, “The solicitor apprenticeship route seemed like the perfect fit for me, as it provided a way for me to continue studying without the worry of debt, and also provide me with excellent experience to succeed in my career as a solicitor.” Having originally applied to university, this apprentice has no regrets about her change of direction: “I deferred my application to study psychology and took a gap year to prevent me from rushing into something I didn’t want to do — and I’m so glad I did!” she told us. Despite having been “set on starting a university degree” another inside source told us that finding out about apprenticeships “completely shifted my perspective”. Like many apprentices, “the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience from the outset and the chance to immediately apply what I learnt in the classroom to real-life situations” was what tipped the balance.
So what was it about Hogan Lovells that appealed to these school-leavers? One apprentice revealed that the firm’s reputation “as a social impact leader with a dedication to pro bono, diversity and responsible business” persuaded them to send in their application: “this very much appealed to me as someone from an under-privileged background,” they explained. The culture of the firm is also cited as a key draw, “I chose Hogan Lovells because of its supportive and friendly culture” we heard from one recruit, while another chimed in “HL has a reputation for being supportive and collaborative, therefore, I felt like it would be the perfect place to learn and develop as a solicitor apprentice and a junior within the firm.” Plus, for recruits looking to start their career at an elite City firm, it doesn’t hurt that HL “is ranked amongst the very top globally.”
From the first day, solicitor apprentices can expect a taste of real legal work at Hogan Lovells. With the opportunity to experience eight different practice areas throughout their six-year scheme, recruits gain tons of legal experience before qualification. The first four years involve four yearly seat rotations, allowing newbies to get to grips with each practice area before transitioning onto the Hogan Lovells training contract. For these final two years, apprentices will join their TC graduate counterparts and rotate seats every six months.
One of the key advantages of the Hogan Lovells apprenticeship scheme lies in the dedicated training and support for apprentices, with the firm revealing to Legal Cheek that much of the training for apprentices will be more in-depth than for their trainees. One apprentice in the firm’s real estate team reports receiving “thorough training” on “the possible scenarios, issues, sites and tasks I may come across during my time in this seat”. They felt this solid grounding “provided me with a foundation of knowledge to build upon, which greatly assisted me when it came to completing tasks.” Newbie apprentices also receive “comprehensive training on firm software, office basics, time recording, and more,” making the transition into corporate life as smooth as possible.
And seat-specific training isn’t all that’s on offer, HL have told us they’re particularly keen on supporting apprentices’ personal as well as professional development. One of our sources described the “apprentice-specific training programmes” on offer, particularly ‘Leading Minds’ a profressional skills course which “equipped us with practical and emotional tools to succeed in our apprenticeship.” We heard from another apprentice who praised these “very helpful” sessions: “I learnt different methods of dealing with stress, how to conduct myself in a corporate environment, how to manage my time effectively etc.” The programme also covers topics like tackling imposter syndrome, brand development and building confidence. With an allocated learning & development point of contact for each apprentice, support networks seem to be high on the radar for this City firm.
Let’s not overlook the educational aspect of the scheme: newbies will embark on a law degree part-time during their first four years, spending one day a week studying with BPP. In their final two TC years, recruits will focus on preparation for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), emerging as fully qualified solicitors upon completion of the programme.
Balancing your first full-time job alongside a challenging academic subject sounds daunting, but HL apprentices assure us that the programme’s structure makes this a breeze. “The first year of the apprenticeship is designed in a way to allow you to learn how to manage your time without becoming overwhelmed. The firm has been really supportive and understanding of our study days and the university lessons/exams have not been too difficult or overloading. This means I have found a way to manage my time effectively to ensure I am the most successful in every aspect of the apprenticeship,” one happy recruit told us. “There are times where it can get stressful (for example during exam periods),” we did hear from one source. However apprentices stressed that, when the going gets tough, HL is there to support its youngest colleagues: “both the firm and university provide support to help us manage the trickier periods” which means “overall, balancing work and study has been manageable.”
On the social side, we’re told newbies will have plenty to fill their boots. With a relatively young demographic at Hogan Lovells, we’re told that finding a tribe in the firm won’t be hard for apprentices. As well as being invited along to all of the trainee, firm-wide and team socials, there’s tons of sporty clubs at the firm for active apprentices to get stuck into, like football, netball, hockey and running. LGBTQ+ individuals, minority communities, and faith groups alike can also participate in a host of internal networks at the firm. These networks and clubs are “a fun way of meeting people!”, in addition to the “networking, panels, conferences, and charity events” that apprentices also get the opportunity to attend. The apprenticeship cohorts are also very friendly and sociable, as one apprentice revealed, “we all like to meet up outside of work and after our lectures which is a great way to socialise outside of the corporate environment.”
Social opportunities are all the more frequent because hours for new apprentices are on the lighter side. “My usual hours are between 09:30 and 17:30. However, this may change sometimes where there is an urgent task that needs completing or where I want to study for upcoming exams,” one recruit revealed.
In what it’s seeking from an aspiring apprentice, Hogan Lovells tells Legal Cheek: “Variety is something we look for on applications: when giving examples, the more variety the better,” they say. “For example, use one academic situation, one example from a part-time job, and one personal scenario. You don’t need to focus solely on any legal work experience you may have either. Non-legal work gives you so, so many transferrable skills. So, I would advise applicants to provide as many examples as possible of skills you’ve developed in these roles.”
We also gleaned some application tips from those who have been through the process themselves. Our apprentice insiders urge applicants to “thoroughly research the firm in detail. Although it’s easy to want to do lots of applications just to get an offer, make sure you research each firm’s programme, as they can differ immensely, and some may not be suited to you!” Other insider top tips include “Practice the critical thinking test as much as you can but don’t be put off by scores from practice tests — you usually do better than you think in the real thing” and finally, “get multiple people to check over your applications, as you may have missed a spelling mistake without realising.”
This is Hogan Lovells’ Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read Hogan Lovells’ full Legal Cheek profile here.