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A decade on from launching our legal apprenticeship, it has become a valued route into a successful career in law.
What started as a pioneering step into a new route into law has grown into a well-established and valued part of our early careers offering, supporting talented individuals to build successful legal careers through an alternative pathway to qualification.
With our 10th cohort joining the firm and applications for our 2027 intake opening in September 2026, this anniversary marks an important moment to reflect on what the programme has achieved, celebrate the people who have shaped it and look ahead to its continued role in widening access to the legal profession.
The firm was among the first law firms to introduce a legal apprenticeship scheme and played an active role in the legal sector Trailblazer group, helping to shape national apprenticeship standards for paralegal and solicitor apprenticeships. Our involvement from the beginning reflects a long-standing commitment to social mobility, widening access, developing future talent and challenging the idea that there is only one route into the legal profession.
The 10-year anniversary gives us an opportunity to recognise our place as one of the originators of the legal apprenticeship route, while also showcasing the impact the programme has had on apprentices, teams, clients and the wider early careers market. It is a moment to celebrate our history, but also to look forward to the next generation of apprentices joining the firm, in which we will have 4 new joiners come this September.
To mark the occasion, we are hosting a celebratory networking event in Glassworks, bringing together current and former Burges Salmon legal apprentices to recognise the people who have contributed to the programme over the past decade. We are also extending the invitation to current apprentices from other local Bristol firms, as well as representatives from BPP University, to broaden the celebration and strengthen connections across the apprenticeship community.
Hear from our apprentices past and present as they share their experiences, reflect on their journeys and offer an insight into life as an apprentice at the firm.
The current Legal Apprenticeship is a six-year Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship based in the Bristol office and delivered in partnership with BPP University. Apprentices spend four days each week working at the firm and one day studying towards their formal legal qualifications, including their law degree and SQE pathway. This structure allows apprentices to apply academic learning directly to real legal work while building the technical, commercial and professional skills needed to qualify as solicitors.
The programme combines structured study, supervised legal work, departmental experience and long-term career development. Apprentices gain experience across a range of legal departments and, in the final two years, can join the trainee solicitor rotation. This means legal apprentices may experience up to ten different seats before qualification, giving them broad exposure to practice areas, clients, teams and ways of working across the firm.
For the 2027 intake, applications are expected to open on 1 September 2026 and close on 9 November 2026. Planned attraction activity includes a virtual Legal Apprenticeship open evening on 1 October, an in-person Legal Apprenticeship open evening on 8 October, assessment centres in December and a Legal Apprenticeship vacation scheme in February 2027. These key dates will help future applicants learn more about the route, meet our people and understand what life as a Legal Apprentice at Burges Salmon involves.
“The apprenticeship highlights how this alternate route into law no longer fosters uncertainty. With the 10th year anniversary of the apprenticeship at Burges Salmon, it really goes to show how established and successful this route really is.”
Eifion Rodrigues, Legal Apprentice
“It means starting my career early, having stability, and most importantly pushing and stretching myself daily with new challenges and tasks to become an excellent lawyer.”
Emma Mitchell, Apprentice Solicitor
“Please can I get involved in the BAU matter that you were all referencing on the team meeting? BAU I found out means business as usual… the more you know!”
Connor Maunder, Apprentice Solicitor
“Why is my work phone not working?! (It wasn’t charged…).”
Eifion Rodrigues, Legal Apprentice
“Collating evidence of trademark infringement in my first year of DR which involved watching lots of clips of Irish Dancing with the Stars.”
Beatrice Breaden, Senior Apprentice Solicitor
“Probably to go on a LinkedIn stalk.”
Emma Mitchell, Apprentice Solicitor
“I would 100% have to say the apprentice socials, whether that be bowling at Roxy Lanes, Laser quest at Laser Fusion, or just a nice informal dinner getting to know other apprentices while sharing a Pizza at Rudy’s!”
Eifion Rodrigues, Legal Apprentice
“Staying at Tortworth court with the Employment team and dressing up as sailors to sing to Chris Seaton as part of his retirement party was very fun!”
Emma Mitchell, Apprentice Solicitor
“Completing the apprenticeship and qualifying as a solicitor alongside Elliot and India. We were the guinea pigs for the apprenticeship and lots changed during the course of our apprenticeship to help shape the programme for future apprentices. Being on Sky news was also pretty cool. I’m waiting for the call up again for the 10 year anniversary…”
Thomas Chamberlain, Solicitor
“I was asked to attend a podcast recording with Roger Bull at the Oxygen Conservation Estate in Devon. Not only was it amazing to see the Oxygen Conservation Estate, the great work they do and the commercial relationship between BS and OC but we were driven down to Devon by Roger so we had a few hours of us time to ask him lots of questions!”
Beatrice Breaden, Senior Apprentice Solicitor
“Not a dish – but you simply cannot beat a Glassworks brownie.”
Grace Thomas, Apprentice Solicitor
“Any of the pizzas!”
Connor Maunder, Apprentice Solicitor
“Harry – because he is simply incredible and his passion, drive and enthusiasm shines through.”
Grace Thomas, Apprentice Solicitor
“I think India (if she still counts) she has drive, grit and just works really hard! I think Albi also has excellent charisma and would be great with attracting clients.”
Emma Mitchell, Apprentice Solicitor
“You are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. Things will feel uncomfortable and difficult but you will be able to do it!”
Beatrice Breaden, Senior Apprentice Solicitor
“Don’t worry about asking questions because that’s how you learn. It’s always better to ask a few questions than make an avoidable mistake or spend three times longer than needed trying to find the answer yourself. Trust that you don’t need to know everything straight away, just focus on improving bit by bit. Also, get plenty of sleep, especially in your first few months of the apprenticeship, and don’t skip breakfast!”
Olivia Chapman, Legal Apprentice
“I am most proud of how I have developed as a person and professional since becoming an apprentice. Before, I was a rather shy and unconfident 18 year old from a poverty stricken area. I never would of thought at the time I would even manage to secure a apprenticeship much less end up in position within a few years where I am confident enough to take ownership of various streams of work on matters, maintaining communication effortlessly with clients among other things such as speaking at conferences.”
Ryan Millett, Apprentice Solicitor
“Passing all exams (particularly SQE) whilst working at the same time!”
Thomas Chamberlain, Solicitor
The firm helped shape the national paralegal and solicitor apprenticeship standards as part of the legal sector Trailblazer group.
The firm was among the first law firms in the UK to launch a legal apprenticeship scheme under the Trailblazer initiative.
We began recruiting legal apprentices in 2016, making this September the programme’s 10-year anniversary.
The first cohort included Tom Chamberlain, India Jenkins and Elliott Hawes, who are now qualified solicitors and remain with the firm.
Each year, Burges Salmon takes on four legal apprentices to begin their journey towards qualification.
Last year, one of our qualifying legal apprentices became the first to have previously taken part in our Bright Sparks work experience scheme while at school before applying for the apprenticeship.
As of August 2026, we have currently retained all legal apprentices.
As of September 2026, Burges Salmon will have 24 apprentices across the firm, with 2 separately awaiting qualification.
Legal apprentices
Retention rate
Qualified apprentices so far
SQE1 pass rate
SQE2 pass rate
Law firm in Bristol to introduce a Legal Apprenticeship Vacation Scheme
Legal apprenticeships have moved from being a relatively new and unfamiliar route to becoming one of the most talked-about pathways into the profession. More leading firms are now investing in solicitor apprenticeships alongside traditional graduate training contracts, reflecting growing candidate interest in routes that combine paid work, study, qualification and long-term career development.
Burges Salmon sits strongly within this market because it recognised the value of apprenticeships early. The firm was not following a trend; it was part of the group helping to create the standards and build confidence in the route. This gives the anniversary real credibility and differentiates Burges Salmon from firms that have only introduced solicitor apprenticeships more recently.
We can celebrate how the programme has grown from the first cohort in 2016 to the 10th cohort joining in 2026.
Burges Salmon was among the first firms to offer the route and helped shape the standards that underpin legal apprenticeships today.
Current and former apprentices can share their experiences, including those from the first cohort who have since qualified and remained with the firm.
The anniversary provides an opportunity to highlight how the programme opens the profession to talented candidates who may not follow the traditional university route.
The route offers paid work, practical experience, academic study and a clear pathway to qualification without university tuition debt.
Apprentices benefit from exposure to different departments, client work, supervision, training and support throughout the programme.
The anniversary aligns with applications opening for the 2027 intake and provides a platform to promote the continued growth of the route.
The Glassworks event would bring together apprentices, alumni, BPP representatives and potentially apprentices from other Bristol firms to celebrate the wider apprenticeship community.
“Perhaps most importantly, the programme has widened access to the legal profession. It has provided opportunities to talented individuals from a broad range of backgrounds and demonstrated that there is more than one route to becoming an exceptional lawyer. The success of our apprentices continues to challenge traditional perceptions of entry into the profession and reinforces our commitment to social mobility and inclusion.”
Roger Bull Managing Partner
Applications for our 2027 Legal Apprenticeship programme are now live. Take the first step towards an exciting career in law and apply by Sunday 9 November.
Apply now
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