Reed Smith Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027

Applications close 8 January 2027. Pays £27,000 a year in London.

NoSolicitor Apprenticeship

No. Reed Smith does not sponsor its solicitor apprenticeship for international students who need a visa. Someone arriving in the UK on a new sponsored visa would not meet this rule. Reed Smith does offer visa sponsorship for its vacation schemes and training contracts, but not through this apprenticeship route.

Sponsors grads?: No
Pay vs threshold: Not published
Opportunity: apprenticeship
Pay: not stated on page
2027 cycle: Applications open 5 October 2026 and close 5pm on 8 January 2027
Confidence: high

Reed Smith Solicitor Apprenticeship: at a glance

Reed Smith's Solicitor Apprenticeship in London is for school leavers who want a career in commercial law without attending university. In years 1 and 2 apprentices rotate through business services departments, including Legal Engineering and Technology; in years 3 and 4 they work on legal matters at paralegal level and earn an LL.B. law degree; in years 5 and 6 they join the trainee programme, rotating through four departments with the chance of a client or international secondment. Apprentices spend 20% of their time studying. Applications for the 2027 programme are open from 5 October to 5pm on 8 January 2027. Source

Who can apply: Year 13 students and school leavers without a degree who are UK nationals or have been resident in the UK for at least three years before starting, and who are eligible for level 7 apprenticeship fundingSource
Locations: London“Our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme in London offers ambitious school leavers an exciting opportunity to begin their legal careers at a leading global law firm.”Source
Starting pay: £27,000 starting salary, increasing annually, plus a £2,000 sign-on bonus for travel and housing costs“Starting salary of £27,000, increasing annually as you progress through the programme.”Source
Degree requirement: No degree: ABB at A-level (or equivalent) and at least seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above, including Maths and English“Our Solicitor Apprenticeship programme is open to applicants with ABB at A-Level (or equivalent) and at least seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above, including Maths and English.”Source

How Reed Smith recruits

Solicitor Apprenticeship 2027 (applications 5 October 2026 to 8 January 2027). 6 stages, from Reed Smith's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-03. Test providers are named only where Reed Smith names them.

Online application form
Application form
Online application form with an extenuating circumstances section; eligible candidates move to the online assessment.
“Please note that our online application form includes a section which allows you to advise us of any extenuating circumstances that are relevant for us to consider when reviewing your application form.”
Source
Online assessment
Situational judgement test
Untimed blended assessment (situational judgement, verbal and numerical reasoning), can be saved and resumed; everyone gets a feedback report. The firm's prep page calls it the High Potential Legal test.
“This blended assessment includes situational judgement, and verbal and numerical reasoning. Our tests are potential based, so we don’t require any prior legal knowledge or work experience.”
Source
Written questions
Motivational questions
Written motivational questions on fit with the firm, after the online assessment.
“Successful applicants will be invited to submit their responses to written motivational questions.”
Source
On-demand video interview
Recorded video interview
On-demand (recorded) video interview with strengths-based and motivational questions, usable on phone or computer. Preparation time per question is mentioned on the prep page; timings not given.
“The penultimate stage in the process is an on-demand video interview. This will be based on the transferable skills required to be a trainee, as well as your motivations for applying to the firm.”
Source How to prepare for a one-way video interview
Assessment day
Assessment centre
Assessment centre with a timed case study reading followed by an interview on the materials. Apprenticeship and direct training contract candidates also do a group exercise and written task.
“You will be asked to participate in a case study exercise, which will help us to assess your ability to comprehend information. This will involve reading through a set of materials within a set time frame, following which you will be asked questions on the materials.”
Source
Group exercise and written task
Group exercise
Group exercise and written task, for apprenticeship and direct training contract candidates only.
“Candidates for our apprenticeship and direct training contract roles will also take part in a group exercise and written task.”
Source

Every programme and stage at Reed Smith

“You must also be a UK national or resident in the UK for at least three years before starting the programme.”

Reed Smith, from its own careers pages

The catch: Apprenticeships are funded through the UK apprenticeship levy, which typically carries its own residency conditions distinct from the Skilled Worker visa route the firm's unanswered FAQ appears to be about.

Reed Smith early careers Verify on gov.uk See the licence record

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What Reed Smith publishes about this programme

Checked against Reed Smith's own careers pages on 2026-10-24. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

Visa sponsorship policy: published
Application dates: published
Programme description: published
Duration and start date: not published
Who can apply: published
Pay: published
Locations: published
Degree requirement: published
Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Reed Smith

Vacation Schemevacation scheme, no published policy
Direct Training Contract (March 2028 start)training contract, no published policy

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-10-24. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does Reed Smith sponsor visas for its solicitor apprenticeship?

No. Reed Smith does not sponsor its solicitor apprenticeship for international students who need a visa. The firm's solicitor apprenticeships page lists UK nationality or three years of UK residence as an eligibility requirement, and says candidates must be eligible for level 7 apprenticeship funding. Someone arriving in the UK on a new sponsored visa would not meet this rule. Reed Smith does offer visa sponsorship for its vacation schemes and training contracts, but not through this apprenticeship route.

What is the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship?

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with Reed Smith?

Apprenticeships are funded through the UK apprenticeship levy, which typically carries its own residency conditions distinct from the Skilled Worker visa route the firm's unanswered FAQ appears to be about.

When do applications open for the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship?

Applications open 5 October 2026 and close 5pm on 8 January 2027. Checked on 2026-10-24 against Reed Smith's own site.

Who can apply for the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship?

Year 13 students and school leavers without a degree who are UK nationals or have been resident in the UK for at least three years before starting, and who are eligible for level 7 apprenticeship funding, according to Reed Smith's own careers information.

Where is the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship based?

London, according to Reed Smith's own careers information.

What does the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship pay?

£27,000 starting salary, increasing annually, plus a £2,000 sign-on bonus for travel and housing costs, according to Reed Smith's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Reed Smith solicitor apprenticeship?

No degree: ABB at A-level (or equivalent) and at least seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above, including Maths and English, according to Reed Smith's own careers information.

How should I confirm Reed Smith's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Reed Smith's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Related guides

All visa and sponsorship guides

Other law schemes

Before you apply

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