Duck egg blue banner featuring the headshots of various post and current apprentices.

Apprenticeships at Bristows

Name: Bristows
Price range: $$$

Our apprenticeships offer you the opportunity to earn while you learn, gain real legal experience in London, and build a career in law or business with Bristows.

Explore business services apprenticeships Explore solicitor apprenticeships

Choosing your apprenticeship path

Our law firm apprenticeships are designed to create a platform for success and cater to a range of learning styles and professional disciplines. They combine first-hand work experience in a London city law firm with a recognised qualification.

Apprenticeships at Bristows firm align with our HR and DE&I strategy. The firm offers both business services and legal apprenticeships, with schemes in place for apprentices such as mentoring, skilled coaching, and funding support. We are constantly building opportunities for people from all backgrounds to join the firm and build their future careers in law.

Business Services Apprenticeships

Develop your career in areas such as HR, IT, marketing & business development and finance while supporting the work of a top law firm.

Click here

Solicitor Apprenticeships

Qualify as a solicitor through a six-year programme combining paid work with structured study and training.
i

Click here

All apprenticeship opportunities will be listed on our current opportunities page, the GOV website and directly on our apprenticeship providers website. If you have any further questions please email us at apprenticeships@bristows.com.

Retention

rate

Qualifications

provided

Study hours

completed

Recruitment process for Bristows apprenticeships

Application form and interview

The first stage of applying for our apprenticeships is the online application form. Here you’ll share your personal details, educational background, and any relevant work experience. You’ll also answer a few questions about Bristows and why you are interested in a career through our apprenticeship programmes.

The next step is a virtual interview. You’ll be asked two prerecorded questions and given time to prepare your responses before recording them. This stage helps us understand why you’re motivated to pursue a career in law and what makes you a strong fit for our firm.

Tips for your virtual interview:

Be yourself and be prepared to talk about yourself & your experiences mentioned on your CV.
Research Bristows and our apprenticeship programmes.
Highlight transferable skills and give examples of when you’ve demonstrated them.

Assessment day

If you progress past the application and virtual interview stages, you’ll be invited to attend an assessment day for the apprenticeship programme in London. This includes:

Written exercise – testing your analytical skills and attention to detail.
Group task – demonstrating collaboration, problem solving, and teamwork.
Interview – with members of our apprenticeship committee, giving you the chance to show your motivation, professionalism, and readiness to begin a career in law.
Presentation – on a topic of your choice you can highlight your interests and expertise while showing how clearly and confidently you can communicate ideas.

You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions about Bristows, our culture, and our apprenticeship programmes.

Preparation

Our current apprentices have shared their top advice to help you get ready for the apprenticeship application process and assessment day:

Research Bristows and our practice areas – understand our firm’s mission, vision, and values. This shows genuine interest in building a future career at the firm and demonstrates your commitment to our culture.
Prepare for different scenarios – during assessment tasks you may be asked to work in groups, present ideas, or complete written exercises. Practice staying involved, communicating clearly, and applying problem-solving skills. This will help you perform confidently throughout the legal apprenticeship process.
Be yourself – authenticity is important to us. We want apprentices who fit into our supportive culture and bring their individuality to Bristows while enjoying the journey of starting a career through an apprenticeship in law.

Application form and interview

Tips for your virtual interview:

Be yourself and be prepared to talk about yourself & your experiences mentioned on your CV.
Research Bristows and our apprenticeship programmes.
Highlight transferable skills and give examples of when you’ve demonstrated them.

Assessment day

If you progress past the application and virtual interview stages, you’ll be invited to attend an assessment day for the apprenticeship programme in London. This includes:

Written exercise – testing your analytical skills and attention to detail.
Group task – demonstrating collaboration, problem solving, and teamwork.
Interview – with members of our apprenticeship committee, giving you the chance to show your motivation, professionalism, and readiness to begin a career in law.
Presentation – on a topic of your choice you can highlight your interests and expertise while showing how clearly and confidently you can communicate ideas.

You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions about Bristows, our culture, and our apprenticeship programmes.

Preparation

Our current apprentices have shared their top advice to help you get ready for the apprenticeship application process and assessment day:

Research Bristows and our practice areas – understand our firm’s mission, vision, and values. This shows genuine interest in building a future career at the firm and demonstrates your commitment to our culture.
Prepare for different scenarios – during assessment tasks you may be asked to work in groups, present ideas, or complete written exercises. Practice staying involved, communicating clearly, and applying problem-solving skills. This will help you perform confidently throughout the legal apprenticeship process.
Be yourself – authenticity is important to us. We want apprentices who fit into our supportive culture and bring their individuality to Bristows while enjoying the journey of starting a career through an apprenticeship in law.

Diversity, inclusion & talent

At Bristows, we recognise that talented employees do not all come from traditional university routes. Our law firm apprenticeships play a key role in increasing diversity across our workforce by providing alternative entry routes into the legal profession.

Our DE&I strategy is built into our legal and business services apprenticeship programmes, helping to reduce barriers to entry into law. We have introduced two additional funding options for apprentices: a relocation payment and a getting started grant. These initiatives ensure opportunities are accessible to people from all backgrounds who want to pursue a career in law.

We are proud to have launched this programme in September 2023 and look forward to growing opportunities for future apprentices at Bristows. Diversity in background, skills, and perspective helps us build an inclusive, high-performing firm. Learn more about our approach on our Inclusion and Diversity page.

Life at Bristows

Apprenticeships at Bristows are about more than gaining a qualification - they’re about joining a supportive, inclusive workplace where you can grow and thrive. Our culture is built on collaboration, innovation, and diversity, and we’re proud of the role our apprentices play in shaping the future of our firm. Learn more about our life at Bristows.

Ask an apprentice | Podcast series

What’s it really like to be an apprentice in a leading law firm? Hosted by the solicitor and business services apprentices at Bristows, Ask an apprentice shares honest insights, practical application tips and real experiences – while busting the myths around apprenticeships.

Our apprentices

Hear directly from our apprentices about their experiences in our law firm apprenticeships and business services pathways. These stories show what it’s like to build a career in law or professional services through our programmes.