Early Careers Apprentice Specialist (13 month FTC)

About Freshfields

Freshfields is a global law firm with a long-standing reputation for excellence, innovation and collaboration. We advise the world’s leading organisations on their most complex and business‑critical matters, combining deep legal expertise with a truly global perspective. Our people are at the heart of our success, and we are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive, grow and feel a genuine sense of belonging.

The role

We are seeking an Early Careers Apprentice Specialist to lead the delivery and ongoing development of our solicitor apprenticeship programme. This is a highly visible role within our Early Careers team, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on how we attract, support and develop future solicitors at Freshfields.

You will take ownership of the end‑to‑end apprentice experience—from recruitment and onboarding through to qualification—ensuring apprentices, supervisors and training partners are fully supported at every stage. Working closely with colleagues across Early Careers, Learning & Development and the wider firm, you will help shape a best‑in‑class programme that reflects our commitment to excellence, inclusion and innovation.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Lead the delivery and ongoing support of the solicitor apprenticeship programme, ensuring all milestones, deliverables and timelines are met.

• Act as the primary point of contact for apprentices, supervisors and external training partners, providing clear guidance and trusted support throughout the year.

• Work closely with our education provider to ensure a high‑quality, engaging learning experience for all solicitor apprentices.

• Develop and enhance structured support models, supervision guidance and the overall solicitor apprentice framework.

• Run regular check‑ins, reviews and touchpoints with apprentices, proactively identifying support needs and sensitively escalating concerns where appropriate.

• Review apprentice feedback and insights to continuously improve the programme experience and support approach.

• Lead apprentice mid‑year and end‑of‑year processes.

• Oversee and support the end‑to‑end recruitment process for the 2027 solicitor apprentice intake, in partnership with the wider Early Careers Recruitment Team.

• Contribute to outreach and attraction activity by working with apprenticeship providers and school networks, helping us to attract a diverse and talented candidate pool.

• Represent Freshfields at apprentice open days, assessment centres, attraction events and other external engagements.

• Partner with the Learning & Development team on apprentice induction design and the ongoing development of the learning curriculum.

• Use data, reporting and insight to demonstrate impact, identify trends and continuously enhance programme outcomes.

• Contribute to wider early careers projects and initiatives, including involvement in trainee and vacation scheme recruitment activity.

What you’ll bring

We’re keen to hear from candidates who bring:

• Strong working knowledge of the solicitor apprenticeship route and the wider legal early careers landscape.

• A solid understanding of the pathway to qualification as a solicitor, including the SQE regime.

• Previous experience in early careers recruitment and/or development.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.

• Experience delivering recruitment campaigns and supporting recruitment assessments.

• A strong track record of supporting the development and progression of early careers talent, ideally through apprenticeships.

• Excellent communication skills, with confidence engaging with stakeholders at all levels, including senior internal and external partners.

• A genuine passion for delivering an outstanding candidate and employee experience.

• The ability to provide effective pastoral support, responding with care, sensitivity and sound judgement to wellbeing, academic or workplace challenges.

• Strong relationship‑building skills, enabling supervisors and teams to feel well‑equipped to support apprentices.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only if and when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case‑by‑case basis and take a number of relevant factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.