Bolt Burdon Kemp welcomes first Solicitor Apprentice Qualifier
Bolt Burdon Kemp welcomes its first solicitor to qualify through the Level 7 SQE apprenticeship route. Connor Hawkins joined the firm in August 2022 as Bolt Burdon Kemp’s first Graduate Solicitor Apprentice and from 1 July 2025, is a newly qualified solicitor in the Child Brain Injury team.
The Level 7 apprenticeship route enables individuals to qualify as solicitors without taking on enormous student debt. Apprentices work while they train, earning a salary and gaining experience, while their tuition and exam costs are covered through the apprenticeship levy.
Bolt Burdon Kemp has seen first-hand how transformative the Level 7 route can be. The firm has recruited four apprentices so far, with plans to grow their scheme in the years ahead. BBK has also been lobbying against the Government’s plans to scrap funding for the Level 7 apprenticeships, with the firm believing it will have a detrimental impact on the legal sector, especially on the work being done to improve social mobility.
Commenting on why he chose to qualify through the apprenticeship route, Connor Hawkins said:
“Before the SQE apprenticeship route, you would have to either go down the traditional sponsored training contract, in which a firm paid for you to sit the LPC and then commence training. The problem with this was, nearly all law firms required you to do this full-time and I was already working full-time in a supermarket, and I could not afford to quit my job to study full-time and unpaid for the exam. It was very difficult for me to commit to spending a great deal of money on the LPC without any guaranteed return on that investment. The apprenticeship route allowed me to work, while earning a wage, and to simultaneously study towards my qualification. This allowed someone like me to commit to a qualification route that did not disadvantage me because of my financial status.
“I am doubtful that I would have qualified without the apprenticeship. Aside from the financial aspects, the apprenticeship allows you to gain real legal experience while studying for the SQE, which means that a lot of the content you study is no longer merely theoretical to you.”
Rhicha Kapila, Partner & Chief Operations Officer, said:
“I couldn’t be prouder of Connor, who has become the first person at our firm to qualify as a solicitor through the SQE apprenticeship route – a remarkable achievement.
“Thanks to the tie-in with The University of Law, he was able to combine study with practical experience, gaining invaluable skills along the way. I am excited to see his career as a solicitor continue to flourish at BBK over the coming years”.
Claudia Hillemand, Partner, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Connor into the Child Brain Injury team as a newly qualified solicitor. Connor started with us in 2022 as a solicitor apprentice. It has been a joy to see his confidence and expertise flourish since then and we are pleased and proud that he has chosen to pursue a career as a specialist child brain injury solicitor in our growing team!”
Bolt Burdon Kemp’s apprentices work alongside more senior lawyers, building their vocational experience, whilst studying. They can hone their skills and develop their understanding of legal matters, and the firm offers career mentoring and additional training alongside their cohort of Trainee Solicitors and qualified lawyers. These training schemes allow BBK to offer their clients the most talented people to manage their legal matters but also allows the firm to help give talented people exposure to a profession that may not be accessible to everyone.
