At the end of 2025, the funding for the Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship as we know it will come to an end. For many in-house legal teams, that date might not seem significant – but it should. This is a rare, fully funded route to grow your own solicitors from day one, embedding the skills, values, and culture your organisation needs. Once the funding window closes, so does one of the most cost-effective talent development opportunities the profession has ever seen.
And the replacement scheme? From 2026, funding will only be available for candidates aged 22 and under – targeting school leavers. While that’s positive for those starting their legal journey straight from education, it leaves career changers, mature candidates, and existing staff over the age of 22 without access to this route. For many in-house teams, that means losing a valuable way to use their apprenticeship levy to upskill talented people who already understand the business and its needs.
The In-House Talent Challenge
Recruiting and retaining junior legal talent has never been easy for in-house teams. Private practice often offers higher salaries and clearer promotion structures, and the competition for bright graduates is intense. At the same time, in-house lawyers need a broader skillset – blending legal expertise with commercial awareness, problem-solving, and the ability to work seamlessly with internal stakeholders.
It’s no wonder that many teams feel caught in a cycle: investing heavily in recruitment, only to lose good people before they’ve fully grown into their roles.
Why Solicitor Apprenticeships Work
The Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship offers a different path. In the graduate-entry route we deliver with Damar, apprentices work in your team from day one, learning on the job while studying for their qualification. Over 18 to 24 months, they gain not only technical legal skills, but a deep understanding of your business, its people, and its priorities.
Because apprentices are earning while they learn, this route opens the door to people who might not otherwise have considered a legal career. That diversity of background and perspective can be a real strength for in-house teams, where understanding the business from multiple angles matters.
And then there’s the practical side: the apprenticeship levy fully funds the training costs. For organisations already paying into the levy, it’s a “use it or lose it” scenario – and, for now, in-house solicitor apprenticeships are one of the best ways to put that funding to work.
The BARBRI & Damar Approach
While the funding is generous, making apprenticeships work requires expert delivery. That’s where the BARBRI-Damar partnership comes in.
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Damar Training brings decades of experience in apprenticeship delivery, pastoral care and workplace skills development.
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BARBRI delivers world-class legal education and exam preparation, ensuring apprentices are ready not just to pass the SQE, but to thrive as solicitors.
Together, we provide a seamless, end-to-end programme – from navigating levy rules to delivering rigorous legal training alongside workplace-focused learning. For in-house teams, this means less admin, more impact, and apprentices who are confident, capable, and ready to contribute.
The Window is Closing
We can’t control the external market for legal talent. But we can control how we grow it from within. Solicitor apprenticeships – delivered in partnership by BARBRI and Damar – remain one of the most effective ways to invest in future lawyers. But with the age restriction coming in from January 2026, the clock is ticking. For many organisations, 2025 is the final chance to unlock the full benefits of this pathway.
See how our in-house team works to support clients in delivering tailored SQE prep, skills training and professional development here: https://www.barbri.com/sqe/legal-education-for-in-house-legal-teams
Learn how we also work with law firms here: https://www.barbri.com/sqe/supporting-law-firms-your-legal-talent
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