Steph

From Sixth Form to a Solicitor Degree Apprentice at Travers Smith

Steph began her journey at SJB in Year 7 and continued into the Sixth Form, where she studied A Levels in English Literature, History, and Psychology. Over her time at SJB, Steph has grown into a confident, resilient, and ambitious young person. She is now leaving school to begin an exciting new chapter as a Level 7 Solicitor Degree Apprentice at Travers Smith, one of the UK’s leading law firms.

Coming from a non-legal background, Steph was determined to pursue a career in law and saw the solicitor apprenticeship route as the perfect opportunity to gain hands-on experience from day one—without the burden of student debt. Her interest was sparked during a careers start programme at another law firm, where she spoke with current solicitor apprentices. She was particularly inspired by the opportunity to rotate through different legal departments, known as “seats,” which allows apprentices to explore various areas of law before choosing a specialism.

Steph applied to around 12 firms, completed three assessment centres, and ultimately received one offer—from Travers Smith. The application process was rigorous, involving written motivation questions, commercial awareness tests, online assessments, and interviews. She describes the waiting period after assessment centres as the most challenging part, filled with uncertainty and anticipation. But her perseverance paid off: out of 800 applicants, only four were selected—and Steph was one of them.

Now working towards a Master’s Level legal qualification, with all fees covered and a clear path to becoming a qualified solicitor, Steph is proud of how far she’s come. “I’m so happy I secured something,” she says. “I’m proud of myself for not giving up, even after 10+ rejections. I just kept going.”