What does a Solicitor (Corporate) actually do?

The short version

Corporate solicitors advise companies on deals, contracts and commercial disputes — more drafting, negotiating and deadline-chasing than courtroom drama. It's one of the best-paid graduate careers at the top and a solid professional career everywhere else, and the distance between those two markets is the thing nobody tells you upfront.

The pitch: clear qualification route (SQE + two years' work experience), strong earnings, a licence that opens doors across business. The catch: long and unpredictable hours, a brutally competitive entry at the elite end, and junior work that AI tools are already reshaping.

Entry routes that actually work

• Degree + SQE exams + qualifying work experience — the standard post-2021 route; any degree subject counts.
• City training contract — apply years ahead via vacation schemes; the firm funds your exams.
• Solicitor apprenticeship or paralegal QWE route — degree-free and earn-while-you-train options that are slower but real.