Latest news

30 January 2012

First-year Focus Programme and International Workshop

Applications are now open for our new First-year Focus Programme (10-11 April 2012) and our International Workshop (29-30 March 2012). The First-year Focus Programme for first-year undergraduate students will not only give you a valuable insight into life at a commercial law firm but will also provide useful skills training to help prepare you for the daunting task of completing application forms and attending interviews for vacation schemes and training contracts in your second year. The International Workshop is open to all students and will give you the fantastic opportunity to compare life in two Freshfields offices: London and Paris.

Applications for both events should be made by sending your CV and one-page cover letter to recruitmentevents@freshfields.com. Applications will close on 24 February 2012. For more details, click here.

As official legal services provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralymic Games, we are offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Games. To enter, tell us in no more than 200 words why you would like to attend the Games with us. This competition is open to all students currently studying at a UK or Irish university. Submit your entry to recruitmentevents@freshfields.com by 20 February 2012. Please click here for full terms and conditions.

19 January 2012

Next-generation lawyers

In December 2011, we completed a survey of students and recent graduates who are seriously considering or embarking on a career in the law to find out their views of the legal profession. A considerable amount of research has been conducted looking at the career expectations of the "next generation" more generally, but we wanted to do something sector-specific so as to benchmark how attitudes are changing among those pursuing a career in law. To read the full report, please click here.

28 December 2011

Grants for voluntary work and language training

Many law firms encourage training contract applicants to seek opportunities to "step outside their comfort zone" and challenge themselves. We help our prospective trainees to do just this by offering a grant towards the cost of voluntary work or a language course before they start their training contracts. Prospective trainees can apply for grants ranging from £500 to £2000 depending on what they are going to be doing and for how long. .

Nicola Jones, who will start her training contract in August 2012, used her grant to do voluntary work in Uganda. She says, "I didn't know what to expect before visiting Uganda. Looking back on my five weeks abroad, it was an amazing experience."

"I learnt an incredible amount about the country, its culture and language, and the problems that the population faces on a daily basis. I also developed new skills, from teaching to plastering a house, and adapted my communication skills to overcome the very real language barrier I faced during my stay. It was a genuinely life changing experience and an adventure I won't forget."

31 October 2011

30% Club

Freshfields recently signed up to the 30% Club, a group of Chairmen and organisations committed to bringing more women onto UK corporate boards. By joining, we declare our voluntary support to attain the 30% goal of women in management positions within Freshfields. The 30% Club is not about quotas - it's an aspirational target to achieve a better gender balance at all levels of management. This commitment complements our many other efforts in this area to bring about real change in the long term. More information on the aims of the group can be found at http://www.30percentclub.org.uk/.

22 September 2011

Dragon Awards 2011

 Freshfields are delighted to announce that the firm has received the prestigious Lord Mayor's Award at the Dragon Awards 2011.

The Lord Mayor's Award is given to companies that have shown a long-term, sustainable commitment to a wide-ranging programme of community engagement in London that is characterised by outstanding levels of staff involvement throughout the organisation, a strong evidence of leadership from the top and a commitment to integrating community involvement into organisational life.

The judges were particularly impressed by the long-standing nature of our work and the level of engagement across the firm in our pro bono and volunteering activities.

Since they were founded in 1987, the Dragon Awards have attracted applications from a variety of businesses and public bodies throughout Greater London, including a number of our clients. The other finalists in our category were Deutsche Bank, The Financial Services Authority and Lloyds. Previous winners have included UBS, Deloitte and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.