Trainee Associate Programme

Applications for our Trainee Associate Programme are now open. We are recruiting for our February 2027 intake.

Our eight-seat Trainee Associate Programme (previously known as the Training Contract) sets you up for the high-profile, precedent-setting international work you’ll be doing. What we do is complicated, crossing multiple geographical borders and practice groups, so you’ll experience a wide range of areas in commercial law.

All trainees complete at least one seat in dispute resolution and at least two seats in global transactions (across corporate, finance and real estate). You can choose other seats in: antitrust, competition and trade; people and reward; tax; and IP/IT.

Eligibility

You’re eligible to apply for the Trainee Associate Programme if you are either:

A second-year undergraduate student on a three-year course in any degree discipline
A third-year undergraduate student on a four-year course in any degree discipline
A first- or second-year student on an accelerated (two-year) LLB programme
A final-year undergraduate student in any degree discipline
A graduate in any degree discipline
A postgraduate in any degree discipline

Please note that you can only apply to the Trainee Associate Programme once per academic year.

Firm Overview

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 32 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.

Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles, outlined below:

- We show respect to everyone

- We are there for one another

- We are open with each other

- We are positive role models

We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.

We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals.

In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate. Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we service our clients.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.

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