Summer Vacation Scheme 2025
Our three-week summer vacation scheme is an exciting way to find out more about life at Freshfields! You’ll do real work, participate in group exercises, meet associates and partners, and catch up with your peers at social events organised by trainees. It’s your opportunity to really immerse yourself in the work and culture that Freshfields has to offer.
We’ll be holding interviews at the beginning of 2025 for individuals applying for a place on our summer 2025 placement.
- Scheme One runs from 16 June to 4 July 2025
- Scheme Two runs from 14 July to 1 August 2025
Eligibility
You’re eligible to apply for the Summer Vacation Scheme if you are a penultimate-year undergraduate student studying any degree discipline. This means you can apply if you are either:
- A second-year undergraduate student on a three-year course in any degree discipline
- A second-year or third-year undergraduate student on a four-year course in any degree discipline
You’ll also need the right to work in the United Kingdom as our vacation scheme is a paid placement. If you have a visa to study in the UK, you’ll need to ensure that our vacation scheme falls outside of your term time.
Additionally, please note that while we do not have minimum A-level or GCSE requirements, academic performance will be considered as part of the selection process. Candidates must also be on track for a minimum of 2:1.
Firm Overview
Freshfields 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.
Application deadline:
Thursday 9 January 2025 at 23:59 (UTC)
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