Discover your potential. Shape your ambition into impact.

Join our two-year Trainee Associate Programme and take your place at the forefront of international law. From day one, you will work alongside world-class Partners, Associates, and business professionals, gaining exposure to a wide range of legal disciplines, including M&A, commercial litigation, antitrust, employment, tax, and intellectual property.

We provide the opportunities, support, and training you need to excel. You bring the drive, curiosity, and ambition to make a difference.

Key dates

• Programme Start Date: 2028 or 2029 (February and August intakes)
• Applications Open: 1 October 2026 to 13 November 2026 – Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may close early
• Location: London

What to expect

From your first day as a Trainee Associate, you will be a valued member of the firm, contributing to meaningful work for some of the world's most high-profile clients while developing the skills, confidence and experience to shape your future career.

• Throughout the two-year programme, you will broaden your experience through rotations across up to seven of the firm’s teams, moving every three months and having the opportunity to undertake a client or international secondment. This structure gives you both breadth and depth of experience and the chance to discover where your strengths and ambitions can take you.
• You will join a firm with more than 150 Partners in London and thousands of colleagues worldwide, collaborating across industries, geographies, and legal systems.
• Our clients include the world’s largest businesses, financial institutions, and governments. You will play a role in helping them navigate complex challenges in a fast-changing world.
• With a history of legal innovation, Freshfields equips you to stay ahead of the curve. You will benefit from tailored training, technical development, and opportunities to explore how technology, including AI, is shaping the future of legal practice.
• Expect to tackle complex legal challenges that push your thinking, build your confidence and develop career-defining skills.
• You will be part of a supportive Trainee cohort, encouraged to share knowledge and build lasting relationships. Our culture is strengthened by social clubs, colleague networks, and regular town halls that keep you informed and connected.
• Resilience, adaptability, and personal responsibility are central to thriving at Freshfields. These qualities are actively developed through feedback, mentoring, and exposure to challenging, meaningful work.

City Consortium Plus Programme (CCP)

Freshfields is a proud member of the City Consortium, a group of six leading global law firms. In collaboration with BPP Law School, we offer the City Consortium Plus Programme (CCP) to prepare our future Trainees for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and for practice as a City lawyer.

• 11 months of study at BPP’s London Holborn campus, fully funded, and supported by our Early Careers Team.
• SQE1 Preparation Programme: Covers business law and practice, dispute resolution, contract law and tort law, the legal system of England and Wales and EU law, property practice, land law, wills and estate administration, trusts, criminal law and practice, and solicitors’ accounts.
• SQE2 Preparation Programme: Focuses on client interviewing, legal analysis, advocacy and case analysis, as well as legal research, writing and drafting.
• City Consortium Plus Programme: A bespoke programme where you rotate through mini-training seats in four key practice areas. Alongside legal expertise, you will develop the skills and behaviours that will set you up for success on our Trainee Associate Programme.
• Belonging from day one: Build your network before you start through our colleague groups and mentoring opportunities.
• Support for all backgrounds: For those from under-represented backgrounds, we offer additional mentoring, coaching, and tailored support.

You will study alongside future Trainees from Freshfields and the other consortium firms, building your professional network from the outset.

Reward and recognition

• Year 1 salary: £56,000
• Year 2 salary: £61,000
• Newly qualified Associates: £150,000

Secondment opportunities

During the programme, Trainees may have the opportunity to undertake a secondment with one of our clients or in one of our global offices. These experiences provide valuable insight into different working environments and help deepen your understanding of our clients' businesses and priorities as well as build internal networks in the firm.

Qualification leave

We recognise the commitment you make during the programme. That is why you will receive four weeks of paid leave upon qualification to prepare for the next chapter of your career as a Freshfields Associate.

Eligibility to apply

We welcome applications from:

• Penultimate and final-year undergraduates in any discipline
• Postgraduate students
• Graduates
• Accelerated (two-year) LLB students

You should be on track for, or have achieved, a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree or international equivalent.

About Freshfields

Freshfields is a leading global law firm, providing legal advice where it matters most. Our people combine excellence with curiosity, collaboration and a commitment to making a difference.

We support our people to thrive at every stage of their careers, empowering them to turn ambition into meaningful impact for our clients, colleagues and communities.

Application deadline:
Friday, 13 November 2026 at 09:00 (UTC)
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