The Legal Cheek View
This is the Freshfields profile for those considering solicitor apprenticeships. Students looking to apply for training contracts should check out Legal Cheek’s main Freshfields profile.
Freshfields is among the Magic Circle firms offering solicitor apprenticeships for 2025-26. Based at its fancy London HQ, apprentices have the opportunity to explore the firm’s diverse practice areas, primarily focused on the commercial, corporate, and financial sectors. Key practice areas for this prestigious firm include global transactions, banking, dispute resolution, competition and trade, and intellectual property.
From day one, solicitor apprentices dive into real legal work while having the opportunity to explore ten different practice areas across the firm throughout the six-year programme. The first four years involve four year-long rotations across various practice groups, providing a strong foundation of legal experience. Speaking to Emma Curtis, apprenticeship lead at Freshfields, Legal Cheek heard that apprentices can expect “real legal experience from day one”, contributing to “meaningful work” like legal research, drafting and due diligence as well as sitting in on client calls and internal meetings. She stressed that apprentices are “treated as valued team members” while being well-supported by monthly training sessions and access to online learning and well as guidance from supervisors, buddies and an early careers coach.
Unlike Freshfields trainees, apprentices can gain experience outside fee-earning teams. By having “touchpoints” across the business services side of the firm, apprentices can gain a holistic understanding of how Freshfields operates. They have opportunities to get involved in business development, finance, assistance centre work, and traditional fee-earning teams. As result, apprentices gain a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of the firm from the ground up. Curtis stresses that Freshfields’ apprenticeship programme aims to develop more than just legal knowledge: “The programme is designed to build both legal expertise and professional confidence in a supportive engaging environment.”
In their final two years, apprentices roll into shorter seat rotations. This mirrors the work of their graduate counterparts on the firm’s training contract. Experienced apprentices may explore up to six different practice areas during these final two years. Adventurous apprentices also have the opportunity for a six-month secondment, which could be at one of Freshfields’ 28 global offices — such as Silicon Valley, New York, Hong Kong, or Dubai — or with one of the firm’s high-profile clients, including the Bank of England and Goldman Sachs.
On the educational front, the first four years of the scheme sees apprentices pursue a part-time law degree, dedicating one day a week to studying with BPP at the Waterloo campus. In the final two years, the focus shifts to preparing apprentices for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), the aim being that recruits emerge as fully qualified solicitors at the end of the six-year programme.
Socially, apprentices have plenty of opportunities to get involved. This is something that Curtis highlights, telling us that “the firm’s sociable culture fosters connection through regular socials and team trips.” Firm-wide events at upscale venues like Somerset House are complemented by occasional “away days”, where Freshfields’ recruits can connect with colleagues from other international offices. Apprentices are also included in all trainee, firm-wide, and team social events. There’s even a “back to the 80s” night on the firm’s Horizon 21 floor in the new London office. Additionally, Freshfields offers internal societies for running, football, netball, and a book club, along with networks for LGBTQ+ individuals, minority communities, and faith groups.
For those of you now persuaded that Freshfields could be the firm for you, we pressed Curtis for her insider top tips on the application process. “Be authentic and show your enthusiasm for law and learning,” is her advice. She told Legal Cheek the Freshfields team are looking for “curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to grow” in their apprenticeship hopefuls — as well as those who have researched the firm thoroughly. Curtis advises applicants to prepare well, but ultimately “don’t be afraid to let your personality come through.”
This is Freshfields’ Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read Freshfields’ full Legal Cheek profile here.