Herbert Smith Freehills – Your Growth. Our Ambition. We’re a leading, full-service, global law firm delivering high-profile work that matters to our clients, on some of the world’s biggest cases and deals. With an award-winning depth of expertise across a wide variety of sectors, geographies and legal specialisms, you don’t just watch from the sidelines here, you hit the ground running, make a difference and tackle the important issues.
Who We Are
The work we do here is incredibly varied. We provide top-quality tailored legal advice to major corporations, governments and financial institutions, and various commercial organisations. We operate at the forefront of many exciting sectors. Our dispute resolution practice is widely recognised as number one globally so we can therefore offer a complete litigation service and a realistic alternative career to the Bar. We also specialise in finance, competition, regulation and trade, intellectual property, real estate and more. As a truly global law firm, we attract the brightest minds across the world and always make sure we prioritise the growth of our people because it’s what drives the growth of our business.
We have a responsibility to do the right thing and raise ambitions: for the firm, for our clients and for you. We invest in your experiences, well-being and development, knowing that the work you do will make a lasting impact on the firm. By combining perspectives and potential from diverse backgrounds, we offer our clients pioneering solutions, and with our innovative and inclusive culture, we’re building a reputation for excellence across legal disciplines, business sectors and continents. Wherever you are in your career, at Herbert Smith Freehills, your growth is our ambition.
2023/24 ROGER LEYLAND MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Roger Leyland was a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills until his death in October 1996 at the young age of 43. He was the first black partner at a leading City firm and chaired The College of Law’s ethnic minority subcommittee. Roger was deeply committed to supporting the development of young lawyers, including sitting as a governor on the Council of the College of Law.
Our Roger Leyland Memorial Scholarship is designed to help exceptional Black and ethnic minority students access funding and work experience in law. Applicants should be in their first year of a three-year course or second year of a four-year course and must be a Rare candidate in order to apply.
Benefits of being a Roger Leyland Memorial Scholar include:
- £9,000 awarded over three years of study
- A mentor at the firm, as well as an HSF partner contact and a trainee buddy
- A guaranteed interview for our Winter, Spring or Summer vacation scheme (conditional on achieving a 2:1 in your first-year exams)
- Personal study sessions with Rare’s Melissa Andrewes, a former Head of Students at the University of Law
- Invitations to exclusive firm events
- Runners-up may be considered for a place on the Summer vacation scheme.
APPLICATIONS OPEN
1 October 2023 – 31 January 2024
Your Growth. Our Ambition
Culture and Values
At Herbert Smith Freehills, we recognise and appreciate all the differences that make each of us unique. The diversity of our backgrounds and perspectives makes us more innovative, which is key to our success in a global, fast-moving world. Our culture of inclusion that fosters these differences is fundamental to our business and the diverse clients and communities we work with. Here, you’ll be part of a working environment where you’ll be valued for what makes you different and accepted for who you are.
Benefits
We know that for you to have a long and rewarding career here, you need to be supported to do your best work. That’s why we provide a number of benefits, including: 25 days' annual leave, pension contributions, private medical insurance, life assurance, subsidised gym membership, cycle to work scheme, travel insurance, interest-free season ticket loan, access to a mortgage broker and many more.
