Field Fisher Waterhouse FFW | law careers | training contract | vacation scheme

• Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW)

  Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) is best described as a medium size firm ranked among UK’s top 50 law firms. The firm is European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg, Munich, Dusseldorf, Paris, Manchester, London and Tokyo.. The firm employs around 700-800 staff, and takes in up to 15 new trainees each year. The firm has considerable expertise in niche practices, and is not so much driven by transactional work as its other contemporaries.

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  The past couple of years have seen Field Fisher Waterhouse make aggressive plans for growth, both in terms of revenue and a heightening presence as a full-service firm covering Europe. It has managed to score some very prominent lawyers from various firms, picked up high-value deals and cases, not to mention some of the most well-known brands and companies in the world as clients.

  On the HR front, the firm’s training and development programme is excellent and you can expect to work on some very interesting cases and deals. The trainees carry out real work for real clients with a strong support network.  The firm is widely considered to be a good place to work; with a friendly work culture, decent working hours and a variety of interesting work.

  Field Fisher Waterhouse’s main areas of practice are Corporate, IP and Technology, and Regulatory. Corporate and IP are big revenue earners for the firm—the firm has a decent reputation for AIM listings; IP covers some of the biggest brands and companies on infringement, piracy, licensing and franchising. Professional Regulation is a practice where the firm has a stellar reputation and represents professional associations and bodies such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

  The firm also has particular expertise in Competition and EU law, Privacy & Information, Data Protection, Real Estate, Banking and Finance, Dispute Resolution, Employment, Pensions, Personal Injury & Medial Negligence and Tax.  The Personal Injury/ Medical Negligence practice is one of the more unique niche areas for which the firm has a sterling reputation, with notable work has been done in asbestos disease, rail and air disasters.

  Field Fisher Waterhouse counts among its client portfolio, companies and government institutions such as UK Passport Service, Foreign and Commonwealth Department, Bank of Scotland, Arab Bank, Citigroup, BBC, Whitbread, Hamleys, Accenture, Deloitte Consulting, Apple, Dunlop, Coca-Cola, Dell Computers, Xerox Corporation, MTV Networks Europe, etc.

  Up to 15 trainee solicitor positions are available each year. The minimum academic requirements are an ABB at A-levels and a 2:1 degree. The firm values more than just talent, ambition and great qualifications. They have recently rebranded their graduate website, and have a tag line of 100% lawyer, 100% you, reflecting the fact that the people who do the best here have interests, experience and a life outside the office.

  The training contract is spread over four seats of six months’ duration. Trainees are given the opportunity to put forward their preferences for seats for each of the rotations. The first two weeks are devoted to the Professional Skills Course and a Firm Induction Course. The elective modules of the Professional Skills Course are covered in 24 sessions throughout the training period. Other internal training programmes are scheduled regularly covering practical skills, latest developments in business and practice, resources for information, etc.

  During each seat, trainees will sit with a supervising partner or associate and trainees are expected to take on as much responsibility as early as possible. Work assigned will include documentation, research, handling small claims or cases, meeting with clients and visiting courts if necessary. An informal mid-seat and formal end-of-seat review will appraise trainee performance, areas for improvement and further movement to the next seat.

  For more information on the Field Fisher Waterhouse Graduate Scheme, further details are available via this link

  The firm runs a two vacation schemes, one over the Easter period and one in July. Both schemes are two weeks in duration and ten positions are available on each scheme.  Attendees on the vacation scheme spend the two weeks in one department (preferences are taken into consideration) and do real work for real clients under the supervision of a partner or associate.

  The training programme also schedules in-depth departmental presentations—these are interactive sessions, so it’s an excellent platform to better understand the firm and its offering. Other activities include coffee with the Managing Partner, meetings with members of the Board and skills sessions.

  Tuition fees for GDL and LPC courses are sponsored by the firm, with an annual maintenance allowance of £5,500 for the GDL and £6,000 for the LPC is also paid. Trainees start at a salary of £35,000.  Qualification leave is available at the end of the training contract. Trainees attending the vacation scheme are paid a weekly allowance of £250.

  Annual benefits include 25-day annual holiday, interest-free season ticket loan, medical insurance, life assurance and corporate discounts at two gyms and various retail outlets and local theatres.

  Applications for training contracts and vacation schemes are available on-line at: https://www.apply4law.com/ffw/

  Applications should be submitted by 31 July for training contracts, and by 13 February for vacation schemes. For any further information or queries, the recruitment team is available at graduaterecruitment@ffw.com.

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