Trainee Associate Programme

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.

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.

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.