Freshfields - official representative thread

Hi everyone,

The Trainee Recruitment team at Freshfields have recently joined The Student Room and have an official representative's profile.

If you want more information about the opportunities at Freshfields, please visit our profile page: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/recruiterprofiles/freshfields.

We welcome any questions you have about a career in international commercial law and/or at Freshfields. We will try to answer any questions as soon as possible. Please feel free to post your questions in this thread or send us a direct message.

Please ask any question you like. It is more than likely someone reading the thread may be thinking of the same question as you are.

Kind Regards

Trainee Recruitment Team
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

chalks

Original post by uktrainees@freshfields

First of all, I should make it clear that I'm not in the hunt for TCs. I qualified many years ago.

I think many posters on this site will be interested in having the opportunity to discuss issues relating to TC applications to Freshies with those people who matter. For that, I think your involvement with this site will be welcomed.

My concern is whether FBD will be using this site to gather information on particular applicants. Some posters, naively, make it clear who they are "in real life" when posting on this site - whether by stating their name, or by sharing sufficient information that it would enable someone to easily ascertain who they are. If FBD do intend to trawl this site to get some background information on applicants then that would be unfortunate. The forum operates as a useful place for people to share their thoughts and questions about the application process - by being open about their experiences, everyone benefits. However, I would expect many posters would be far more reticent in what they post if they think that one of the major firms (who they are probably applying to) is reading what they post, and taking note.

If you are intending to take the latter course then you have, no doubt, considered the firm's obligations under the DPA 98.

Reply 2

Clip

I would love to see who in HR got this job.

"Go on an internet forum and get down with the kids"

Still, better than having to "like" BLP to get on their Open Day. What next, Facebook friends with Nabarro? Tweet your commercial awareness?

@Freshfields - someone next to me on the tube had the FT, so I know all about the Merchant Banking now. #City

Since I'm not making any serious applications to big boy firms, I feel safe in making light of the situation.

Reply 3

Planar

If this is what the people at Freshfields(always thought that was a great name by the way) do, then it sounds pretty cushy. They probably do other things too, which is a shame

Reply 4

uktrainees@freshfields

I can see the concerns about our presence on The Student Room but we are only here to have an open conversation with people who might be interested in learning more about Freshfields or want their questions answered about a career in international commercial law.

We are unable to attend every university we would like, and cannot spend as much time on campus as we would want. The Student Room provides us, through the Official Representative channel, with a great way to speak to people directly at a time that is convenient to them.

As we currently do not use other social media like Twitter and Facebook, this is a fantastic way for us to provide information or advice, should people want it.

I will not be using this site to trawl for people's information nor to monitor people. I don't see that as an appropriate use of the forum but also I do not have the time to do so! Everyone knows how the site works and the reality is I wouldn't need an official representative's profile if that was my intention.

If anyone has any further comments or feedback about our presence on the site then I would be happy to discuss further.

Jessica Booker
Trainee Recruitment Manager
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

cej

Hi Jessica,

I'm booked to come along to the Freshfields presentation in Exeter tomorrow evening. I was just wondering what sort of format the evening will take - will there be the opportunity to speak with people from the firm or will it just be a presentation?

Many thanks,
Chloe

Reply 6

uktrainees@freshfields

Original post by cej

Hi Chloe,

I will be at the event tomorrow evening, so I look forward to meeting you then.

We will wait for everyone to arrive, so there will be a chance to chat to our representatives over a drink before we start the "presentation". We will chat about the type of work we do and the opportunities for vacation schemes and training contracts. We then open the floor to the audience to ask us any questions. This should take about 45 minutes or so but afterwards we will be sticking around to chat informally over food and drinks should people want to stay.

I have a couple of trainees, an associate and a partner coming along too so hopefully you will get the chance to chat to some, if not all of us.

Regards

Jess

Reply 7

Alfiep

Hi Jess,

I'd be interested to know: how many are you looking to recruit this cycle compared to the last few years? I always like looking at that as an indicator of firms' confidence for the next three years.

I know there was a bit of a worry when all the banks started laying people off a few months ago that we were in for another 2009- deferrals all round. What's the inside view?

Reply 8

uktrainees@freshfields

Original post by Alfiep

Hi there,

Back in May of this year we increased the trainee numbers from 90 to 100 for our 2013 intakes.

For the 2014 intakes (which opened today) we will continue to recruit 100 trainees, split evenly across our Feb and Aug intakes.

For many years (at least the last 10) the trainee numbers have been between 90 to 100 each year.

I hope this is of help.

Regards

Jess

Reply 9

92matt

Hi Jess,

Can I ask how Freshfields would view someone with no A-Levels, but a First from the Open University in Law?

Thanks,

Matt

Reply 10

Med2Ky

Please could you advise on the firms policy regarding applicants re-applying after an unsuccessful Training Contract interview in the previous round?

Reply 11

jacketpotato

Great idea, well done to Freshfield's HR team

Reply 12

uktrainees@freshfields

Original post by 92matt

Hi Jess,

Can I ask how Freshfields would view someone with no A-Levels, but a First from the Open University in Law?

Thanks,

Matt

Hi Matt,

We have recruited people who have not obtained A-levels and we do not have a minimum "cut off" for UCAS points.

I know of at least two people we recruited in the last season who do not have A-levels (or equivalent), one of which had also studied at the Open University.

When looking at academics, we will look at a candidate's module grades for their degree/s and also their online verbal reasoning test score (as well as any A-level or equivalent grades).

I hope this is of help.

Regards

Jess

Reply 13

uktrainees@freshfields

Original post by Med2Ky

Please could you advise on the firms policy regarding applicants re-applying after an unsuccessful Training Contract interview in the previous round?

We do allow candidates to reapply, although we do not see any merit in a candidate re-applying more than once. So it will depend on how many applications have already been made.

If we have already turned you down, we recommend that you think carefully before reapplying. You will need to ask yourself what is different about you that might make us want to change our minds.

If you have been interviewed before, you will need to show us significant evidence of the development areas discussed in your feedback call.

I hope that is of help.

Regards

Jess

Reply 14

Irwin

Original post by uktrainees@freshfields

Have you increased the proportion of trainees that you keep on after two years? Can you tell us what the proportion is, or is there a presumption that you'll retain all trainees unless they foul up?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 15

uktrainees@freshfields

Original post by Irwin

Have you increased the proportion of trainees that you keep on after two years? What is the proportion, or is there a presumption that you'll retain all trainees unless they foul up?

We retained 96 per cent our autumn 2011 qualifiers, which was a slight increase on previous intakes.

We would like to retain all our trainees but there are a number of reasons why people may not take a qualified position once they come to the end of their training contract. Qualification rates will always be dependent on business need at the time but also the individual circumstances of the people in that intake.

It might be the case that they do not get a qualified position in a department of their choice or that they choose to relocate either within the UK or to somewhere where we do not have an office, and therefore choose to leave the firm once their contract ends.

Reply 16

cej

Hi Jess,

I'm just composing my statement for the non-law workshop in January. It says on the website to include results from A-Level onwards - would it be appropriate to list individual module grades from my degree, or just my overall grade for each year of my undergraduate degree?

Many thanks,
Chloe

Reply 17

rm22

Hi Jess

I'm not a graduate but I will be completing my A-Levels this summer. I was just wondering, do you have any internships or work experience available for A-Level leavers? Paid and Unpaid are both fine, I just want to get some experience under my belt because working for a Law firm is what I want to do after I graduate.

Thank you
Rumel

Reply 18

Aspiringlawstudent

Firstly, I would like to ask how imporant GCSE grades are when applying for open days or vacation schemes; can relatively poor results be overlooked if an applicant has sufficiently strong A-levels and modular results at university?

Secondly, does the university of the applicant make any material difference to their likelihood of success?

Many thanks, and kudos to FBD for embracing social media.