Early Careers

First Steps with Fieldfisher is a programme specifically for first year students or students in their second year of a four year course in any degree subject. The programme will give you an insight into a career at Fieldfisher and put you in a strong position to apply for any other Early Careers programme in the future.
 
On day one, you'll learn more about us, our culture, work and our strategy. You will also attend workshops that will help you develop your personal and professional skillset.

During day two you'll shadow a Trainee or an Associate, gaining real life experience of a Solicitor in a commercial City Law Firm.
 
You will also have a number of opportunities to socialise with our Fee Earners through networking events and an evening social.
 
First Steps with Fieldfisher will take place in London on 12 & 13 April 2023 and in Manchester on 18 & 19 April 2023. Please note that these dates are subject to change.

Requirements:

• Applicants must be a first year student or a student in their second year of a four year course.
• On track to achieve a 2:1 in any degree discipline

Recruitment process:

1. Complete an online application form
2. Complete our online strengths assessment

For this programme, we don't recruit on a rolling basis, so all decisions and offers to join the programme will be made after the closing date.

Please contact our dedicated Early Careers Team if you would like to discuss any adjustments to application process. 

​Applications for the 2023 programme in Manchester and London  will open on 1 October 2022 and close at 23:59 on Friday 23 December 2022.

We know that a diverse workforce is fundamental to our success as a firm. That means not just financial success, but success with our people feeling comfortable and valued in their roles.
 
It also means success for our clients, knowing that there is a team of people capable of looking at their issues with a broad range of ideas and experiences.
 
This two-week programme is aimed at applicants from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the legal profession, who wish to pursue a career in law.
 
During the scheme, applicants will have an opportunity to gain work experience at a top City Law firm, develop personal and professional skillsets and build networks along the way. You will also hear from the in-house legal team at Peloton, one of the firm's clients, who will share insights about what clients look for and expect from their lawyers and give you a snapshot into their day-to-day lives.
 
Students who are accepted into the Diversity Access Scheme will be invited to apply for an additional two weeks of work experience at Peloton, where they will work closely with Peloton's in-house legal team.
 
Underrepresented students and graduate groups accessing the legal profession include, but are not limited to: 

• Students from a minority ethnic community
• LGBTQ+ students
• Students with a disability
• State educated students
• Neuro-diverse students
• First generation to attend university
• Requirement for financial assistance, not available to you through any private means, in order to be able to continue your education 

• Be on track to achieve, or have already received, a 2:1 in any degree discipline
• Be dedicated to a career in law
• Be from a background that is underrepresented in the legal profession as listed above 

1. Application form
2. Online strengths assessment
3. Virtual Assessment Centre 

We have designed our application process to be rigorous but fair. We review applications on a rolling basis so would encourage you to apply as early as possible. As with all application processes, there are several stages but Fieldfisher's dedicated Early Careers Team will be on hand throughout the entire process to give you all support you need.
 
​Applications for 2023 in Manchester, Birmingham and London are now open.

Our Summer Vacation Scheme is a paid opportunity open to final-year students of all degree disciplines, as well as penultimate year law students.

Across the two weeks you will get a good understanding of what it’s like to work here, experience our culture and a real-life insight into the type of work you may be asked to support with as a Trainee.
 
You will attend an induction with other Vacation Scheme participants from the other offices, attend workshops, team-building events and social events organised by our Social Committee.
 
Your supervisor will be a qualified lawyer and one of our current Trainee intake will be your buddy for the scheme.

Applications for Training Contracts commencing in 2025 in Birmingham, London and Manchester open on 1 October and will close at 23:59 on Friday 6 January 2023.

Once you have received your offer

Once you've secured your Training Contract, right up until the point you start as a trainee, we will build our relationship with you.
 
We will support you through your Post Graduate studies, we will keep in touch and provide meaningful opportunities for you to engage with the Firm, through a range of events, newsletters and seminars.  These include insight talks, regular socials and involvement in firm wide charity and sports events.

You’ll also be assigned a “buddy” - a Newly Qualified Solicitor (NQ) who will have been in your position not long ago. They’re there to answer all your questions – so don’t feel shy – they’ll know exactly how you’re feeling.

If that isn’t enough, your dedicated Early Careers Team will be on hand to support you through your training contract journey.

Training at Fieldfisher

During your Training Contract, you will work on real work with real clients - you will not find yourself next to the photocopier all day.

Over the two years you you'll gain experience in different practice areas. You will complete four seats each six-months in length, from a diverse range of departments from Real Estate to Personal Injury to Finance or Technology. We do not have any compulsory seats but we do encourage trainees to experience the departments that make the firm who we are today.  You will also have the chance to be seconded to a number of our clients or to one of our international offices.

In every seat, you can look forward to working with a supervisor who will be a Senior Associate, Director or Partner with a huge amount of legal experience.  It’s their job to make sure you get the best experience in every seat, by providing you with a variety of client work and being on hand to offer all the support and guidance you need.

Regular feedback is vital to your growth and development. Regular meetings with your supervisor and the Early Careers Development Manager are built into each seat rotation, to ensure that you are staying on track and receiving the support that you need along the way.
 
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE)

From September 2021, every graduate looking to pursue a career in Law will need to pass the Solicitor's Qualifying Examination (SQE). The current route of the Legal Practice Course (LPC), following an undergraduate law degree or law conversion course, has been replaced with the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). 
 
All future Trainees starting their Training Contract with us from September 2024 onwards will undertake the SQE path to qualification.
 
We are proud to be working with The University of Law and have designed our new SQE preparation programme, which will cover the preparation for both the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments. The Fieldfisher programme will also include an additional set of four modules, which will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to have a well-rounded training contract and a long lasting career with us.
 
SQE1 will assess your legal knowledge through multiple-choice examinations and an online assessment in Legal Research and Writing and SQE 2 will assess your legal skills through practical examinations and assessments. Both of these exams will be frontloaded prior to you starting your Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). Our Training Contract will provide you with the two years’ qualifying work experience required to qualify as a solicitor.
 
Although it’s no longer a regulatory requirement by the SRA, all non-law prospective trainees will still be required to study the PGDL (Postgraduate Diploma in Law) with the University of Law before commencing the SQE.
 
More information on the Postgraduate Conversion Course and the SQE can be found on the SRA website.
 
This programme is recruited for on a rolling basis. We support applicants through the application process from the start of a campaign, so we would encourage an early submission where possible.
 
Please contact our dedicated Early Careers Team if you would like to discuss any adjustments to the application process.

We offer Solicitor Apprenticeships and Apprenticeships within our Business Support functions, such as HR and IT. For more information on our Business Support apprenticeships please go to the Business Services section of our Career pages.

We are looking for post A-level students dedicated to a career in Law to join the Firm in September 2023.

The Solicitor Apprenticeship is an alternative path to going to University that offers the same career destination, but avoids the expensive fees. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking for an alternative to University and offers an alternative route to becoming a qualified lawyer in England & Wales.

Our Solicitor Apprenticeship allows you to earn whilst you learn, with a structured programme, which is approximately six years in length. It combines paid work experience and training at a Law Firm with part-time study for a professional qualification.

During your first four years you will work with one team, developing your legal knowledge, building your academic knowledge of the Law as well as developing your internal and external network. In the final two years you will join the trainee solicitor intake and commence four additional seat rotations, each of six months.

Throughout the six years you will be working for four days per week and spend one day studying with The University of Law.

Application Process
Stage one - Complete an online application form
Stage two - Complete our online strengths assessment
Stage three – Phone interview with the Early Careers Team
Stage four – Assessment centre
Stage five – Final Stage Interview
 
Applications will open Friday 13^th January 2023 and will close at 23:59 on Friday 17 February 2023.
 
This programme is recruited for on a rolling basis. We start screening application forms and interviewing candidates from the start of a campaign. We would encourage an early submission if possible.
Please contact our dedicated Early Careers Team if you would like to discuss any adjustments to the process.