Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Overview

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is presented on its careers pages as a leading global, full-service law firm advising on high-profile, cross-border matters. The firm emphasises a global footprint and high-impact work alongside an ambition to do things differently, underpinned by values of being Human, Bold and Outstanding. The firm runs an extensive early careers programme (vacation schemes, training contracts, apprenticeships and internships) and promotes international mobility and secondment opportunities across its worldwide offices.

• Headquarters: London
• Trainees: 61
• Offices: 26
• Revenue: $2.4 billion

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets
• Competition & Antitrust
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• International Arbitration
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Intellectual Property
• Investment Funds
• Construction & Engineering
• Real Estate
• Employment
• Financial Services & Regulation
• ESG & Sustainability
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Technology & Digital
• Fraud & Investigations
• White Collar Crime
• Tax

Geographic Focus: Global coverage with a major presence in London and offices across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America. The firm highlights strong hubs in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney/Australia, Dubai and New York and runs cross-border practices and international secondments to service multinational clients.

Training Contract

The Trainee Associate Programme is a two-year training contract. Trainees rotate across multiple seats to experience different practice areas and are given substantive work and responsibility supported by structured learning, partner conversations and HR guidance on seat choices. Vacation schemes (2–3 weeks in the UK; month-long schemes in some offices) are the principal recruitment route into the training programme. The Hong Kong programme describes a four-seat model (four six-month seats) over two years.

• Starting Salary: £56,000
• NQ Salary: £145,000
• Trainee Intake: 61
• Qualification Rate: 82%
• Academic Requirements: Minimum degree: 2:1 (the firm states it looks for strong academic performers but will consider mitigating circumstances); minimum A-level requirement: No minimum.

Seat Options

• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Banking & Finance
• Employment
• Energy & Natural Resources
• White Collar Crime
• Fraud & Investigations
• Competition & Antitrust
• International Arbitration

Sponsorship

A PGDL/PGDL-style grant is published in supplementary data (£12,500).

SQE Support

SQE grant funding is provided (supplementary data: £20,000). The careers pages describe structured learning and assessment support but do not detail the provider on the site pages collected.

International Opportunities

The firm offers overseas secondments and international internship/secondment options across its global offices. Supplementary data indicates a ~17% chance of a secondment abroad for trainees; the website confirms overseas secondments are available as part of training and development.

Client Secondments

Client secondments are part of the firm’s development offering; supplementary data indicates approximately a 28% chance of a client secondment for trainees.

Mentorship

Trainee buddy system (each vacation-scheme participant and trainee is paired with a trainee buddy), regular conversations with partners and HR about seat choices and qualification options, mentorship and training sessions, and social events are described as part of trainee support.

Programmes & Schemes

What Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Strong academic performance (on track for a 2:1)
• Teamwork and peer support
• Communication skills
• Resilience and drive
• Interest in innovation/technology for relevant seats
• Commitment to inclusion and social mobility

Evidence Signals

• High-quality vacation scheme or work experience on real matters
• Commercial awareness demonstrated via sector knowledge or deal experience
• STEM or technical background for IP/cyber/technology roles
• Language skills for international offices (e.g. Mandarin for Hong Kong)
• Active participation in diversity, social mobility or wellbeing networks
• Mooting, pro bono or client-facing experience

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Vacation scheme salary: £500 per week (UK schemes)
• Trainee salaries: Year 1 £56,000; Year 2 £61,000
• NQ salary: £145,000
• PGDL grant: £12,500
• SQE grant: £20,000
• Annual leave: 25 days (UK); 22 days listed for Hong Kong trainees
• Group medical insurance (Hong Kong benefits listed)
• Group disability income protection insurance (Hong Kong)
• Group life insurance (Hong Kong)
• Confidential employee assistance programme
• Rental reimbursement scheme (Hong Kong)
• Subsidised dental plan (Hong Kong)
• Wellbeing fund (Hong Kong)
• Travel insurance (Hong Kong)
• Trainee buddy scheme
• Opportunities for overseas and client secondments

Wellbeing

Confidential employee assistance programme, wellbeing fund, subsidised dental, group insurance benefits and described wellbeing initiatives across offices.

Awards & Recognition

• UK Social Mobility Employer Index: Ranked 7th (2022)
• Stonewall Workplace Equality Index: Gold Award (2022)
• Best Law Firm (The Times) (2022)
• Global Law Firm of the Year in Europe (The Lawyer) (2021)
• Top Global Employers for LGBT inclusion (Stonewall) (2015-2022)
• Gold Award Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (UK Ministry of Defence) (2021)
• Top 75 UK Employer for Social Mobility (3rd in 2021)
• Best workplace mental health initiative (Australian Minds Count Award) (2019)
• Human Rights Campaign Annual Corporate Equality Index: Gold Award (2025)
• Best Law Firm (The Times) (2024)
• Global Law Firm of the Year in Europe (The Lawyer) (2023)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The firm highlights commitments to an inclusive culture under its values (Human, Bold, Outstanding) and has been recognised in multiple inclusion indices and awards including Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Gold status, Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index Gold Award and Social Mobility Employer Index rankings.

• Black Employee Network
• Christian Network
• Disability Network
• Family Network
• Gender Equity Matters Network
• Jewish Network
• IRIS Network (LGBTQ+ and allies)
• Multiculturalism Network
• Muslim Network
• Military/Veterans Network
• Social Mobility Network
• MyPlus Students’ Club (disability-focused)
• Social Mobility open day
• Black talent open day
• LGBT+ (IRIS) open day

Innovation

The firm promotes legal-tech and digital legal delivery as part of its service offering; training and early-careers events include content on AI, smart contracts and digital transformation. Insider ratings show very strong legal-tech scores (A / A*), suggesting significant investment in technology and integration of tech into practice and training.

• Digital Legal Delivery teams and jobs
• Digital open day content on AI and smart legal contracts
• Use of legal technology across practices (firm emphasises development of AI and smart contract tech)

Quick Application Angles

• Reference the firm’s values—Human, Bold, Outstanding—and give a short example of how you demonstrate one of these values in practice.
• If applying for technology/IP or cyber roles, highlight STEM or computer science experience and mention the firm’s digital/open-day activities and interest in AI/smart contracts.
• Note that all trainees are hired from vacation schemes: secure a strong, work-focused application for the 2–3 week scheme and use the assessment day preparation materials and practice test linked on the firm pages.
• Mention interest in international mobility and secondments—cite the firm’s global footprint (London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, New York, etc.) and the published secondment statistics to show alignment with the firm’s cross-border practice.
• Use the firm’s trainee-buddy and mentorship model as a positive example when discussing how you learn from others and contribute to team dynamics.