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  4. First Year Workshop 2027
Lock Applications for this job open on 1 Sep 2026

Your opportunity

Are you a first-year student on a three-year course or a second-year student on a four-year course?

Our First Year Workshops are a great way to explore a career at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and get an early insight into life at a leading global law firm. Over two days, you'll build your commercial awareness, develop practical skills, and learn more about the different paths available within the legal profession.

You'll take part in interactive sessions led by our experienced lawyers, including:

  • A corporate negotiation workshop, where you'll experience negotiating a deal on behalf of a client
  • An alternative dispute resolution workshop, exploring how disputes can be resolved before reaching court
  • An insight into our pro bono work
  • Our careers fair, where you'll meet partners, associates and trainees from across our practice areas.

To round off the experience, you'll be invited to an evening social event where you can meet our people, ask questions, and get to know our culture in a relaxed and informal setting. Remember, it's never too early to start crafting a career you can be proud of. Join us at one of our first-year workshops and kickstart your journey into law.

Furthermore, if you are successful in gaining a spot on our First Year Workshop and decide to apply for a vacation scheme in your penultimate year, you will not need to retake the online assessment and we will fast-track your application to review stage.

  • Workshop 1 dates: 31 March – 1 April 2027
  • Workshop 2 dates: 7 April – 8 April 2027

What we're looking for

Our First Year Workshops are open to first-year students on a three-year course or a second-year students on a four-year course.

You don’t need to study law to attend. We consider applicants from any degree discipline, with a keen interest in commercial law.

We look for candidates with a strong and consistent academic record. We typically look for a minimum of AAB at A-level (or equivalent). At university, applicants should be on track to achieve, or have achieved, consistent 2:1s across modules, with an average mark of 63% or above in each year of study (or the international equivalent).

If mitigating circumstances have affected your academic performance at any stage of your education, we strongly encourage you to explain these in your application, as they will be taken into consideration.

When to apply

Applications close on 1 February 2027 (23:59 GMT), so make sure you've completed and submitted your online application form by then. Please note that all applications will be reviewed after the deadline.

About us

At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we align your growth and ambition with ours. We invest in your personal and professional growth and support you to achieve your ambitions. And you share responsibility for playing a part in delivering the firm’s growth and ambition too.

A leading global law firm, with over 6,000 people, we are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. We’re recognised leaders in demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private transactions.

We’re immersed in the many challenges facing our clients. We’re invested and resourceful. We understand the part technology and digitalisation play in the delivery of legal services. We want to make a positive impact wherever in the world we operate. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with an open mind and curiosity.

We are known for our diverse perspectives and renowned for our culture. Being human, bold and outstanding are more than our values: you’ll discover they are our lived experience. And by being ambitious for your growth and ours, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your growth. Our ambition.

Inclusivity

We value diverse perspectives and embrace difference. We’re proud of our achievements, committed to building on our good work, as well as our awareness of and focus on well-being. You’ll be supported to bring your whole and best self to work in an environment that is not only professional, but also connected and caring. We’re renowned for our culture. We balance being human, bold and outstanding and you’ll find these are more than our values: a lived experience. At the heart of this, you’ll be supported to grow, achieve your ambitions and play a part in helping us achieve the firm’s. So as a graduate, by being ambitious for your growth and ours, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Application deadline:
1 February 2027 at 23:59 Greenwich Mean Time
(i) Times are displayed in your local time zone