Fieldfisher

About the firm

Although applying for training contracts can sometimes feel like casting out a line and hoping that something will bite, Fieldfisher is certainly worth the wait. Headquartered in London, the firm boasts 28 offices around the world, with a smaller number of TCs also up for grabs in Manchester and Birmingham. And across the board, there’s high-quality work to be found here without making any sacrifices when it comes to the ‘life’ side of work-life balance; one insider shared that “it’s the best of both worlds, where the work is interesting but I don’t feel stretched too thin.” Indeed, with a “fantastic” culture and supervisors who have a “clear desire to invest in you,” there’s also no fear of being thrown in at the deep end – with interviewees assuring us that they’re tasked with “substantial legal work from the jump.”

“…the best of both worlds, where the work is interesting but I don’t feel stretched too thin.”

Fieldfisher casts a wide net, with particular expertise in technology, financial services, energy and natural resources, and life sciences. Accordingly, the firm reels in a whole host of rankings from Chambers UK, including clinical negligence, information technology & outsourcing, and personal injury in London, as well as litigation in the Midlands and capital markets, sanctions,and public inquiries nationwide. Quite the catch!

Why trainees joined the firm

Sector expertise

“I literally looked up the best tech and IP firms in the city!” one interviewee admitted. Another was drawn to the firm’s medical negligence department, noting that “they’re very well-known for that.”

Regional presence

“Location was a big one for me,” one insider explained. Luckily, with offices in London, Birmingham, and Manchester, trainees won’t have to head far a-Field.

Welcoming, friendly vibe

Several of our sources noted that “Fieldfisher stood out for culture” when they were applying.One insider highlighted that “you don’t see any toxic stuff. It’s really positive.”

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

For each rotation, trainees submit a ranking of their preferred seats, selecting up to six options in London using a traffic light preference system (with the top two choices classified as ‘green’), and up to four options in Manchester and Birmingham. Our interviewees were generally happy with their allocations, feeling that “they usually try and accommodate” preferences, and noting that if you miss out on your top choices it’s likely that you’ll be prioritised the next time around.

Client secondments

There’s a “good breadth” of client secondments up for grabs, with current opportunities including Paramount, JD Sports, and the Public Law Project (but our insiders noted that “it’s always changing.”)If interested, trainees are asked to submit a cover letter and CV, and attend an interview prior to the seat allocation process taking place for each rotation.

International secondments

An international secondment is currently on offer to Fieldfisher’s Berlin office in legal innovation and AI.

Seat experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

Across the board, interviewees described the environment at Fieldfisher as “very collaborative, very open, very people-focused,” with one source noting that “everyone is friendly – just lock eyes with someone and they’ll smile at you!” Open-plan seating in the offices means that “you can be sat next to directors and partners” on the daily, who are “very approachable and easy to get on with”; one interviewee was pleased to report that “I’m yet to meet someone who won’t give me the time of day.” It certainly helps that there’s a buzzing social life at the firm: weekly Thursday ‘Filled Pitcher’ drinks on the roof terrace are supplemented with a monthly buffet lunch, alongside Christmas parties and a summer event. As well as these firmwide dos, cross-office trainee socials are regularly held in London.

“Fieldfisher sees itself as one firm, not a collection of offices.”

Apart from these cohort-wide events, trainees did note that social life can be “more limited” in Birmingham in particular, but there is “lots of cross-collaboration” in general between locations. One interviewee suggested that “Fieldfisher sees itself as one firm, not a collection of offices.” And speaking of those offices, our insiders were very complimentary, telling us that the London office has recently undergone a refurbishment, so it feels “very fresh and new” with “everything that you could possibly need!” The Manchester and Birmingham digs also received rave reviews; Manchester’s office is “probably the best in the city,” and Birmingham’s is “gorgeous” with “lots of room to grow.”

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

Fieldfisher asks its trainees to be in the office at least three days a week, with the caveat that “it definitely does vary between teams,” and “it depends how busy you are.” Our interviewees reported an average start time of 9am and finish of 6pm, with an “occasional late night” to meet an urgent deadline, but they assured us that the firm “doesn’t expect you to work late in general.” The volume of workload is similarly team-dependent, with teams like dispute resolution, real estate and technology & data being “the most consistently busy.”

Pay

Data provided by firm and our annual trainee survey

Interviewees in London were satisfied with their salaries, although there were more mixed reviews from trainees in Birmingham and Manchester, who suggested that “the disparity between the regional pay and London pay is too big.” There was also some feeling across the board that the NQ salary is “slightly low in comparison to competitor firms.”

Supervision and training

Data from our annual trainee survey

Some interviewees reported regular, weekly check-ins with their supervisors, while others felt that supervision had been “more hands-off,” apart from mid- and end-seat reviews. For instance, supervisors from smaller teams tend not to organise formal, regular meetings, simply because “you’re working with them on a one-to-one basis. They don’t need to meet with you to know how you’re getting on!” Across the board, though, there was a feeling that “you can approach your supervisors with anything, whenever,” and a strong sense that supervisors have “a clear desire to invest” in trainees’ learning and development.

Compulsory in-person training sessions for all the trainees are run every few months at the London office, covering a broad range of topics including writing, presentation, time management, and client skills. On the other hand, department-specific training tends to vary across teams, with some seats like regulatory and tax offering a “really comprehensive” training program and others such as real estate preferring an on-the-job learning style.

Inclusion

Trainees rated Fieldfisher’s efforts in diversity and inclusion highly, sharing that the firm is “very hot on inclusion and making sure everyone feels represented.” Diversity groups within the firm run “a lot of open access networking events,” and our interviewees reported that “they make a conscious effort to celebrate every occasion.” This focus starts from the very beginning, with a ‘Pathways to Practice’ insight scheme offered to under-represented groups that is designed to provide equal access to opportunities at the firm as a direct pathway to a TC. Although trainee cohorts are very diverse, our interviewees did point out that there’s “not a lot of representation” among higher ranks. However, the firm runs training sessions focused on diversity and inclusion, and our sources felt that “you can tell they’ve really thought about it. It’s not just lip service; they really are invested.”

Pro bono & CSR

There’s “lots that you can get involved with” when it comes to pro bono at Fieldfisher, trainees were quick to highlight. With a partner dedicated to pro bono work and three volunteering days a year for trainees, there are plenty of long-running partnerships, as well as a smatter of ad hoc, “team-specific” opportunities – and if pro bono is at the top of your priority list, you’ll be pleased to hear there’s a pro bono seat on offer in the mix of rotations.

Other opportunities include:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Clinic

• Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre

Qualification

Come qualification time, trainees can apply for as many seats as they’d like (although most choose to apply only to one or two). For each seat, they are asked to submit a cover letter and a CV, and to attend an interview with a couple of partners from the department. The style of interview differs between seats, with “some having a 20-minute chat, others having a written assessment.” Trainees were generally satisfied with the process, recalling that “whilst it was quite formal, it still felt quite relaxed.” And once they qualify, they’re keen to stick around: “It’s a good firm to stay at long term.”

Fancy a spin?

The Fieldfisher Hive Cycling Network provides a community for cycling enthusiasts at the firm.