Firm Profiles
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
A Silver Circle Firm
A Silver Circle Firm
Year 1 Trainee
£56,000
Year 2 Trainee
£61,000
Newly Qualified
£135,000
Herbert Smith Freehills is a global law firm with roots dating back to 1882. As of 2024, it employs around 2,600 lawyers in over 20 offices across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. The firm advises corporates, financial institutions, and governments on high-value disputes, M&A, projects, finance, energy, and regulatory matters.
In June 2025, HSF completed a merger with U.S.-based Kramer Levin, creating HSF Kramer — a transatlantic powerhouse of roughly 2,700 lawyers across 26 offices with over $2 billion in annual revenue.
TC Number
65
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
26
Herbert Smith Freehills recruits around 80 trainees annually. The two-year training contract features four six-month seats across corporate, disputes, and specialist practices. Over 80% of trainees undertake client or international secondments in Europe, Asia, and Australia
Rankings in Chambers
61
Category
Silver Circle
In 2024, Herbert Smith Freehills won the “Innovation in Data‑enhanced Knowledge” award at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe, recognising the firm’s use of data analytics to improve legal services . The firm was also shortlisted as “Most Innovative Law Firm in Asia‑Pacific” at the FT’s 2025 Asia‑Pacific awards, reflecting its investment in digital tools and client delivery models.
In the Chambers UK 2025 Guide, HSF Kramer is ranked in 61 practice areas, with strong Tier‑1 status in areas such as banking, corporate litigation, planning, real estate, energy, and transport.
The Application Process
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
A-Levels Requirements
N/A
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1
Application Writing
The application begins with an online form asking for academic history, work experience, and three written responses (maximum 300 words each) on topics such as your interest area, motivation for HSF, and a team challenge you have faced. Strong writing matters. Structure answers clearly around two or three key points and support them with concrete examples. Motivation is central. Applicants must explain why HSF specifically and demonstrate genuine interest in its work. The form also asks about skills and attributes. Candidates can include extracurricular roles such as society leadership in this section. Finally, thorough proofreading and clarity are essential. Make sure answers reflect your experience and show how you align with the firm’s values.
Assessment Centre
The assessment centre consists of three main components: a case study interview, a competency interview, and a scenario-based interview.
For the case study, candidates are given time to analyse a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to a partner and followed by questions on the issues raised.
The competency interview focuses on past experiences, motivation for a career in law, and alignment with the firm’s values.
The scenario-based interview presents a realistic legal situation, where candidates are asked how they would approach the matter. The process is designed to assess analytical thinking, communication skills, commercial awareness, and overall suitability for the trainee role.
Interview Stage
Application Writing
Psychometric Testing
The application begins with an online form asking for academic history, work experience, and three written responses (maximum 300 words each) on topics such as your interest area, motivation for HSF, and a team challenge you have faced. Strong writing matters. Structure answers clearly around two or three key points and support them with concrete examples. Motivation is central. Applicants must explain why HSF specifically and demonstrate genuine interest in its work. The form also asks about skills and attributes. Candidates can include extracurricular roles such as society leadership in this section. Finally, thorough proofreading and clarity are essential. Make sure answers reflect your experience and show how you align with the firm’s values.
The firm’s psychometric testing includes three elements: situational judgement, verbal reasoning, and a personality questionnaire. The situational judgement section presents 10–12 workplace-based scenarios that assess decision-making, teamwork, and ethics. Verbal reasoning also involves approximately 10–12 passages where candidates judge statement accuracy. The personality section asks about 26 behavioural traits to assess cultural fit. While the test is untimed, most applicants complete it in about 30–35 minutes. Performance is evaluated based on both speed and accuracy, and those who score well are invited to the assessment centre.
Psychometric Testing
The firm’s psychometric testing includes three elements: situational judgement, verbal reasoning, and a personality questionnaire. The situational judgement section presents 10–12 workplace-based scenarios that assess decision-making, teamwork, and ethics. Verbal reasoning also involves approximately 10–12 passages where candidates judge statement accuracy. The personality section asks about 26 behavioural traits to assess cultural fit. While the test is untimed, most applicants complete it in about 30–35 minutes. Performance is evaluated based on both speed and accuracy, and those who score well are invited to the assessment centre.
Interview Stage
Assessment Centre
The assessment centre consists of three main components: a case study interview, a competency interview, and a scenario-based interview.
For the case study, candidates are given time to analyse a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to a partner and followed by questions on the issues raised.
The competency interview focuses on past experiences, motivation for a career in law, and alignment with the firm’s values.
The scenario-based interview presents a realistic legal situation, where candidates are asked how they would approach the matter. The process is designed to assess analytical thinking, communication skills, commercial awareness, and overall suitability for the trainee role.
Firm Profiles
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
A Silver Circle Firm
Year 1
Trainee
£56,000
Year 2
Trainee
£61,000
Newly
Qualified
£135,000
Herbert Smith Freehills is a global law firm with roots dating back to 1882. As of 2024, it employs around 2,600 lawyers in over 20 offices across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. The firm advises corporates, financial institutions, and governments on high-value disputes, M&A, projects, finance, energy, and regulatory matters.
In June 2025, HSF completed a merger with U.S.-based Kramer Levin, creating HSF Kramer — a transatlantic powerhouse of roughly 2,700 lawyers across 26 offices with over $2 billion in annual revenue.
TC Number
65
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
26
Herbert Smith Freehills recruits around 80 trainees annually. The two-year training contract features four six-month seats across corporate, disputes, and specialist practices. Over 80% of trainees undertake client or international secondments in Europe, Asia, and Australia
Rankings in Chambers
61
Awards
Category
Silver Circle
In 2024, Herbert Smith Freehills won the “Innovation in Data‑enhanced Knowledge” award at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe, recognising the firm’s use of data analytics to improve legal services . The firm was also shortlisted as “Most Innovative Law Firm in Asia‑Pacific” at the FT’s 2025 Asia‑Pacific awards, reflecting its investment in digital tools and client delivery models.
In the Chambers UK 2025 Guide, HSF Kramer is ranked in 61 practice areas, with strong Tier‑1 status in areas such as banking, corporate litigation, planning, real estate, energy, and transport.
The Vacation Scheme Application Process
Application Writing
The application begins with an online form asking for academic history, work experience, and three written responses (maximum 300 words each) on topics such as your interest area, motivation for HSF, and a team challenge you have faced. Strong writing matters. Structure answers clearly around two or three key points and support them with concrete examples. Motivation is central. Applicants must explain why HSF specifically and demonstrate genuine interest in its work. The form also asks about skills and attributes. Candidates can include extracurricular roles such as society leadership in this section. Finally, thorough proofreading and clarity are essential. Make sure answers reflect your experience and show how you align with the firm’s values.
Psychometric Testing
The firm’s psychometric testing includes three elements: situational judgement, verbal reasoning, and a personality questionnaire. The situational judgement section presents 10–12 workplace-based scenarios that assess decision-making, teamwork, and ethics. Verbal reasoning also involves approximately 10–12 passages where candidates judge statement accuracy. The personality section asks about 26 behavioural traits to assess cultural fit. While the test is untimed, most applicants complete it in about 30–35 minutes. Performance is evaluated based on both speed and accuracy, and those who score well are invited to the assessment centre.
Interview Stage
Assessment Centre
The assessment centre consists of three main components: a case study interview, a competency interview, and a scenario-based interview.
For the case study, candidates are given time to analyse a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to a partner and followed by questions on the issues raised.
The competency interview focuses on past experiences, motivation for a career in law, and alignment with the firm’s values.
The scenario-based interview presents a realistic legal situation, where candidates are asked how they would approach the matter. The process is designed to assess analytical thinking, communication skills, commercial awareness, and overall suitability for the trainee role.
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
N/A
A-Levels Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1