You can read about our approach to diversity in our latest international corporate social responsibility (CSR) report at www.freshfields.com/csr.

Our people and diversity: recent highlights

  • We have launched a people strategy, and have appointed partners to implement it in each office
  • We are founding signatories of the Law Society of England and Wales’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter, which commits us to develop and implement best practice in equality, diversity and inclusion
  • We have a three-year commitment to the College of Law and Sutton Trust’s new diversity scheme, Pathways to Law, designed to encourage more students from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds to consider a career in law
  • Our London office has received an ‘outstanding’ rating in the 2009 Best Companies to work for accreditation.
  • In 2008 our LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) group organised recruitment events at Oxford and Cambridge universities, the first City law firm to do so. More events are planned for other universities in 2009
  • We support a number of initiatives designed to attract and recruit a wider range of people into the commercial legal profession in the UK, including:
    • the first City Solicitors’ Education Trust Summer School programme in 2008;
    • the Pure Potential programme which seeks to support students from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds in their consideration of university (and subsequent careers);
    • sponsorship for Educational Opportunities, which finds work placements for minority ethnic students looking for a career in commercial law;
    • the Legal Chances programme, which assists first-year minority ethnic undergraduates in preparing for applications to City firms; and
    • encouraging applications from regional universities through offering interview skills training and (with other law firms) holding open days.

News

Freshfields corporate partner relocates to Dubai View

Freshfields bolsters US litigation practice View

Awards

Acquisition of the Year 2009 - The acquisition of Gatwick Airport - IJ Awards (2009)

APAC Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2009 - Project Finance Magazine (2009)

View all awards