Chapter 1 – Home of London law
Transcript
Christina Jensen, Trainee Solicitor
I'm from Denmark. For me working here is really 'opfriskende' fresh and exciting.
Everyday does bring a lot of challenges. You work on so many different projects with high profile clients. You might read about that deal in the Financial Times the following day.
It can be quite scary or intimidating too, starting at a Magic Circle firm. But from day one, I felt like I was part of the team.
Ted Burke, Chief Executive
Freshfields has a long and very proud history. It goes back almost 300 years. We've been representing the Bank of England since approximately 1743 and over that time we have developed a reputation for excellence and for integrity that I think is second to none.
I joined Freshfields almost ten years ago... I was a partner in a Wall Street firm and I'd never imagined that I would be joining a London based Law Firm.
James Nepaulsingh, Trainee Solicitor
The location is great because it's the traditional home of London law. I walk around the streetsand I read about the things before at University (because I studied English) and all the Dickensian books kind of come to life when I 'm walking to work.
And I kind of remind myself of the smells and the bustle and, I suppose, the bureaucracy of the olden style law in London.
Do you remember the excellent hotel we went to in Tokyo?
Yeah, I love that place.
Ted Burke, Chief Executive
I think we're the only law firm that has a management team as international as ours, led by a German partner, an English partner and me, obviously,an American.
And strategically I really felt that Freshfields seemed to understand the importance of being global and being international and of being there for clients in the key jurisdictions and in the key practice areas. And that Freshfields perhaps understood that, more than any other firm that I had seen.
On either side of the Atlantic.
Kathleen Healy, Partner
Rather than just saying, "yes we're an international firm with international offices", we actually 'live it'. Because the work load is so varied, the opportunities to spend some time with clients or go overseas, are there.
It means we have a more flexible approach to the way in which you do your work, the way in which you come at problemsand just the way in which you interact with your colleagues.
Chris Forsyth, Trainee Recruitment Partner
We have a reputation for our informal, friendly culturebut people shouldn't think that we lack ambition or drive. We are very ambitious, we work harder, we try to be cleverer and at least as tough as our competitorsbut we like to compete without compromising our culture, because it's very important to us.
"There’s a sort of institutionally informal culture which supports individuality, yet gets everyone pulling together."
Chris Forsyth
Partner