Esam, Aaminah and Yasmine

Over the course of the Summer Work Experience Programme, we gained a valuable insight into life at Freshfields, and the work carried out across a variety of practice areas. We began in the Dispute Resolution team where our buddies welcomed us to the firm and gave us an introduction to the cases they work on daily. One of our first tasks involved researching confidentiality obligations in manufacturing agreements, exploring whether clients would need to delete confidential information when changing manufacturers. This gave us the opportunity to strengthen our legal research skills and analyse case law, applying it to produce commercially focused advice for clients.

Alongside this, we supported work on a presentation exploring the use of AI in complex construction arbitrations, researching emerging AI tools and the issues that could arise in arbitration proceedings. We also completed a range of Freshfields learning modules, which provided insight into the breadth of the firm’s practice areas. Attending a Marketing and Business Development meeting then outlined Freshfields’ client-centric approach, and how lawyers from different areas collaborate to meet clients’ needs.

Later in the programme, we worked on a research project examining multiple claimants in investment arbitration. This was a particularly interesting area that highlighted how tribunals can interpret broad legal principles in different ways. After presenting our findings and receiving feedback, we moved to the Global M&A and Capital (GMAC) team and met our buddies. This gave us an opportunity to learn more about transactional work. We completed a due diligence exercise for an M&A transaction and reviewed key deal documents. This required us to think and advise commercially, understanding why a deal is being structured as it is and what this would mean for the client in the future.

The programme was enhanced by the opportunity to engage in one-to-one conversations with some of the firm's most experienced practitioners. The partners and associates were extremely generous with their time and were happy to answer any questions we had about the firm, their career journeys, and the regional market. In addition, we were able to discuss topics specifically related to early careers and the application process, which will enable us to take a more tailored approach to pursuing future opportunities at the firm.