A diverse workforce is fundamental to our success as a firm, not only financially, but to ensure our people feel comfortable and valued in their role.
We are committed to breaking down barriers and providing clearer access to a career in Law.
The Diversity Access Scheme is a paid two-week programme, aimed at students currently under-represented in Law.
Not your traditional vacation scheme, this programme includes the opportunity to be seconded to a client, to find out what it's like working at a top 50 City Law firm.
Across the two weeks you will get a good understanding of what it’s like to work here, develop your skill-set and attend social events, as well as gain a real-life insight into the type of work you may be asked to support as a future trainee.
Ahead of you joining, you will be invited to a series of workshops, which will help with the transition to the workplace. You will also be allocated a mentor – a current trainee or newly qualified solicitor who is there to answer all your questions.
By attending this programme, you will be in a strong position to apply for a training contract.
Under-represented student groups accessing the legal profession include, but are not limited to:
- Students from a minority ethnic community
- LGBTQIA+ students
- Students with a disability
- Neurodivergent students
- State educated students.
- First generation to attend university.
- Requirement for financial assistance, not available to you through any private means, in order to be able to continue your education
- Refugee and Asylum seeker status
Requirements
- Be on track to achieve or have achieved a 2:1 in any degree discipline
- Be from a background that is under-represented in the legal profession.
Recruitment process
- Complete application form
- Complete online strengths assessment
- Attend virtual Assessment Centre
We have designed our application process to be rigorous but fair. This programme is recruited for on a rolling basis and final outcomes may be communicated before the application deadline.
The company
Fieldfisher is Times Top 20 Law Firm, a highly commended firm in the European Financial Times Innovative Lawyers rankings and is repeatedly nominated for awards in areas including dispute resolution, M&A and IP. Many of our lawyers are recognised by legal directories as leading professionals in their areas of specialism and we are top two-ranked in a number of our key practice areas.
Our network spans over 1,800 people across 26 international offices in 12 countries.
We operate across our offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Belfast (2), Berlin, Birmingham, Bologna, Brussels, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Turin, Venice, Vienna and Silicon Valley.
Fieldfisher aims to ensure equality of opportunity and we are actively working towards improving the diversity of our staff. All applications will only be considered on merit and the applicant's suitability to meet the requirements of the role.
Testimonials
Charley Guille
"Throughout my time at Fieldfisher from the vacation scheme, time as a paralegal and my training contract, the firm has lived up to its friendly, open, and collaborative culture. As a trainee, fee earners are genuinely interested in your development and pushing you to achieve your potential, not just in your training contract but in your career.
The firm's reputation across its practice areas provides an excellent environment to train where you are trusted to deal with interesting work. The opportunity to spend 6 months in Silicon Valley provided me with a unique experience in a practice area I enjoyed with regular client contact and business development opportunities (as well as some great road trips!)."
Abbie Griffiths
"I started my journey at Fieldfisher as a Paralegal in the Birmingham office in December 2018 and became a Trainee Solicitor in September 2019.
On my first day in the office as a Paralegal in the Employment team, I was welcomed and approached by all, including partners, solicitors, and secretarial staff, who were all keen to know more about me and my ambitions for the future. It was clear to me from that day forwards that not only had I joined an international law firm with market-leading practices, but also a network of people who would support, encourage and help me become the best solicitor that I can be.
The Birmingham office offers trainees seats in Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, Employment, and Corporate, with the option to apply for secondments. Our clients are mostly international and high-profile, making the work exciting, dynamic, and complex. Each team is committed to exposing their trainees to a wide variety of work, and always ensure trainees attend client calls and meetings which are invaluable learning experiences.
The office is situated on Blythe Valley Business Park, which is a ten minute commute from Birmingham International train station and Solihull Town Centre. The office is surrounded by greenery, making lunchtime walks, exercise, and picnics outside a regular occurrence. There are cafes situated on the park offering a variety of lunch options, and a Virgin Active gym which offers a number of exercise classes before and after work.
In my opinion, Fieldfisher is a leading law firm that offers a good work-life balance, challenging work, and the skills and resources to help trainees reach their full potential. I feel very lucky to represent the firm as a Trainee Solicitor"
Minhaal Datoo
"I was drawn to a career at Fieldfisher because of the quality of the training, the culture of the firm, and the strong emphasis on diversity.
I secured a vacation scheme through the Diversity Access Scheme, and after that, I accepted a training contract at the firm. As a trainee, the work can often be challenging. However, Fieldfisher has a great culture which means everyone is happy to help you when needed, your contributions are genuinely appreciated and you are valued not just as a professional, but as an individual too."