How to get a job at Herbert Smith Freehills

Herbert Smith Freehills is a leading international law firm with strong London presence and expertise in complex transactions, disputes, and regulatory matters. The firm advises multinational corporations, financial institutions, and governments on their most significant challenges.

The firm combines deep legal expertise with commercial insight and innovation. Herbert Smith Freehills is particularly renowned for dispute resolution, M&A, capital markets, and energy law.

With offices worldwide, the firm offers exceptional opportunities to work on cross-border transactions and develop international expertise.

The working environment at Herbert Smith Freehills reflects the law sector — structured but dynamic, with a mix of planned project work and responsive tasks. Most roles involve regular collaboration with colleagues across different teams and functions, with clear expectations for deliverables and timelines. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements are increasingly common, and the organisation recognises that different roles require different working patterns.

As a 2,700+-person organisation, Herbert Smith Freehills sits at a size where you can genuinely know people across different departments. Teams tend to be close-knit, and there's a real sense of shared purpose. You'll likely have more visibility with senior leadership than you would at a larger employer, which means your contributions are noticed and your ideas can reach decision-makers more quickly.

The culture at Herbert Smith Freehills shapes how the day feels beyond just the work itself. Colleagues describe the environment as one that values Legal Acumen and Commercial Thinking. Lunch breaks, team socials, and informal catch-ups are part of the rhythm — Herbert Smith Freehills recognises that building relationships across the organisation is as important as the deliverables themselves. Most employees report that the people are one of the best things about working here, and that the team dynamic makes challenging work feel manageable.

Career progression at Herbert Smith Freehills follows a relatively clear path for most roles. Promotions typically depend on demonstrating increased responsibility, deeper expertise, and leadership capability — whether that's leading teams, managing clients, or driving technical innovation. The organisation values both specialist depth and the ability to take on broader management responsibilities, so there are usually multiple progression routes available. Don't assume you need to move into management to advance — many law organisations increasingly recognise and reward technical and specialist career paths.

Herbert Smith Freehills invests in structured learning and development programmes, including access to training courses, conferences, and professional certifications. Many employees report that the L&D budget is generous and genuinely encouraged — not just a line in the benefits package that nobody actually uses. Whether it's technical upskilling, leadership development, or industry certifications, there's real support for continuous learning. While formal mentoring programmes may vary across departments, the culture generally encourages learning from more experienced colleagues. Building relationships with senior team members is one of the most effective ways to accelerate your development — seek out people whose career trajectory you admire and ask them for advice regularly.

For legal services professionals, Herbert Smith Freehills offers exposure to projects and challenges that build a strong CV whether you stay long-term or move on after a few years. The skills and experience you gain — particularly around Legal Acumen and Commercial Thinking — are transferable across the law sector and beyond. Internal mobility is possible for strong performers, with opportunities to move between teams, departments, or even locations as your career develops. Many senior leaders at Herbert Smith Freehills started in entry-level or early-career positions, which speaks to the genuine career development opportunities available.