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Pathways to Practice First Year Insight Scheme - Manchester

Salary £450 per week
Location Manchester
Mergefield Title {Mergefield Value}
Mergefield Title {Mergefield Value}

This is a Temporary, Full Time vacancy that will close in {x} days at {xx:xx} BST.

Shape Your Future in Law 

At Fieldfisher, we believe talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not always come equally. 

That is why we created Pathways to Practice – our award-winning paid insight and work experience programme designed to support talented students from underrepresented backgrounds who are considering a career in commercial law. 

New for 2027, we are delighted to launch our dedicated first-year university programme, providing an earlier opportunity to explore the legal profession, develop key professional skills, and build meaningful connections within the industry. 

Pathways to Practice is more than just work experience. It is an opportunity to gain real insight into life at a leading European law firm, develop your confidence and commercial awareness, and begin building a long-term relationship with Fieldfisher. 

What You Will Gain 

During the programme, you will have the opportunity to: 

  • Attend a virtual induction covering key workplace tools, including Teams, Outlook and Microsoft Word. 

  • Take part in sessions on using AI in the workplace, law firms as a business, personal brand, commercial awareness and presentation skills. 

  • Join an in-person induction to meet the Early Careers team, learn more about Fieldfisher and take part in an office tour. 

  • Gain insight into Fieldfisher’s practice areas through a department roadshow and three days of allocated work shadowing. 

  • Work collaboratively on a team exercise, including a mock negotiation, and deliver a final team presentation. 

  • Network with trainees, apprentices and colleagues through lunches, social activities and informal conversations. 

  • Reflect on whether a career in commercial law is right for you. 

Why Pathways to Practice? 

We know that entering the legal profession can feel challenging if you do not have existing networks or access to opportunities. 

Pathways to Practice has been designed to help remove barriers, increase access and provide meaningful experience that enables students to make informed decisions about their future careers. The programme forms an important part of our commitment to inclusion, social mobility, and developing the next generation of legal talent. 

We want every participant to leave the programme with: 

  • Greater confidence in their own ability. 

  • A stronger understanding of the legal sector. 

  • New professional connections. 

  • Enhanced workplace and career readiness skills. 

  • A clearer understanding of the pathways available within the legal profession. 

 

Programme Highlights

  • Work shadowing and practical tasks. 

  • Skills and employability workshops. 

  • Networking opportunities with colleagues across the firm. 

  • Insight sessions from lawyers and business services professionals. 

  • Presentations and group projects. 

  • Exposure to our inclusion networks and community initiatives. 

  • Opportunities to learn about emerging topics such as AI, technology, and innovation in the legal sector. 

 

Our Commitment to Inclusion 

At Fieldfisher, inclusion is at the heart of who we are. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone can succeed and feel a sense of belonging. 

We welcome applications from talented students from underrepresented backgrounds and are committed to providing an accessible recruitment process. Accessibility adjustments and support are available throughout the application and programme journey. Our colleagues, inclusion networks and Early Careers team work together to ensure all participants can thrive and perform at their best. 

A Pathway, Not Just a Programme 

Pathways to Practice is designed to be the beginning of your relationship with Fieldfisher, not simply two weeks of work experience. 

Our aim is to help you develop the skills, confidence and insight needed to pursue a successful career in commercial law, while building a talent pipeline that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.  

Whatever your background, if you have the ambition to succeed, we want to help you realise your potential. 

Eligibility Criteria 

To apply for the Pathways to Practice Insight Scheme, you should: 

  • Be in the first year of an undergraduate degree (or second year of a four-year course) at the point of application. 

  • Be interested in pursuing a career in commercial law. 

  • Be able to demonstrate a genuine motivation to learn more about the legal sector and the work of Fieldfisher. 

  • Have achieved ABB at A-Level (or equivalent). 

  • Be eligible to work in the UK for the duration of the programme. 

  • Identify with one or more groups currently underrepresented within the legal profession. 

We recognise that talent and potential are not defined solely by academic achievement. We welcome applications from individuals whose circumstances may have affected their educational journey and encourage candidates to share any contextual information within their application. 

We are not a UK firm with offices in Europe. We are a European law firm at our core. While our HQ is London, we are spreading across Europe at pace. In addition to UK, China and Silicon Valley we have offices in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain. 

With 28 offices across 14 countries, we work collaboratively with each of our offices to ensure our clients receive the best advice and support. You might expect an impersonal office culture, but you will find a homely, family feel even in the largest offices. 

Quality on both sides
Across all our offices and jurisdictions are market-leading practices in corporate/M&A, finance, real estate, energy and natural resources, technology and life sciences.

We count as clients large corporations including major technology firms, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, energy suppliers, infrastructure companies, global banks and financial institutions. 

We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and are actively working towards improving the diversity of our staff. Applications will be considered on merit and the applicant's suitability to meet the requirements of the role.

"Following accepting my Training Contract offer at Fieldfisher, I felt extremely supported by the Early Careers Team. This provided me with great reassurance that Fieldfisher is an inclusive and people-orientated firm. The "Trainee Buddy" scheme was particularly useful in providing me with guidance throughout my SQE exams, including mock assessments, and receiving advice from those who had recently experienced the process. The frequent communication with my Trainee Buddies and the Early Careers team made the transition to starting at the firm seamless. Taking part in the induction in the London office was a great way to build relationships throughout the cohort and hear from inspiring speakers both within the firm and externally. This has been an extremely positive start to my Training Contract and has made me extremely excited for the next two years and beyond with Fieldfisher."

"Although I have only just joined Fieldfisher, I have already been incredibly impressed by the training and support on offer. Our induction programme was packed with useful sessions, covering everything from the economics of law firms, an introduction to the city and time-recording, to soft skills training such as resilience and wellbeing. What particularly stood out was that trainees, solicitor apprentices and graduate scheme participants from across the firm, including Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast, were all brought together in London for the induction. It reflected a culture where people are given the same opportunities and level of investment regardless of office location and provided a great foundation for beginning our careers at the firm.

My first-seat team has been extremely welcoming. From team socials and a dedicated junior support forum to a supportive line manager who is always happy to answer questions, there is a genuine focus on making trainees feel part of the team from day one.

'Culture' is a word that is often used by law firms, but at Fieldfisher it is something you can genuinely feel. The firm's collaborative and supportive environment has made a very positive impression on me in a short space of time, and I have felt encouraged to get involved and ask questions from the outset. I am really looking forward to starting my Banking & Finance seat and continuing to develop my career at Fieldfisher."

"My summer scheme at Fieldfisher gave me a genuine insight into the firm's work, people and culture. I was struck by the variety of work I was exposed to and how welcoming, approachable and supportive everyone I met was. The experience made it easy to picture myself starting my career here, and now, as a first-seat trainee, I am excited to be building my legal skills, taking on meaningful work and learning from colleagues who are generous with their time and experience."

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