Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (US)

OUR SURVEY SAYS

Vault’s Verdict: The international focus, substantive assignments given to junior associates and a highly collegial culture explain why most associates say that, given the choice, they would stick with their decision to join Freshfields. Still, associates say the hours can be overwhelming at times, and that more training and mentoring opportunities would be helpful.

Associate Life

Satisfaction
• “For the most part, I am pretty satisfied. Like many firms, Freshfields has its ups and downs. Because the firm is so small, they will give you a lot of responsibility if you’ve shown yourself to be capable. At the same time, if there are people you don’t like, it is next to impossible to avoid them.”
• “As a junior associate, I have been given incredible experience in terms of interactions with clients, international travel opportunities, substantive work, and even participation in marketing and training efforts. Additionally, the partners that I work for give fantastic feedback and support, so I am confident taking on challenges beyond those typical of junior associates at [other] US firms.”
• “The firm is generally pretty humane. Life would be better if the market was better.”
• “Nowhere is perfect, but Freshfields ultimately delivers for associates because it gets the fundamentals of the associate experience right, allowing you to develop as an attorney.”