The Legal Cheek View
This is the HFW profile for those considering solicitor apprenticeships. Students looking to apply for training contracts should check out Legal Cheek‘s main HFW profile.
HFW, world-renowned for its shipping work, is charting a course into the solicitor apprenticeship market. This London-headquartered global firm announced its new scheme at the end of 2023 and will offer its first two places in September 2024. A disputes firm at heart, HFW apprentices can expect to make waves in shipping, as well as in other core sectors including energy, insurance, aerospace, construction, and commodities. HFW, with over 21 global locations, attracts premier international projects from well-known brands and leading financial institutions.
With an unconventional rotation structure, apprentices at the firm will begin the six-year program with two nine-month stints in the firm’s engine room. During these initial business services seats, recruits will gain experience in the global research and resources hub, the business development and marketing team, and the compliance, conflicts, and risk department.
After gaining exposure to the behind-the-scenes operations of HFW’s London practice, apprentices will move into their first legal seat. They will start in the shipping and aviation sectors, spending a year in each of the respective transactional teams, working on major deals with big-name clients over the two-year period. For their final six months before starting the HFW training contract, apprentices will be seconded to one of the firm’s global offices, including locations such as Monaco, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Geneva, and Greece.
After a sunny stint abroad, apprentices will transition to the HFW training contract for their final two years. During this period, seasoned apprentices will gain insight into the firm’s contentious practices by engaging in litigation across various sectors. These final two years will follow the classic four-seat training contract structure, with trainees encouraged to complete at least one contentious (litigation) seat and one non-contentious (transactional) seat.
But let’s not forget the core educational component of the apprenticeship: new recruits will pursue a part-time law degree over their first four years, dedicating one day a week to studying for their LLB with The University of Law. During their final two TC years, apprentices will then concentrate on preparing for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), ultimately qualifying as solicitors upon completion of the six-year programme.
And when it’s not all hands-on deck with uni or legal work, there are a raft of internal networks hosting socials on a regular basis, so apprentices will have plenty of chance to let their hair down with their colleagues. From ethnic minority groups to an LGBTQ+ network, recruits can build connections with their communities in the workplace at HFW. On the extra-curricular side, sporty rookies can dip a toe into the firm’s running and netball clubs, while others may wish to take a punt on the HFW coffee roulette, which partners people up from across the organisation for a coffee-break get together.
Please note HFW’s Legal Cheek View will be updated once the firm recruits its first solicitor apprentices.
This is the HFW Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read HFW’s full Legal Cheek profile here.