Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Most notably, HSF is pre-eminent for its elite litigation and arbitration practice. The firm has its own in-house advocacy unit, staffed by a host of KCs, which is recognised as one of the best dispute resolution departments on the planet. In truth, you’ll find top-tier lawyers and tip-top work just about everywhere at this full service firm.

Juniors commend the “very interesting matters” and “substantive work” they’ve been able to get to grips with throughout their training contract and, what’s more, you can also read all about the high calibre work you’ve been up to, as insiders boast of “lots of work ending up in newspapers”.

This varies between departments, with finance and corporate tending to be more “administrative” and “process heavy”, whilst disputes offers an opportunity to get stuck into an array of “fascinating” and “cutting-edge” cases. As one rookie divulges, “the market deals are exciting, and in disputes, it’s great to be working on some of the most complex cases. However, as a trainee, that can mean being stuck in endless document review and verification”. Another current disputes trainee told us, “I have always been afforded with the opportunity to produce a first draft of an email/letter, submissions, or share thoughts on strategy. There’s a real focus by partners on up-skilling trainees to get them operating at an associate level as early as possible.” On the whole, it’s “a good balance” and the firm makes “an effort to allocate work to me that matches my aspirations”. It’s perhaps little surprise, then, that trainees are eager to stick around upon qualification — HSF Kramer records consistently high retention rates, most recently keeping on 29 out of 33 trainees (88%).

In terms of the training, you can expect a week-long induction at the start of each seat, which we’re told “gives a good overview of the work a team does and the sorts of tasks trainees will be doing”. Sources also speak of “close monitoring from partners”, who are “always keen to answer questions and provide support”, insiders tell us. “Consistently excellent training and I am constantly encouraged to push myself out of my comfort zone!” raves one recruit. Another caveats that this can depend on who your supervisor is: “Some are really thoughtful and encouraging, looping you into exciting work and providing meaningful opportunities, others can be a little more aloof.” But overall the firm is said to make “a big effort to focus on training, whether it’s bespoke training sessions or ensuring that supervisors and associates are providing feedback and mentoring.”

“HSF Kramer undeniably has the best people” is a big claim, but it is evidenced, to a certain extent, by the firm’s consistently strong scores for peer support in the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey down the years, with trainees reporting a nice vibe in this year’s cohort. Juniors are “keen to support” and are known to “arrange coffees before seat changes to discuss their seat experiences”. As one source puts it: “Always someone to have lunch with, get advice from on Teams, or just to go have a pint with.”

Another gives this insight: “My peers both within the same and across different cohorts have been very supportive. I have heard of horror stories in other firms but I have not heard of such gossip in our firm. Personally, I have had to take multiple sick leave due to physical and mental health. Every trainee that I have worked with was more than understanding and happy to help.”

Higher up the firm, partners, for the most part, are “accessible and highly approachable”. One insider elaborates: “Like with trainees, there’s the odd partner who is perhaps not as approachable as the rest, but I think you’d get that anywhere. They’re really busy but are generally happy to take time out to speak to you. I’ve had a brilliant partner mentor who I’ve gone for coffee with a couple of times each seat, who’s been very open about her experiences at the firm, career progression, balancing work and home life etc. We all share an office with our supervisors and I’ve been able to have quite easy conversations with each one, discussing work but also what they’ve been up to at the weekend, what their kids are doing etc.” The firm itself is also praised for specifically selecting supervisors who are “friendly, approachable and want you to learn”.

Tech is on the rise at HSF Kramer with the launch of a global digital legal delivery team designed to streamline all things computer-related across the firm. Rookies appreciate the “consistent upgrades to apps and new pieces of software” which the firm continues to roll-out and juniors now have access to Microsoft Copilot features as well as a private instance of ChatGPT – “great tools, increasingly used” in a nutshell.

Work/life balance at HSF Kramer is better than at most firms in its class: “The hours can be long, but a culture of communicating what is important to you (so that you can attend those events) certainly exists”, detailed one junior. The consensus is that work/life balance varies between departments but things like birthdays and sporting commitments are generally well-protected. “If it is busy, it is extremely busy but everyone recognises the need for down time which is respected. Some weeks it’s 70+ hours, but then it’ll be leaving at 4pm for a few nights after,” one insider told LC. In summary, “there is no expectation to stay if there’s non-urgent work, however, when things are urgent, your presence is appreciated and you get free dinner/taxi to compensate”.

Another offered this experience: “In my first two seats I regularly worked until 10-11pm, in my last two seats I usually finished between 5.30-7pm. Consistently though, people are respectful of special occasions and would encourage me to log off early on a birthday or if I have friends visiting etc, and no-one misses team Christmas or summer parties. Being asked to work on a weekend has only happened on a handful of occasions, very apologetically and the work has always been appreciated. Annual leave is respected, you are not expected to be monitoring emails.”

Work/life balance is also helped slightly by the firm’s working from home policy, which sees trainees in the office around three to four days a week. HSF Kramer provides its rookies with a new iPhone, Surface Pro laptop, Bluetooth mouse, headset and a £200 budget for anything else which renews every year. Though well appreciated, a number of those surveyed recognised that the spend limit for IT equipment is somewhat limited compared to peer firms.

When it comes to perks, the offering is very respectable. HSF Kramer recruits enjoy the subsidised canteen and café, free Deliveroo after 7pm, a mortgage broker, concierge service and a £750 wellbeing fund that can be used “on anything fitness related”. The automatic coffee machines on every floor and free fruit are also a plus, as is the ability to work from home anywhere abroad (subject to tax approval, of course) for up to 30 days a year!

Speaking of working abroad, trainees at HSF Kramer also enjoy the full benefit of the firm’s global spread with around one-fifth of trainees reporting international secondments to Hong Kong, Paris and Singapore this year. Secondees apparently receive lots of freebies, such as gratis language lessons, a generous accommodation allowance and even a firm apartment in some locations. There are also client secondments to the likes of Google, Invesco and BP. It’s also worth noting that the working hours are said to be often lower for secondees.

Back in London, the social life is apparently pretty good, with frequent drinks, table tennis tournaments, quizzes, annual Christmas parties and a yearly trainee ball at the top of the Gherkin which we’re told is “a real highlight”. One junior also boasted of a “team outing to watch the cricket!”

The firm is situated in one of the City’s more stylish offices — Exchange House, built in 1990, is a ‘building-bridge hybrid’ that sits above the trains coming in and out of Liverpool Street station. Most offices are said to have “standing desks (be sure to check them out over on our TikTok page), large screens and a considerable share of offices with windows”, but given how long the firm has occupied its current digs, there are some complaints the office space is becoming a little dated: “Cool exterior but pretty tired internally (also how I view myself)” joked one insider.

The office does come equipped with a subsidised canteen but this is nothing to write home about according to insiders: “It’s fine. The salad options are often good and well priced, and the miso soup is excellent. Everything is subsidised but still feels like too much to spend on lunch every day. The free dinners after 7pm are often pretty woeful in selection and quality” was the critique from one masterchef. Another left a more succinct review: “dry chicken.” However, there’s always the subsidised membership to a very snazzy Virgin Active next door, complete with Molton Brown products, as well as lots of decent pubs and bars for a post-work drink.

HSF Kramer juniors recognise that the firm is “big on sustainability” and provides “great environment training”. This is supported by the firm’s commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and there’s even a specific ESG group where trainees can do internal secondments.