Direct Entry Programme
Currently applicable to students studying in England and Wales
Kickstart your journey in law
Start building your legal career from your first year at university. Our Insight Day gives first-year law undergraduates the opportunity to visit one of our national offices, learn more about Freeths, meet our people and develop skills that will support their future in law. We are looking for students who are driven, collaborative and eager to learn. After the Insight Day, selected students may be offered a one-week Legal Placement with us, which will take place in the summer after their penultimate year of university. Penultimate-year undergraduate law students can also apply directly for our Legal Placement, even if they did not attend an Insight Day in their first year.
Students who perform strongly on the Legal Placement will be interviewed for a place on our Direct Entry Assessment Centre. Successful candidates will then attend a final Partner interview. This may lead to an offer to join Freeths as a Trainee after graduation.
Specialist Direct Entry routes in Sheffield
If you are particularly interested to qualify in Tax or in Planning & Environment, you can apply directly to one of our specialist Legal Placements for penultimate year undergraduates based in our Sheffield office. These programmes give students the opportunity to gain focused experience in one of these practice areas while following the same route as our wider Direct Entry Programme: a one-week Legal Placement, followed by a Direct Entry Assessment Centre and final Partner interview for those who perform strongly. This may lead to an offer to join Freeths as a Trainee in Tax or in Planning & Environment after graduation.
"Joining Freeths through the Direct Entry Programme straight from university was a fantastic opportunity because I was able to put the knowledge and skills I'd developed during my degree into practice from day one. The transition from academic study to working on real matters was both exciting and challenging, and I found that I learned at a much faster pace as a result. Being involved in live cases, client work and day-to-day legal tasks helped bring my studies to life and gave me a much deeper understanding of how the law operates in practice."
Haroon Danby
Trainee Solicitor
Step by step route to securing formal training
Insight days
First-year undergraduate students are selected to attend our Direct Entry Insight Days. Successful attendees may then be invited to join our Legal Placement during the following year.
Legal Placement
Successful candidates complete a one week paid legal placement gaining valuable insight into life at the firm. From there, high performing candidates will be interviewed for a place on our Assessment Centre. Candidates who progress through the Assessment Centre and final interview may receive a Trainee offer.
Trainee Solicitor Offer
The Trainee offer will include funding to complete SQE 1&2 and two years of qualifying work experience.
Direct Entry Insight Days
If you’re a first-year undergraduate, this is your opportunity to join our Direct Entry Route and jumpstart your career.
It all begins with our Insight Days in April at one of three offices, Nottingham, Leeds, or Bristol, where you’ll learn about Freeths and discover how to build a successful law career with us.
Give yourself the best beginning and kick-start your journey with Freeths.
"It's important to prepare thoroughly for interviews and assessment centres by practising questions which may be asked. However, don't forget to be yourself. Law firms want to understand who you are as a person and how you might fit into the culture of the business, so letting your personality come through is just as important."
Matt Brittain
Trainee Solicitor
Opportunity details
Posted: Thursday 1 October 2026
Closing: Thursday 4 February 2027
Location: Multiple sites
Contract type: Unpaid
Salary: N/a
How our Insight Days work
Show us you’re driven, collaborative, and dynamic, and you could be invited back for a week-long Legal placement in your second year. Those who shine during the Legal Placement will receive a training offer in their third year - a key step toward qualifying as a solicitor.
This is a unique opportunity to learn about law and gain an insight into how Freeths can support you with building a successful career within the law.
The pathway
Insight Day
Insight Day
Year 1 University
Interview
Legal Placement
Penultimate Year University
Strength Based Interview
Assessment Centre
Office Managing Partner / Partner Interview
Trainee Solicitor Offer
Complete SQE and QWE
Full-time study
Qualification
Legal placement
Launch your career at Freeths
A huge opportunity for penultimate-year law undergraduates (England & Wales Law degrees
Apply for a Legal Placement at Freeths and take the next step towards your future in law at our leading firm.
Are you a budding lawyer with a burning ambition to be brilliant? At Freeths, we get you off to a flying start. We’re a full-service law firm with more than 1,300 freethinking colleagues, spread across 12 UK offices. We’re smart and entrepreneurial. We’re bold in how we engage with our clients. And we’re a friendly, diverse and together team who always look out for each other.
Opportunity details
Posted: Thursday 1 October 2026
Closing: Thursday 4 February 2027
Location: Multiple sites
A unique opportunity
Would you like to spend a week in one of our offices, doing hands-on work experience and learning what life is like at a leading law firm, whilst being paid? Students who make a strong impression during the placement will be invited to take part in further assessments, which could lead to a Trainee offer.
How our legal placement works
We offer a limited number of one-week Legal Placements in our offices each year for penultimate-year law undergraduates. The Legal Placement will take place from 5–9 July 2027 for students who previously attended an Insight Day in their first year, and from 12–16 July 2027 for penultimate year students applying directly. You will need to be available for the full week. The placement is a chance to gain hands-on experience, learn more about working in law, build your confidence and understand how Freeths can support your future legal career.
In 2027 we will be recruiting for Legal Placements in our Bristol, Milton Keynes, Oxford and Nottingham offices. We will also be offering a Legal Placement in our Sheffield office for students looking to specifically follow a Tax Route or a Planning & Environment route to qualification.
Why Freeths?
Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business. Our innovative approach allows us to offer creative solutions, with a focus on understanding your needs!
B Corp law firm in the UK
Direct Entry FAQs
Applications for the Direct Entry Programme open on 1 October and close on 4 February.
Applicants must be studying towards a qualifying law degree. First year undergraduate students can apply for an Insight Days, and second/penultimate year law students can apply directly for a Week’s paid legal placement. This programme is not available to students studying for a Scottish Law degree.
No. To be eligible for the Direct Entry Programme, you must be studying towards a qualifying law degree.
Candidates who perform strongly on the legal placement, follow-up interview and situational judgement test will be invited to attend the Direct Entry assessment centre. Those who excel at assessment centre will then have a final interview, which could result in a trainee offer from Freeths.
A Direct Entry trainee offer includes a bursary to complete SQE 1 and SQE 2 full-time after graduation at the University of Law, before joining Freeths as a Trainee the following September to complete QWE.
Our resources
Future Talent Hub
Future Talent HubFind out more about our programmes, hear from our advocates on their experiences and get their advice in helping you make a successful application.
Application Toolkit
Application ToolkitDiscover our application Toolkit, designed to help you navigate and strengthen your application journey.
Events
Events for Aspiring SolicitorsFind out where we are in the country and come and say hello!
Ready to begin? Let's do this
Want to put yourself in the best position to secure an opportunity with us? Visit our Future Talent Hub for application advice and tips.
Our insights
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