Hong Kong Trainee & Clerkship Opportunities
Enabling trainee solicitors to join our Hong Kong office for training contracts, offering the chance to work closely with clients and gain exposure to a variety of legal matters
Hong Kong Training Contracts
HFW Hong Kong is now recruiting trainee solicitors for training contracts that will commence in 2029.
Our work in Hong Kong is international, top-quality, and varied – you could find yourself assisting with the financing arrangements for a new aircraft, working on a cross border fraud or insolvency case, arresting a ship, or attending an international commodities arbitration or a construction dispute mediation. You will be challenged every day to think creatively and solve problems. No day will be the same.
You will work directly with clients and gain exposure to market leading work. You may also have the opportunity to be seconded to one of our many international offices.
Remuneration: We offer our trainees a competitive salary and benefits package and will contribute towards your PCLL studies.
Hong Kong Vacation Schemes
We offer winter and summer vacation schemes each year, which will enable you to experience our work and culture firsthand. If you join us on a vacation scheme, we will also consider you for a training contract.
Key dates
Application deadlines for Hong Kong 2027 Winter Vacation Scheme: Saturday 31 October 2026
- 4 to 15 January 2027
Application deadlines for Hong Kong 2026 Summer Vacation Scheme: Sunday 28 February 2027
- Batch 1: 31 May to 11 June 2027
- Batch 2: 14 to 25 June 2027
- Batch 3: 28 June to 9 July 2027
What we look for
We are looking for individuals with strong academics and analytical skills, lots of enthusiasm and a passion for law and commerce. Mandarin language skills are desirable, but not essential.
I began my journey with HFW as a Vacation Scheme student and was quickly drawn to the firm’s sector-focused approach, international outlook and supportive culture. The experience confirmed that HFW was where I wanted to complete my Training Contract.
During my Training Contract, I have completed seats in Commodities, Shipping and Corporate and Commercial, across both Hong Kong and London. This has given me broad exposure to contentious and non-contentious work, from legal research and drafting to client meetings and matters at different stages of the dispute resolution process.
One of the highlights has been my six-month secondment to the London office. I worked on a high-profile gold trading dispute and collaborated with colleagues across London, Singapore and Geneva, which showed me how closely HFW’s international network works together. Alongside the quality of work, I have valued the friendly and inclusive culture in Hong Kong, where social events and team activities make it easy to build relationships across the office.
I joined HFW as a Vacation Scheme student and was immediately drawn to the firm’s sector-focused practice, international outlook and genuinely supportive culture. That experience encouraged me to pursue my Training Contract with the firm and continue my career here after qualification.
During my Training Contract, I was given meaningful responsibility from an early stage, while benefiting from close supervision and guidance from associates and partners. I also had the opportunity to work on cross-border matters and collaborate with colleagues and experts across multiple jurisdictions.
A key moment in my journey was my secondment with the London Construction team. It broadened my perspective, strengthened my professional network and sparked my interest in construction law. With support from the firm and its partners, I was able to pursue that path and qualify into the Hong Kong Construction team. Since qualifying, I have taken on greater responsibility in challenging disputes, with more involvement in case management, client relationships and strategic decision-making.
I began my journey at HFW in 2019 as a Summer Student. During the two-week programme, I attended sharing sessions led by Partners and Senior Associates, gained insight into the firm’s key sectors and worked on research, drafting and a presentation project based on a ship collision case. The experience was rewarding, practical and memorable, and the welcoming environment drew me back to HFW as a Trainee Solicitor.
My Training Contract gave me exposure to a wide range of shipping matters, commercial disputes and high-value construction arbitrations. Although shipping and construction were new to me at first, I was consistently supported by Partners and colleagues, and my contributions were valued from the beginning.
Some of my most memorable experiences included preparing for urgent injunctions in the High Court, attending a week-long arbitration hearing at the HKIAC and drafting advice on regulatory enquiries. On qualification, I joined the Hong Kong Shipping team, where HFW’s sector focus and strong industry relationships continue to shape my development.
At HFW, Trainees are treated as integral members of the team and are expected to contribute meaningfully from an early stage. While the learning curve can be steep, I always felt supported by peers, senior colleagues and the firm’s knowhow resources throughout my Training Contract.
My Training Contract gave me exposure to departments aligned with HFW’s core sectors and opportunities to work with colleagues across the firm’s global network. The highlight was my secondment to the London office, where I sat with the Fraud, Insolvency & Asset Recovery team and worked on complex, high-value cross-border disputes involving fraudulent schemes, fiduciary duties, trusts and asset tracing investigations.
That experience gave me a broader international perspective and ultimately influenced my decision to qualify into commercial litigation, an area I remain passionate about today. I also valued HFW’s down to earth culture, from social and sports events to client dinners and weekly language classes, which helped me build relationships across the firm early in my career.
My path to HFW began years ago, when I joined as a Summer Student assisting the Construction team. During that internship, I saw how a legal team prepares for arbitration and was fascinated by the work. Two years later, after completing my BA in Law at the University of Cambridge and my PCLL qualification in Hong Kong, I joined HFW as a Trainee Solicitor.
I started my Training Contract with the Construction team, assisting on a large-scale arbitration through research tasks and hearings. My second seat in Shipping Litigation was initially challenging because of the technical nature of the work, but with support from Partners and Associates I learned quickly and saw HFW’s international expertise first-hand.
I later completed a secondment to the London Commodities Litigation team, where I drafted pleadings and defences, attended GAFTA hearings and assisted with a major disclosure exercise. My final seat was in Ship Finance, where I qualified in 2019. Since then, closing transactions successfully has been one of the most satisfying parts of my work!
My first experience of HFW was a Summer Vacation Scheme in the London office. I had studied Engineering and worked in industry for two years after university, so it was a valuable opportunity to see whether I would enjoy a career in law, understand the day to day work and get to know the firm’s culture.
I enjoyed the combination of analytical legal skills and practical, business-focused advice, which still appeals to me today. I also found HFW to be a friendly and collaborative environment, and it felt like a place where I could build a long-term career.
After law school, I joined HFW as a Trainee in 2012. My first seat was in non-contentious finance, before completing a secondment to the Hong Kong Commercial Litigation team. On qualification in 2014, I returned to Hong Kong and have been here ever since. Today, I advise commercial clients, particularly in financial services, on commercial arrangements and disputes. With HFW’s support, I qualified as a Hong Kong solicitor in 2019 and a British Virgin Islands solicitor in 2022, before being promoted to Partner in 2024.
How to apply
For first year JD students, please submit your cover letter and CV before the application deadline and provide your transcripts as soon as you receive your academic results for the first semester.
All vacation scheme students are guaranteed an interview for the Training Contract. You can also apply for a Training Contract without completing a vacation scheme.
To apply for a Hong Kong training contract or vacation scheme please send your CV, a covering letter and your academic transcripts (university transcript, and HKDSE/IB certificate), together with any other supporting documentation to hk.graduates@hfw.com. We will screen applications and shortlist those individuals who best meet our requirements. By submitting your application, you consent to the processing of your personal data as per our Privacy Notice.
To be eligible for the vacation scheme, you must have the right to work in Hong Kong. Please note that the Firm does not sponsor any visas for our vacation scheme.