Why Start your Career at HFW
HFW is a modern, dynamic international law firm, with a proud history going back more than 140 years. Learn from our team of recognised market-leading lawyers with deep industry insights.
The work we do at HFW
A leading global law firm in the aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, insurance, and shipping sectors.
Our team offers pragmatic advice and solutions across a variety of core sectors, working across our global network to provide an integrated, bespoke and leading service.
We pride ourselves on our deep industry expertise and our entrepreneurial, creative and collaborative culture.
By joining, you will gain firsthand experience of these sectors and a variety of services in a dynamic international environment.
A training contract or apprenticeship shaped by you
I first became interested in shipping law during a work experience placement while studying History at university. I worked on a case involving a ship that capsized and sank around the Cape of Good Hope. The facts were so tangible, I was hooked. After researching leading shipping law firms, I applied for HFW’s Vacation Scheme and was also drawn to the firm’s international reach.
I’ve spent my entire legal career with HFW. After securing a Training Contract, I completed a seat in Melbourne before later moving to Hong Kong, where I spent five years working with clients across Asia and completed a client secondment in Tokyo. Returning to London in 2018, I continued to build my practice, becoming a Senior Associate in 2020 and a Partner in 2024.
Today, I specialise in shipping disputes and marine casualties, including fires, collisions, groundings and dangerous goods incidents. Throughout my career, HFW’s sector focus, international opportunities and supportive culture have played a key role in my development. Looking back, the people stand out most. I’ve always found colleagues generous with their time, and the culture that attracted me to the firm remains just as strong today.
My journey with HFW started with a Vacation Scheme in 2008. I joined as a Trainee in 2010, qualified in 2012, became a Senior Associate in 2017 and was promoted to Partner in 2021. Looking back, I’ve genuinely enjoyed the vast majority of my time at the firm!
I advise on corporate, commercial and regulatory matters, often in the insurance sector. My work includes M&A transactions, reinsurance arrangements and product development. What I enjoy most is finding novel ways to solve problems for clients on matters that are often technically challenging and with no obvious precedent. I’ve also been fortunate to develop long-standing client relationships and share in many of their career milestones over the years.
What stands out most about HFW is the people. They are technically excellent, ambitious and commercially astute, but also genuinely personable. One of the things I enjoy most is discovering what people do outside of work. By day, someone might be the leading lawyer in a particular field, but by night they’re a competitive sea swimmer, perform in a band or make professional-level wedding cakes.
I was initially attracted to HFW because of its strong reputation in shipping, commodities and disputes. After meeting representatives from the firm at my university law fair and attending an HFW Open Day, I gained further insight through a two-week Vacation Scheme. Those experiences gave me a real feel for the firm and it was somewhere I could see myself building a career.
I trained at HFW between 2018 and 2020, completing seats in Commodities, Shipping, Ship Finance in Dubai and Insurance before qualifying into the London Commodities team. In 2026, I was promoted to Senior Associate, which was a moment I felt particularly proud of and a reflection of the hard work that goes into building a legal career.
Today, I specialise in international commodity trading and shipping disputes, advising clients on the sale, purchase, transportation and storage of commodities, particularly metals, precious metals and biomass. I enjoy the challenge of analysing complex issues and helping clients find practical solutions. Looking back, I’d encourage anyone considering HFW to take the opportunity to attend firm events or open days, as there’s no better way to understand the culture, people and opportunities available.
Our Corporate Social Responsibility to Responsible Business
HFW is committed to being a responsible business, one that considers, as part of our everyday work, the needs of our colleagues, our communities and our environment as well as the impacts of our actions. We recognise the importance of this to our employees, future employees, regulators and clients and we want to work with suppliers who also have a commitment to act responsibly.
- We are addressing issues relating to our sectors through partnerships with Mission to Seafarers and The Air League.
- Individual offices take part in a range of activities including fundraising, pro bono and volunteering for charities working within their local communities with a focus on education and employability, and access to justice and legal services.
- All Trainees play an active role in pro bono work and our community investment activities.
- You can find out more about our initiatives here.
- We seek to use our legal and sector expertise, networks and Responsible Business initiatives to enable sustainable practices across our operations and the industries that we service.
- We have been Planet Mark certified for over 10 years, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to measuring, managing and reducing our carbon footprint across our global offices.
- We are signatories of the Campaign for Greener Litigation and Greener Arbitration.
- We help our clients achieve their sustainability goals. The firm has more than 100 lawyers advising on climate and sustainability, and we have supported clients on landmark projects.
- You can find out more about our initiatives here.
- Building mutually advantageous relationships based on trust between us and our clients is at the core of HFW’s business. In order to understand what concerns clients most, we regularly review and appraise our performance through client feedback.
- Anti-bribery, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering policies are in place, and all employees undertake training in these areas.
- We have an anti-modern slavery and human trafficking statement.
- We want to work with suppliers who also believe Corporate Responsibility is important. We ask all new suppliers to sign up to our Ethical Supplier Code.
- Our Management Board has signed our Global Diversity Statement to demonstrate their commitment to Diversity and Inclusion.
- We have Diversity and Inclusion Champions (at Partner level or equivalent) in our offices.
- We are signatories of the Law Society’s Diversity & Inclusion Charter.
- We have identified five diversity focus areas (gender equality, ethnicity, mental wellbeing, LGBT+ and social mobility) and are undertaking actions to address each one in collaboration with our employee networks. You can find out more about all of our achievements in these areas.
- We partner with Aspiring Solicitors, an organisation committed to increasing diversity in the legal profession. We are very proud to have won the Aspiring Solicitors All Star Firm: Improvement in Diversity and Inclusion 2018 award.
- We have partnered with Rare to integrate their Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) into our graduate recruitment process. The CRS enables us to further understand the context in which applicants’ experiences have been gained. This helps us to open access to the legal profession, and recruit the very best people from a range of diverse backgrounds.
- We are signatories of PRIME, the legal profession’s commitment to work experience for school-age students from disadvantaged backgrounds and signatories of City Solicitors Horizons , a pilot social mobility initiative to improve access to the legal profession for university students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- We were listed in the Top 50 Social Mobility Employer index in 2017 and 2018 and Top 75 Social Mobility Employer index in 2019.
- We are a UK and global Stonewall Diversity Champion and feature in the Stonewall Starting Out Guide.
- Representatives from our Proud@HFW employee network attend the London Pride Parade. The network also run a campaign to raise awareness of LGBT+ equality in the lead up to the parade.
- A number of colleagues in our London and Melbourne, Perth and Sydney offices have received LGBT+ Ally training.
- We are signatories of the Mindful Business Charter.
- We have run mental health awareness training for over 100 of our partners, we recognise mental health awareness week annually with a global campaign and we have committed to match the number of physical first aiders with mental health first aiders.
- We are signatories to the Equal Representation in Arbitration pledge.
- We are an accredited ‘Living Wage Employer’ and ensure that all London employees, including those not necessarily employed directly by the firm, are paid at least the London Living Wage.
Market recognition
What the market says
Apply now
Begin your application process by visiting our portal to apply.