Internship - Freshfields Careers Germany (EN)

challenge today

Internship

Put what you have learned so far into practice and explore the daily work routine at a major international law firm.

“SMART Challenge” — our programme for internships

Located in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Munich and Brussels. Every spring and summer, we launch a new round of our five-week “Smart Challenge” internship programme.

As part of your internship, you will look over the shoulders of our lawyers and you will be firmly integrated into the team. You will participate in negotiations, work on pleas and advisory letters, and assist in the preparation of publications and expert opinions. A permanently assigned associate will be your personal mentor to provide you with optimal support. Interesting lectures round off the professional part of your practical work experience at our office.
A varied supporting programme ensures that the social side of things is not neglected either. This will give you ample opportunity to exchange ideas with interns from the other offices and, above all, to learn more about the people that make Freshfields what it is.

Dates

Spring internship 2025:
Period: 24 February to 30 March 2025
Application period: 3rd of September until 1st of December 2024

Summer internship 2025:
Period: will be announced on our homepage at the end of January
Application period: starts on 15 February 2024

Are your ready for the Smart Challenge? Then we are looking forward to your application. You can find more information in our FAQs below.

Testimonials

Martin Rehberg

Counsel

Martin Rehberg

Counsel

Tax

Munich

After completing my legal clerkship in Berlin, I made a conscious decision to move to Munich and join the tax practice group. What I particularly appreciate here is the informal atmosphere, which of course makes teamwork so much easier. In addition to supporting colleagues with their transaction advice a characteristic of tax law in Munich is that most of our mandates have been held for a number of years. We advise our clients in all areas of corporate tax law and assist them in structuring their corporate groups.

Due to these long-standing, intensive client relationships, I was given the opportunity, right from the very beginning, to come into direct contact with our clients and to be involved from day one in ongoing projects and the complex structure of corporate groups. Naturally, as your experience increases, so does your responsibility within the mandate, and your degree of involvement in how it develops.

It is especially important in tax law to constantly follow developments in legislation, case law and from the tax authorities, because tax law is constantly changing. This is precisely what I find so appealing about my work because you always have to be on the ball and the game is changing all the time.

How to become a part of the team

What do I need to apply for the internship programme?

We require basic legal knowledge in certain areas, which you can demonstrate by passing your intermediate exams with very good grades (9 points or more). Due to the international nature of our clients, a good knowledge of English is also important. Practical and international experience is an ideal complement to your previous career, but is not absolutely essential for obtaining an internship.

How can I apply and what documents do I need to include with my application?

Your complete application documents consist of a cover letter, your curriculum vitae and certificates (intermediate exam results or current overview of grades and final school exam certificates). Don’t forget to indicate the office and area of law in which you would like to carry out your internship. You can find a corresponding overview here.

Please compile all your documents into a PDF file and upload this document via our job portal. Applications via e-mail are not accepted.

What are the next steps after my application?

As soon as we get your application, we will send you confirmation that we have received it. This way, you can be sure your application will definitely be considered in the process. Applications will be reviewed as soon as possible and we will pre-select candidates according to our criteria. If you are shortlisted, we will contact you to arrange a telephone interview.

Can I choose the office at which I would like to carry out my internship?

Of course. We will do our best to accommodate your choice. However, we may only be able to offer you your desired internship at another office. In this case, we will discuss the further procedure with you.

Please note that not all practice groups are represented at each location.

Is it possible to carry out an internship outside the programme periods?

If our programme periods do not suit you due to study requirements, please mention this in your letter of application. We will be pleased to check individual internship opportunities.

I am studying law abroad. Can I still apply for the internship programme?

Our internship programme is aimed exclusively at students of German law aiming to become a fully qualified lawyer (m/f/x).

The situation varies depending on the particular internship, and you can apply at any time. Please note, however, that in Germany, we mainly deal with matters of German law. For this, you must have the appropriate basic legal knowledge.

Can I complete the internship at a foreign Freshfields office?

This is possible in principle. Please apply for this directly at the location of your choice. You can find your contact person on the careers page of the selected country. Please note that in each country we primarily handle local legal cases and require the appropriate basic knowledge for this. In addition, you should be able to demonstrate language skills in the local language so that you can assist in day-to-day business.