Is Freshfields a good company to work for?

Freshfields has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 884 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 6% over the last 12 months. 68% of employees would recommend working at Freshfields to a friend and 71% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Freshfields have been left by employees working as Trainee Solicitor , Paralegal and Legal Solutions Specialist .

Does Freshfields pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Freshfields employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Freshfields. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Freshfields?

68% of Freshfields employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Freshfields 3.2 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.4 for culture and values and 3.2 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Freshfields?

Associate (87) , Paralegal (38) , Legal Solutions Specialist (21) , Trainee Solicitor (20) , Intern (17) , Lawyer (16) , Executive Assistant (14) , Business Analyst (11) , Senior Associate (11) , Legal Secretary (9) , Personal Assistant (9) , Transaction Lawyer (9) , Internship (8) , Document Specialist (7) , Documentation Specialist (7)

What are the pros of working at Freshfields according to real employee reviews?

"People are great no matter the level" ((in 77 reviews)); "and good benefits" ((in 53 reviews)); "Good colleagues." ((in 33 reviews)); "Great team / collaborative atmosphere" ((in 30 reviews)); "Great culture and lots of responsibility" ((in 30 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Freshfields according to real employee reviews?

"Long hours and difficult to plan days ahead." ((in 71 reviews)); "Poor management and communication Skills" ((in 23 reviews)); "No career progression for 99% of support staff" ((in 16 reviews)); "Lack of diversity" ((in 8 reviews)); "fee earners who are just as dedicated to the businessbut get "market rate" pay and low bonuses if any at all." ((in 7 reviews))

What are the top reviewed Freshfields locations?

London , Manchester , Manchester City Centre , Salford , Chelmsford , Oxford , Leeds

Freshfields reviews

3.7

68% would recommend to a friend

(102 total reviews)

Edward Braham and Stephan Eilers

50% approve of CEO

71% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (102 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

102 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

Return to all reviews

1.0

Apr 17, 2026

‘The Apprentice’ vibes

Associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good pay Good quality work Nice office Some good eggs

Cons

Extremely competitive, sharp elbows and all round toxic working environment where bullying is allowed to persist.

2.0

Mar 31, 2026

Competitive magic circle firm

Associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good salary base in general

Cons

Bad culture, long hours, super competitive

4.0

Mar 17, 2026

Excellent employer

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Overall I Freshfields are a great employer. Great office, flexible working arrangements (2 days a week mandatory in Manchester). Lots of very capable and friendly colleagues. The pay is good (I can't comment on what others are paid) as I negotiated when I joined the firm.

Cons

At an operational and strategic layer there is definitely room for optimisation. I would say the decision to outsource BAU IT to Cognizant isn't working out as hoped but we will have to see what happens with that in the future. I would like to see a 18 - 24 strategic direction for IT within the firm as it is not 100% clear. There is an appetite for AI (like everywhere) but the adoption is a bit haphazard.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 102 Reviews

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Jobs at Freshfields

Personal Assistant - 12pm to 8pm shift

London, England

View job

Paralegal - Business Acceptance

London, England

View job

Document Specialist (Monday-Friday: 22:00-06:00)

Executive Assistant – Business Services (HR/Operations) - 12m FTC

London, England

View job

Freshfields

Freshfields reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Reviews about "Compensation"

‘The Apprentice’ vibes

Competitive magic circle firm

Excellent employer

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Freshfields