HFW - True Picture

HFW training contract review 2026

The Firm

Drop the anchor, land ho! The search is over; you’ve finally found it – treasure island! Or should that be – a treasured firm in the form of shipping titan HFW. As one source put it: “It’s a firm that has positioned itself as a specialist in certain sectors.” It’s certainly true that the firm is built around a sector focus, with top-tier Chambers UK ranked practices nationwide in transport logistics, commodities and shipping. There are also nods in shipping finance, travel, aviation and insurance.

“It’s a firm that has positioned itself as a specialist in certain sectors.”

It’s the ‘what’ to the firm’s work that transcends the ‘where’ too: “I’m not handling a single matter right now that’s based in just one office,” training principal Nigel Wick explains, “so that’s our culture.” HFW has a mighty network of 21 offices all over the world, and can offer adventures across the high seas, with a guaranteed international secondment for its trainee cohort.

The Seats

As you can probably imagine, a guaranteed international secondment is “one of the main reasons people apply to HFW.” Cities like Paris, Geneva, Melbourne, Dubai, Hong Kong, Piraeus, Monaco, and Shanghai are all on offer, with the Southeast Asian hub of Singapore proving most popular for this rotation of newbies.

The secondment system is so ingrained into the training contract that it extends beyond just an add-on: “You’re encouraged to go, and there’s something of an expectation that you do.” Wick elaborates on why that’s the case: “Some of the offices are smaller than the London office, so the work experienced is varied, and you end up with broader training as a result.” The one logistical point of note is that those with EU passports are likely to be sent to Europe, while other passports will be sent further afield.

When it comes to seat allocation, trainees are given the opportunity to put forward three domestic preferences and three secondment preferences per seat rotation, except for first seaters where secondments are not an option. No seats are mandatory, but it is required that juniors complete at least one disputes and one transactional seat; there is more of a disputes focus though, so it’s likely that trainees will do three disputes seats. That being said, sometimes things go off course on occasion: “You don’t always get your preferences, and sometimes someone can’t go on secondment, it’s just how these things work out sometimes.”

“It’s been the best experience for me work wise…”

HFW has available seats in construction, insurance and reinsurance, and aviation, but the firm’s marquee shipping practice is the centrepiece of HFW, and as such is a huge department: “Their caseload is massive, there’s so much to get involved with.” Broadly speaking, the group’s remit is broken down into dry shipping and admiralty crisis, but trainees get to try their hand at both. The former consists of any dispute under the charter bills, whereas the latter focuses on collisions and crises at sea. Trainees aren’t on cruise control here either, substantive work was common for our interviewees: “It’s been the best experience for me work wise,” one relayed, “we developed a lot quicker in this seat, and going into being an associate won’t feel like such a huge leap now.”

In one recent case, the firm represented the government of South Africa in a matter concerning salvaged bars of silver owned by the nation that sunk in the Indian Ocean in 1942. After being discovered in 2017 and raised without the government’s consent or knowledge, a $40 million salvage claim was brought forward.Interviewees also have a boatload of tasks to contend with, including chronologies, disclosure, drafting, instructions to counsel, pleading, settlement agreements, reviewing exhibits, client emails, research and meeting minutes. Interviewees also commented that the more proactive you are, the more experience you’ll get: “If you show initiative and enthusiasm, then they give you more work.”

As a closely related practice, shipping finance is a team at the firm that has benefitted from broader growth across the firm’s transactional practices. Those we spoke to had spent time on everything from yacht financing to registrations. In one recent deal, the firm advised the Gunvor Group on the acquisition and financing of three LPG carrier eco-vessels. The firm helped review and negotiate all the sale and charter documents. As one source explained: “I was given a lot of lead responsibility, with associate oversight. If you show you’re capable, they’ll give you a lot.” Such responsibilities included drafting security packages and managing precedents.

We heard that a lot of first seaters end up in the commodities department, smaller than the shipping group but no less prolific, sanctions and export controls and projects for clients working in electricity, oil and metals. “I was really surprised with how much responsibility I was given,” mused one insider, “you’re very much encouraged to get involved with things.” The work is of a high calibre, and the firm recently acted for the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in various claims following the collapse of trading house Hin Leong.Trainees will often find themselves completing due diligence, witness drafting, client contact, and disclosure searching. “We’re all working across different workstreams,” explained one insider, “so people aren’t watching over your every move, they let you crack on.”

“I’ve really been able to put pen to page compared to my contemporaries elsewhere.”

Over in the corporate & commercial group, we heard the team is starting to expand: “It’s a growing team at the firm,” one trainee told us, “we’re starting to broaden our offerings.” That being said, the group primarily focuses on sector-contained M&A deals and joint ventures surrounding offshore assets. Among the firm’s recent client list, the team advised SC KN Energies on its acquisition of a Floating Storage and Registration Unit (FSRU) from Hoegh Evi after negotiations that exceeded four years.As HFW is primarily a disputes firm, trainees felt the seat offered a distinctly unique experience, with one noting that: “I’ve done a fair amount of drafting, I’ve really been able to put pen to page compared to my contemporaries elsewhere.” Other tasks include writing letters of indemnities, shareholder resolutions, parent company guarantees, reviewing drafts, due diligence and business development.

Trainee Life

HFW’s new office is located in Bishopsgate, and boasts the distinction of being the most sustainable tower in the city of London: “It’s a brand spanking new office and is the newest, greenest high rise around.” Naturally, that means the venue comes spruced up with bike storage, lockers, showers, a client lounge, rooftop bar and even a library. Not too shabby. The hybrid working policy asks trainees to be in a minimum of three days a week, but it was also very team dependant. Notably, the construction team have an expected five days in the office setup, though this is flexible.

Hours also fluctuated by department, with most of our juniors averaging a start time of 9am and a finish time of 6.30pm. “I have had days where I’ve logged off at 5pm and days where I worked till 11pm, it just depends,” revealed one insider. This range also reflected a range of responses to the salary, with a portion of our interviewees feeling the salary was strong with others feeling it could be on the lower side given their hours. Sources were adamant however, that they had a work/life balance they could enjoy: “I definitely was worried I couldn’t go to the pub, but I can!”

Juniors were unanimously positive about the training they had received, highlighting the “sector-focused training (depending on the department) that is usually run by associates.” Trainee-focused training and general litigation training are also common at the firm. Trainee comments on supervision were more of a mixed bag for our newbies, with some relaying that they had experienced a more hands-on supervision style, while others felt they could point to instances of “inconsistent expectations” around what they wanted from each other. “It depends a lot on the person you get,” explained one source, “everyone is very interested in developing me, but how that comes across can vary from seat to seat.”

When it came to culture, at HFW you’re part of the crew, with the majority of socialising being done within departments: “The shipping team are by far the most social,” one source divulged, “there’s a shipping retreat every year where all the teams are flown out to London.” Other events include team dinners and drinks, French bowls, pub quizzes and a budget for trainees to have a social once a quarter. More broadly, the firm was described as not being overly hierarchal with one junior explaining that, “everyone is very approachable and happy to have a chat with you.”

This kind of environment has led the firm to explore ways it can be more inclusive, which we heard was a slow and steady shift: “We have a new affinity network this year for diversity and neurodivergence, but the firm is still predominantly upper middle class and white.” The firm is also refining its scholarship scheme and has recently brought in solicitor apprentices to help offer a different pathway into law.

“…there’s an emphasis on trying to promote talent organically from trainee to partner. They’re very focused on retaining talent here.”

As qualification approaches, trainees are encouraged to be proactive about chatting with departments they’re interested in joining before a jobs list is released. Once that list is out, things speed straight into interviews: “There’s clear signposting for how it works throughout the process. We can interview for as many departments as we want.”

Only shipping mandates an additional case study as well, but if other departments prove competitive then you can expect a technical task. Don’t be too worried at the possibility of walking the plank though, we heard that “there’s an emphasis on trying to promote talent organically from trainee to partner. They’re very focused on retaining talent here.” In 2025, the firm retained 18 of 22 qualifiers.

How to get into HFW

Apply Here

Vacation scheme deadline: 8 January 2026

Training contract deadline: 16 July 2026

Vacation scheme

HFW typically runs a vacation scheme in the spring, as well as two summer schemes.

Vac schemers spend time in one department for the duration of the scheme. Our HR sources tell us: “The work is hands-on and is set for them by fee earners, and there are a couple of assessed exercises as well.” Participants, who are assigned a trainee buddy to help them settle in, also attend a handful of practice area presentations and other talks. At the end of the scheme, which includes organised socials, attendees have an interview with two partners. Prospective HFW trainees are encouraged to apply for a vacation scheme if possible. “Many of our training contract offers are made to individuals who have completed a vacation scheme with us.  It's a good way for us to get to know you, and for you to get to know our firm and our sectors.”

The application process

HFW offers around 15 training contracts each year. Applying for the vac scheme means you're automatically considered for the training contract too. The firm typically receives more than 600 vac scheme applications and 50 or so direct training contract applications. Candidates – from both avenues – who impress on paper are invited to a half-day virtual assessment centre. This involves a written exercise, a critical reasoning test, a group exercise and an interview, typically with two associates.

The group exercise sees candidates discuss a topical commercial issue, while the written one asks them to read a document and prepare a written response. The interview lasts about 45 minutes and “questions might include: what drew them to HFW, why they chose an international firm, and a few commercial questions,” HR tells us. “People should know they don't have to have an in-depth knowledge about our industry sectors, but some understanding and interest is helpful; they just need to demonstrate an understanding of what it means to provide a service, in any context. It's also important candidates show they understand our scope of work, and that it's something they're interested in.” Trainees added: “The firm doesn’t want someone who’s blanket-bombed their applications. You need to demonstrate a genuine interest in the firm.”

From here, vac scheme spots are allocated, while direct applicants who pass go on to complete a second interview, this time with two partners. Vac schemers undergo this interview during their placement.

Trainee profile

HFW look for candidates with a strong academic background, but have moved away from having fixed academic requirements. HR are keen to stress that extenuating circumstances are considered, and that the firm takes a holistic approach to areas such as transferable skills as well as academics. The firm attends around 12 law fairs each year, but this isn't the limit of its recruiting scope. “This year we've got trainees from many different institutions,” HR tells us.

We're told the firm seeks out “bright, pragmatic and globally minded individuals – someone who wants to make a mark on things rather than blend into the background.” Legal experience is always a plus, but the firm values all types of exposure to business – “including things like working in a bar and cashing up every night.” Current trainees added: “Looking back on the recruitment process I think they’re looking for someone who’s happy being dropped into a situation.”

Applicants should be aware that a seat abroad is compulsory at HFW (circumstances permitting e.g. COVID). As such, “they're definitely keen on languages,” current trainees told us. That said, training principal Nigel Wick is quick to clarify that while “languages are always a useful additional string to your bow," they are "not compulsory in any way."