Career Ready

Freshfields was one of Career Ready’s seven founder supporters in 2002. Our partnership has helped provide young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the skills, confidence and attitudes needed to enjoy rewarding futures. 

Over the life of our partnership, Freshfields has supported Career Ready’s programme delivery in London and, more recently, in Manchester, as well as providing financial and in-kind support. 

Making a difference to our local communities

Our assistance makes the “visible difference in local communities” through increasing the employability of around 30,000 young people every year, Career Ready have said.

Over the course of our partnership, Freshfields has supported Career Ready’s Plus Programme across 45 schools and colleges in London and Manchester, resulting in: 107 mentors; 108 paid internships; Masterclass presenters; workplace visits; Local Advisory Board members; and A Capital Experience.

Freshfields Partner David Trott serves as a member of Career Ready’s Board of Trustees, its National Advisory Board, as well as formerly being a Local Advisory Board member for Haggerston School in Hackney. David's passion for helping young people and championing of Career Ready’s work has helped cascade support for throughout the firm.

In 2019, Freshfields extended our partnership to include Manchester as well as London. We now provide an additional three paid internships for young people in Manchester. 

Freshfields also delivers LawSmart workshops through the PRIME Commitment to Year 10 Career Ready students in Manchester. 

Financial and in-kind support

As a long-standing partner, Freshfields’ financial support continues to support Career Ready’s growth and sustainability across the UK. 

Annual financial donations support the delivery of Career Ready’s three-year growth strategy, which will treble the number of young people supported from 30,000 to 90,000 by the end of 2021. 

Freshfields has also supported Career Ready’s work through funding and in-kind support, such as pro-bono legal advice worth over £500,000. 

In line with the firm’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, Freshfields has strengthened Career Ready’s programme by analysing feedback to introduce new elements. For example, each intern goes through a formal assessment day. As with real jobs, not all get through, but all benefit from the experience.

Feedback has been very positive. George Summerville from Poynton High School had his internship extended in 2019, the first year Freshfields hosted interns in Manchester, because of his excellent performance. “Since my internship, I have grown in confidence immensely and feel much more comfortable in the workplace,” George says.

Megan Harrington , a student of Cardiff and Vale College, said the programme helped her gain self-confidence. “During my internship at Freshfields, I moved away and lived independently. I’ve learned so much about myself and the steps I need to take to get to where I want to be.”

Katie Brooks completed an internship in the Marketing and Business Development department in 2018, ‘‘The internship had a massive impact on me; I wasn’t heading to higher education at that point but the internship changed my mind and I’ve recently enrolled at Portsmouth University.  Whilst I was at Freshfields the team were so supportive, giving me real, meaningful work which helped me to expand my skills.  I came away with a great network of contacts and one of them even helped me to put together my personal statement for my university application."