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 improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Freshfields?

69% 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, 3.3 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Freshfields?

Associate (86) , 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 75 reviews)); "and good benefits" ((in 52 reviews)); "Lots of very capable and friendly colleagues." ((in 34 reviews)); "Great culture and lots of responsibility" ((in 33 reviews)); "Great team and engaging work." ((in 29 reviews))

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

"Long hours and difficult to plan days ahead." ((in 73 reviews)); "Poor management and communication Skills" ((in 24 reviews)); "No career progression for paralegals" ((in 15 reviews)); "Lack of diversity" ((in 8 reviews)); "No bonus, no home office mode" ((in 7 reviews))

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Freshfields

Freshfields reviews

3.7

69% would recommend to a friend

(641 total reviews)

Edward Braham and Stephan Eilers

50% approve of CEO

71% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Compensation and benefits

3.5

Diversity & inclusion

3.3

Culture & values

3.2

Work/Life balance

3.1

Career opportunities

2.8

Senior management

Freshfields has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 641 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Freshfields employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Legal industry (3.8 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

641 reviews

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.

5.0

Feb 15, 2026

Good training and experience

Trainee associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Comprehensive training, exposure to mostly high quality work, good support.

Cons

Long hours, always-on culture, and sometimes low-level quality of work.

Viewing 7 - 9 of 641 Reviews

Jobs at Freshfields

Executive Assistant - Marketing and Business Development

Global Billing Analyst