Referendariat
During your Referendarstation (traineeship), you will experience the work of a lawyer first-hand, giving you a comprehensive and authentic insight into the way we work and the culture at Ashurst. As a trainee lawyer you will work in an inspiring, dynamic and team-oriented environment with an international network of offices and experts. You will be able to work on challenging and ground-breaking matters that help develop your legal knowledge and skills in a supportive culture based on inclusion, diversity and collaboration.
We are looking for trainee lawyers throughout the year, so if you are interested, please feel free to apply.
What we can offer you
Welcoming culture
Our people make our culture! We have a culture focused on collaboration, communication and equality across all levels of roles, and we want to welcome you into that.
Challenging work
You will have the opportunity to work on complex, challenging and global client projects that improve your practical skills and give you valuable experience in dealing with clients.
Global Wahlstation
If you perform well and exhibit excellent teamwork during your Anwaltsstation, we can offer you the opportunity to undertake your Wahlstation in one of our global Ashurst offices to gain valuable international experience.
Learning & Development
Our training programme includes a variety of regular in-house legal know-how events and training courses to further develop the specialist knowledge you acquired at university. In order to prepare you optimally for the Second State Examination, you will receive a training voucher giving you access to various German Repetitors.
Social events
In addition to the day-to-day client work we offer various social events such as a regular Ashurst Trainee Stammtisch, where our trainees have the opportunity to network professionally.
New work
We cultivate a "Duz" culture across all levels and foster a flat hierarchy where we will encourage you to build your autonomy and ability in a supportive environment. We work in small national teams that work closely with our global colleagues on larger matters, and provide you with the technology and support to work remotely and in the office. For us remote working is standard and we financially support you to set up your workspace at home.
The recruitment process
We look for people who have:
a desire to work in a global environment
a team focused attitude
an understanding of the overall economy
a good command of English
passed their first state examination
ideally gained experience in a larger law firm
You will be required to submit a short application including uploading your CV, most recent academic transcripts and a short cover letter to give us an understanding of who you are and why you're interested in our role.
You are welcome to write your application in either English or German.
You will meet face-to-face with members of your future team for a conversational interview that is designed to assess your personal and technical skills.
It’s also an opportunity for you to find out more about us, so please come prepared with your questions.
Testimonials
"As a German Referendar, I received a very warm welcome in the London office and was immediately integrated into the daily work routine. I was assigned a supervising associate who provided me with a variety of tasks and took time to answer my technical questions. I was assigned to the Construction Arbitration Team, which mainly advises on large arbitration proceedings in complex construction disputes. One mandate involved payment claims by a construction contractor in connection with the construction of several bio-power plants. I was involved in the preparation of the oral hearing and was able to assist my supervising associate in drafting written witness statements, which are usually prepared by the lawyers."
Maximilian W, former trainee lawyer and now associate at Ashurst
Applicant Resource Hub
For answers to all your frequently asked questions and information on application & interview tips, the benefits we provide, life at Ashurst, our L&D programmes, and our IDB initiatives.
Visit hub
Inclusion, Diversity & Belonging
Our inclusive and diverse culture stands at the heart of everything we do. For more information on our initiatives and the support we provide please follow the link below.
More informationContact us
If you can’t find answers to your questions on this page or on the Applicant Resource Hub then please contact our Early Careers team.
Agencies
Agency submissions and candidate introductions will only be accepted with prior approval from a member of the Ashurst Talent Acquisition team. To submit or introduce a candidate, an agency must have valid agreed terms of business in place with Ashurst. Any agency submissions or candidate introductions made without prior approval or without the agreed terms of business in place will be considered invalid.
Diversity
We are committed to offering a safe and welcoming environment for our employees and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. With diversity and inclusion at the heart of what we do we place a strong emphasis on working with people from diverse communities and aim to make a positive impact through our Social Impact programmes.
Speak up!
Ashurst is committed to ensuring an accountable workplace culture. Candidates are encouraged to report any ethical or conduct concerns to our confidential email address: ethics.counsel@ashurst.com.
Please note that this email address should not be used for general enquiries about, or applications for, job positions available at Ashurst as they will not be passed onto the relevant team. Any recruitment enquires should be directed to globalresourcing@ashurst.com.