Global law firm Freshfields has today announced a partnership with The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London to give a select group of future trainees the opportunity to study for an LL.M in Law & Technology.
The first such programme to be offered by a law firm, and as part of the firm’s commitment to investing in the next generation of talent and aligning with the evolving needs of its global clients, Freshfields will make available fully funded places on a Master of Law (LL.M), Law & Technology. Those eligible will include future trainees in each of the firm’s February 2026, August 2026, and February 2027 intakes, with the opportunity for a group of trainees in the August 2025 cohort to pioneer the programme.
The course provides enhanced skills in navigating the intersection of law and technology, allowing students to gain expertise in how technology and AI will enhance the provision of legal services to clients. The course will begin in September each year and incoming trainees that take up the opportunity will commence their confirmed Trainee Associate Programme after conclusion of the LL.M.
Freshfields’ London and Dublin Managing Partner, Mark Sansom, said: “We’re delighted to announce our new partnership with King’s College London to support the next generation of legal professionals. As technology and innovation continues to shape the legal industry, our firm is meeting that opportunity head on by investing in the upskilling of trainees at the very start of their careers. This opportunity allows them to develop valuable skills, turbocharge their professional and personal growth, and align with our strategic direction as a global firm.”
Freshfields’ training principal, Craig Montgomery, said: “The best-in-class lawyers we are hiring today will be leading our firm through the 2030s and beyond. So this is about super-charging their skills to really understand the technology that is and will be available to us and the opportunities and legal challenges it will present for our clients.”
As part of Freshfields’ commitment to trainee development the firm will provide:
- A fully funded LL.M ( Law and Technology pathway) at King’s College London, starting from September 2025 onwards
- A £20,000 maintenance grant during students’ studies
- Opportunities to collaborate with Freshfields’ Innovation team and the Freshfields Lab
- Continued connection with the firm throughout students’ LL.M studies
Professor Dan Hunter, Executive Dean of The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, said: “It is fantastic to partner with Freshfields in supporting the next generation of legal professionals. Trainees undertaking the LL.M will become part of the global legal community of one of the world’s finest law schools, and benefit from the breadth and depth of our academic expertise in artificial intelligence and digital law.”
