HFW - Application Insider

Hi ZipLawyer! Welcome to our new Application Insider series were we show you successful applications, and explain what made them stand out so you can draft top-level applications.

HFW Training Contract 2026/27
Deadline: 21 July
Key sectors: Shipping, aviation, energy, and construction

This report includes 👇

• A successful HFW Training Contract application answering the below questions
• Our feedback on what makes each answer great plus what could be improved
• Recent cases and deals HFW advised on, and firm news, for you to use in your application

Questions covered

• Please tell us about your extracurricular activities and interests. What transferable skills have you gained through these that will be directly relevant to a legal career? (350 words)
• Why do you want to be a solicitor at an international law firm? (250 words)
• Why do you think you are suited to HFW? (400 words)
• Please identify an issue currently in the mainstream media and explain how this is likely to impact the clients that HFW represents and/ or the type of work that the firm undertakes. (300 words)

Successful Application

Important: Do not copy and paste the below in your application. Law firms use anti-plagiarism software to compare your answers against previous ones. Use this example only as inspiration to ace your own application.