The Opportunity

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Tokyo is offering internship opportunities to students who are interested in getting first-hand experience working in the Japan office of a leading global law firm. Internship opportunities are available for both law and non-law students, including post-graduate students.

About the internship

Gain Experience

You will work alongside our partners and associates on tasks and projects for our clients, giving you a chance to gain a real insight into the depth and breadth of our practice areas. This opportunity will allow you to meet partners, associates and trainees from Tokyo as well as from across our global network.

In addition, you may also be involved in workshops and presentations and invited to a range of formal and informal social events. By the end of your internship, you should have a good idea of whether a career with an international law firm is right for you – and whether you could be a part of Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.

Note that our Tokyo office operates as a
Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho
(registered foreign law office), and hence we do not practice Japanese law and do not employ Japanese-qualified lawyers. All our lawyers are qualified in jurisdictions outside Japan, and the focus of our offering is cross-border transactions and disputes for Japanese corporate clients.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for our Tokyo Internship Scheme, you must:

• currently be a student or a recent graduate (studying/having studied law is preferred but not a pre-requisite).
• be fluent in English and have a high level of competency in Japanese.
• be able to live and work legally in Tokyo (Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer will not be able to assist with or sponsor your application for a permit to live and work in Tokyo).
• have the means to support your own living arrangements and expenses (although paid internships may be available in exceptional circumstances).
• commit to four weeks of internship in order to maximise the benefits of this scheme both for you and for the firm.

However, if for any reason you require any adjustments in order to be able to participate, please let us know in your application form.

You should be a self-motivated individual with outstanding achievements in academic and extra-curricular activities. You should also be a team player with excellent organisation and communication skills.

You are expected to proactively seek out opportunity to assist our lawyers and business service functions (such as Business Development), as well as set up coffees and lunches to learn about their careers.You are expected to proactively seek out opportunity to assist our lawyers and business service functions (such as Business Development), as well as set up coffees and lunches to learn about their careers.

Dispute resolution and corporate practice groups

Unless agreed otherwise, your internship will be arranged to enable you to spend time in both practice groups. As a general rule, each practice group will host one intern at any one time.

Our corporate practice

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a market leader in high value, complex and multi-jurisdictional corporate non-contentious work. With 24 years' experience on the ground in Tokyo, our practice focuses on outbound cross-border M&A transactions for Japanese clients around the world. We have invested deeply in cultivating strong, lasting relationships with key market players, including leading Japanese trading houses, industrials and corporates, and other global clients. We have particular experience in matters arising in the energy and resources, TMT, manufacturing, industrials, healthcare, pharmaceutical, infrastructure and consumers sectors. The team also handles competition / anti-trust and foreign direct investment advisory for our Japanese clients. Our market-leading corporate practice in Japan receives consistent praise and awards including receiving top-tier rankings for Energy M&A and Corporate M&A in Asia Pacific Legal 500 and Chambers Asia Pacific.

Our dispute resolution practice

Herbert Smith Freehills is a world leader in dispute resolution. We bring international expertise and experience to bear on the resolution of disputes for leading Japanese and international corporations, including trading companies and financial institutions. With 24 years' experience on the ground in Tokyo, we specialise in international arbitration, commercial litigation and other forms of ADR, and are trusted advisors on construction and real estate disputes across the world. We have particular experience in matters arising in the energy and resources, TMT, manufacturing, industrials, healthcare, pharmaceutical, infrastructure and consumers sectors. We also frequently assist our clients with corporate crime and investigation matters. Our market-leading international arbitration practice in Japan receives consistent praise and awards including receiving top-tier rankings for Dispute Resolution and Construction in Asia Pacific Legal 500 and Chambers Asia Pacific.

Internship period

The internship scheme has a maximum duration of four weeks. Timing can be flexible subject to the availability of the successful candidate(s) and Herbert Smith Freehills Tokyo, however, the focus is on the June to August period.

Application information

Applications for the 2026 internship scheme will open from 1 November 2025 to 4 January 2026.

If your initial application is successful, you'll be interviewed by the partners or associates in our Tokyo office.

We interview on a rolling basis, so please apply early to avoid missing out on an opportunity.

What we offer

• Placement in our market-leading Corporate and Dispute Resolution Practice Groups for an agreed period.
• Insight into the work of a globally-leading, international law firm
• Diverse, friendly and engaging working environment.
• Opportunities are unpaid in principle, however, paid internships may be offered in exceptional circumstances.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.