Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS International launch innovative “stand out” social mobility work experience scheme

European law firm Fieldfisher and leading global entertainment company ViacomCBS International are delighted to announce the launch of a pioneering work experience programme, aimed at broadening access to the legal profession.

The scheme, entitled “Stand Out”, is open to law students in the penultimate year of their undergraduate degree course and will offer a three-week structured programme split between Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS International.

Both Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS International are committed to improving diversity in the legal profession and this jointly-run scheme is one of the central initiatives we are implementing to achieve that goal as part of our wider respective approaches to inclusiveness and diversity (I&D).

The scheme will give participants the opportunity to become acclimatised to law firm/in-house legal environments and give them the confidence, insights and contacts that will help them with their future career decisions and prospects.

This is the first of what both Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS International hope will become an annual scheme, which we will look to develop and expand as the programme matures.

Commenting on the launch of Stand Out, Jay Wetterau, Head of Inclusiveness and Diversity at Fieldfisher said:

“We are thrilled to be offering this social mobility work experience opportunity to promising students from a background that has not traditionally been well-represented in the legal profession.

“We believe this is the first work experience scheme of its kind to be offered through a partnership between a leading law firm and a large corporate client.

“We know that work experience helps people to stand out from the competition when applying for jobs, and we wanted to offer a meaningful programme to students who may not otherwise have the chance or the means to find out what it’s like to work in law.

“Our partnership with Viacom is unique and extremely valuable in that it allows us to provide students with a varied, well-rounded experience of what law has to offer as a career.“

Amadu Sowe, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, ViacomCBS Consumer Products International added:

“We strongly believe that having a diverse legal profession is essential to the health of society.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has reinforced entrenched inequalities in society and education and it is up to us, as leading businesses, to ensure that bright, hardworking students are not left behind because of their background.

“My team and I, and our partners at Fieldfisher, are incredibly excited to get this scheme off the ground and to meet our first cohort of students in summer 2022.“

About the scheme:

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to spend two weeks with lawyers at the London office of Fieldfisher, a European law firm with market-leading practices in many of the world’s most dynamic sectors and a particular focus on technology, energy and natural resources, financial services and life sciences.

The third week will be spent with in-house counsel and related functions at ViacomCBS’s UK headquarters in London, shadowing the Business and Legal Affairs teams in their day-to-day work at the centre of one of the world’s premiere entertainment organisations and home to well-known brands including UK public broadcaster, Channel 5, children’s channels Milkshake! and Nickelodeon, plus comedy and youth brands, Comedy Central and MTV.

How to apply:

Please visit the Early Careers section on the Fieldfisher website for more information about the scheme and how to submit your application. Applications will open on Wednesday 1 December and close on Tuesday 7 January 2022.

FAQs

1. How long is the scheme and when will it run?

The scheme will run for three weeks from 27 June – 15 July

2. Where will the scheme take place?

The work experience will take place at the London office of Fieldfisher (first two weeks) and the London office of ViacomCBS (third week). Both offices are located in central London (Zone 1).

3. Will there be any financial support?

Successful applicants will receive a £2,000 bursary.

4. Who is the scheme open to?

The scheme is open to undergraduate law students in the penultimate year of their degree, who meet our social mobility criteria.

5. How many places are on the scheme?

We have five places on the scheme.

6. What is your catchment?

We are primarily targeting students from non-Russell Group universities but will consider every application on its merits against our social mobility criteria.

7. Will there be any pastoral support?

Both Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS International will provide successful applicants with wraparound support, including helping the students to find accommodation in London where required, travel advice and social events.

We will also allocate mentors and students will have access to our full range of mental health, HR and other pastoral care services.

8. Will there be any ongoing support after the scheme finishes?

The aim of the scheme is to serve as part of our recruitment pipeline for training contracts at Fieldfisher.

Both Fieldfisher and ViacomCBS will retain contact with all those who take part in the scheme once the three-week programme is over.

We will also be happy to supply references for future work experience/employment opportunities.

9. What if I have further questions?

If your question is not answered above or you need more information, please contact [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss your queries.

About Fieldfisher

Fieldfisher is a European law firm with market-leading practices in many of the world’s most dynamic sectors. We are an exciting, forward-thinking organisation with a particular focus on energy and natural resources, technology, financial services and life sciences.

Fieldfisher has 25 offices across 11 countries. We operate across our offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Beijing, Belfast, Birmingham, Bologna, Brussels, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Turin, Venice and Silicon Valley.

About ViacomCBS International

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), is comprised of many of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Its portfolio includes Channel 5, Telefe, Network 10, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, as well as streaming services Paramount+ and PlutoTV, and ViacomCBS International Studios, among others. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.