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Life@HSF

Herbert Smith Freehills articulates values and culture with the firm’s most extensive Employee Value Proposition project to date

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5 Oct 2023

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Herbert Smith Freehills’ Life@ HSF initiative draws an explicit link between high performance and wellbeing.

There is no doubt that the world of law is changing – and the conventional thinking that a firm can only be a high performer by pushing its people to the limits is thankfully changing too. So too is the traditional career path which sees achieving partnership as the only definition of “success”.

Taking on this challenge and continuing its longstanding leadership on people and culture, Herbert Smith Freehills has reviewed (and refreshed) its differentiators, including its relationship with its people. Following extensive research including a global survey of its people as well as focus groups, the outcome is Life@HSF, an approach that aims to match and mirror the firm’s ambitions with those of its people. In other words, its people will benefit from the firm’s significant ambitions, and the firm will in turn benefit from the ambitions of its people – a virtuous cycle.

Exceptional performance and being human and kind are not mutually exclusive

Justin D’Agostino

“When our people’s growth is aligned with the firm’s ambition, we can unleash tremendous energy towards a shared vision, fostering our capacity to thrive. We know – both intuitively and from the research – that sustained high performance requires that we pay attention to our own wellbeing, and that of our teams.” says Helen Anthony, Chief People Officer. At a high level, this means:

Providing the professional and personal support to help sustain performance and wellbeing
Being part of serious work and leaving room for fun
Working seamlessly internationally, responding creatively to local differences and enjoying variety, constant change and ‘no two days the same’

Danielle Kelly, Global Director of Culture & Inclusion, notes that Life@HSF provides greater clarification of Herbert Smith Freehills’ value proposition for its people, particularly when considered against its competitors. “What we offer our people, and what we can expect in return, is an iterative process requiring adaptability and agility - particularly when considered against the backdrop of the changing legal sector.”

The firm has also unveiled a new set of values - Human, Bold, Outstanding. The “Human” value incorporates the commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. “Bold” highlights ambition and entrepreneurialism. And “Outstanding” reflects client impact and leadership.

In a further clarification of the relationship between the firm and its people, the firm speaks of the “deal” with its people as including the following:

We provide and support opportunities for exposure to our international network and across our lines of business
We support traditional and non-traditional career path
We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion

In return, we ask our people to:

Be constructively open and honest, valuing the different perspectives and contributions of your colleagues around the world
Define ourselves and one another by what we are and can be, rather than what we are not • Embrace all you are and all you can be, and encourage your colleagues to do the same

All in all, Life@HSF signifies, if not a change of direction, an explicit clarification of how Herbert Smith Freehills looks at the careers of its people both while they are at the firm as well as in careers beyond.