Freshfields is undergoing an exciting period of digital transformation, and we are looking for an Innovation Engineer to help us accelerate it. This is a high‑impact, hands‑on role for someone who loves to build, experiment, and turn innovative ideas into working solutions that make a meaningful difference across our global firm.

Working within our Innovation team, you will rapidly prototype, develop, and iterate new tools, workflows, and AI‑powered solutions — helping our people work smarter, faster, and more effectively. If you thrive in fast‑moving environments, enjoy collaborating across teams, and have a passion for creating real, usable technology, we’d love to hear from you.

Working at Freshfields

You’ll join a fast-paced, globally connected team focused on shaping the future of legal work. We work in a hybrid model, collaborating with colleagues across time zones, and delivering impactful tools and technologies that support our lawyers, business services teams, and clients.

What You’ll Be Doing

Rapid Prototyping & Solution Development

• Build functional prototypes and proofs of concept to test new ideas quickly.

• Develop minimum viable products to support go/no-go decisions.

• Iterate fast — using user feedback to refine, improve, and validate solutions.

• Create automation workflows and system integrations to enhance efficiency.

• Document your approach, decisions, and learnings to support future builds.

AI & Emerging Technology

• Design and deploy AI-powered agents, assistants, and intelligent workflows.

• Evaluate and experiment with emerging technologies to identify opportunities for legal applications.

• Translate complex technical capabilities into practical, real-world use cases.

• Advise on feasibility, technical complexity, and implementation considerations.

Collaboration & Handover

• Work closely with Innovation Ideation & Adoption Managers to understand user needs.

• Partner with IT and Information Security to ensure compliance with firm standards.

• Prepare successful prototypes for production handover through clear technical documentation.

• Support user testing by addressing bugs and refining functionality.

Technical Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain a library of reusable components and templates to speed up future innovation.

• Manage development environments for safe experimentation.

• Monitor prototype performance to guide iteration and prioritisation.

• Identify new opportunities through hands-on exploration and experimentation.

What You’ll Bring

Technical Skills

• Strong experience in Python, JavaScript or similar languages, and Copilot Studio 

• Exposure to AI/ML platforms, LLMs, and agent frameworks.

• Comfort with low-code/no-code tools (e.g., Power Platform, Zapier, Make).

• Understanding of APIs, integrations, and system architecture.

• Experience operating in enterprise IT environments.

Professional Skills

• A builder’s mindset — action‑oriented, pragmatic, and curious.

• Ability to ship solutions quickly in ambiguous environments.

• Clear communicator who can explain technical concepts to non‑technical audiences.

• Comfortable iterating, experimenting, and learning from what doesn’t work.

• Experience in legal tech or professional services is beneficial, but not required.

Why Join Us?

• Influence meaningful innovation in a world-leading international law firm.

• Work with cutting‑edge technologies — including AI agents, automation, and low‑code platforms.

• See the direct impact of your work through rapid prototyping and delivery.

• Collaborate with global teams committed to reimagining how legal work gets done.

• Join a culture that embraces experimentation, continuous learning, and transformation.