Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has launched an initiative to send German LLM students to the UK and US as part of their training.

The initiative, which will start this autumn, is part of a drive by Freshfields to increase its international profile, also includes a mentoring programme for the students abroad.

Students can apply for a €5,000 (£3,930) travel scholarship to help complete their LLM degree in an English-speaking country, with Freshfields also offering the option of further support through personal mentoring from a Freshfields partner and an online community.

The grant is a first step in a wider initiative designed to improve the firm's international profile, with the German arm also considering covering the full cost of UK or US LLM degrees for some students.

Frankfurt-based HR partner Rick van Aerssen, said: "The reason is primarily to underpin our efforts to support law students in the top talent pool. It gives us an opportunity to meet and get to know the 20 brightest students."

"Almost a third of our associate hires have done a one-year masters degree in an English-speaking country. The people that go abroad are clearly the people with the best language skills and the intercultural skills that we, as a predominantly international employer, are seeking."