March 11 2026
Case Studies
sophie gould
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Fremantle’s production slate moves at a remarkable pace. With major programmes like The Apprentice on their books, the in-house legal team has long been used to juggling complex matters alongside the everyday volume that comes with supporting a global entertainment business.
But over time, the balance within the team began to shift. Senior lawyers and consultants were carrying an increasingly broad workload, while the steady flow of junior talent that once supported them had quietly slowed. Foundational tasks started to pile up, and with fewer early-career colleagues coming through, opportunities for junior development became limited.
Recognising that something needed to change, Fremantle made the decision to rethink its approach to junior resourcing; looking for a solution that would ease immediate pressure while also building a healthier, more diverse pipeline for the future.
That’s where Flex Legal came in.
A chance to rethink the pipeline
When Fremantle first engaged Flex Legal, the brief was simple: bring in much-needed junior support. But as the team learned more about the Flex Trainee scheme - its focus on social mobility, its commitment to widening access, and its fresh approach to finding talent - it quickly became clear that this was more than a short-term resourcing fix.“We knew we needed junior resource,” explains Corey Francis, Senior Legal & Business Affairs Executive at Fremantle. “But what really made Flex stand out was the opportunity to reach candidates we simply wouldn’t have come across otherwise.”
Moving away from traditional recruitment patterns, especially the long-standing expectation of prior media experience, opened the door to a far broader group of potential trainees. And what stood out wasn’t what the candidates lacked, but what they brought: curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine eagerness to learn.
“What really made Flex stand out was the opportunity to reach candidates we simply wouldn’t have come across otherwise.”
Corey Francis, Senior Legal & Business Affairs Executive at Fremantle
Welcoming Marcel and Angel
Fremantle’s first Flex Trainee, Marcel, joined the team with a fresh perspective and a willingness to get involved from day one. More recently, Angel became the team’s newest Flex Trainee, already bringing her own energy and enthusiasm into the department.Both trainees arrived well prepared, thanks to the Flex Readiness Programme. Before even stepping into the office, they’d developed workplace discipline, gained an understanding of Fremantle’s business model, and familiarised themselves with key templates and playbooks. What impressed the Fremantle team most was the level of professionalism and commitment both trainees displayed, especially given they were coming straight from university into a fast-paced environment.
“Both trainees had exemplary etiquette,” Corey reflects. “They were comfortable, capable, and really keen to get stuck in.”
Making a measurable difference
The value of this renewed junior resource became particularly clear during the demanding pre-production period for The Apprentice, when the team’s workload reaches its peak. During this time, Marcel’s support proved especially important.“We simply wouldn’t have been able to get to everything without him,” says Corey. “His contribution was genuinely significant.”
It wasn’t just the quality of Marcel’s work that stood out - it was his instinctive proactivity. He consistently stepped forward without needing to be asked, taking ownership of tasks and relieving pressure from senior colleagues.
“It’s the proactivity,” Corey notes. “When someone sees what needs to be done and quietly gets on with it, it makes a huge difference.”
Ongoing trainee support
Alongside the trainees’ day-to-day work, the support structure provided by Flex Legal also played a major role. Regular check-ins, group coaching sessions, and open communication channels ensured that both the trainees and the Fremantle supervisors felt consistently looked after by the dedicated Trainee Team at Flex HQ.The coaching model helped trainees build a sense of community with peers across the programme, creating space for reflection, shared experiences, and problem-solving. And because feedback was handled collaboratively, any issues could be addressed constructively and early on.
This level of partnership made it possible for the trainees to grow with confidence, and for supervisors to feel supported as they helped nurture new talent.
Reflections and advice for other in-house teams
Drawing on Fremantle’s experience, Corey offers a few practical insights for organisations looking to strengthen their junior talent pipeline:- Look beyond experience: Challenging long-held assumptions, like the need for sector-specific experience, opens the door to exceptional candidates with huge potential.
- Commit to the process: Junior development takes time and intention. Mid-level and senior lawyers need the space and capacity to supervise meaningfully.
- Plan ahead: Having a bank of suitable tasks ready helps trainees stay engaged and supports steady, thoughtful development.
- Give clear, early feedback: Regular, constructive feedback helps trainees build confidence, understand expectations, and grow faster.
Looking ahead
For Fremantle, partnering with Flex Legal has done far more than fill a resourcing gap. It has reshaped how the team thinks about junior talent, opened the door to individuals they might not otherwise have met, and created a more sustainable path for future growth.Marcel and Angel have already become valued members of the team, showing just how much fresh perspectives and diverse backgrounds can contribute in a busy in-house environment.
Their journeys are a reminder that when organisations widen the routes into their teams, they don’t just broaden access, they uncover the next generation of exceptional legal professionals.