From generous WFH budgets to team catch-ups via Zoom — which law firms have adapted the best to the new way of working?
When the pandemic hit in March, law firms made the move to working from home almost overnight, seeing the entirety of their staff logging on each morning from the comfort of their own homes. Now with Zoom meetings and virtual socials the norm, we look at the best law firms for working from home (WFH).
In this year’s Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey we asked rookies from nearly 100 of the nation’s leading law firms to rate the transition to WFH on a scale of one to ten — from adjusting very badly to extremely well.
We’ve put together a shortlist of the firms that scored an A* in this category. Below are the results listed alphabetically:
Best law firms for working from home 2020-21
Addleshaw Goddard
Akin Gump
CMS
Clifford Chance
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Latham & Watkins
Milbank
Osborne Clarke
Pinsent Masons
Shoosmiths
Stephenson Harwood
Sullivan & Cromwell
Travers Smith
Weil Gotshal & Manges
White & Case
Withers
As part of the survey, we give trainees and junior lawyers the opportunity to expand on their scores by submitting anonymous comments. Minus the odd initial hiccup with IT, trainees and junior lawyers have reported an overwhelmingly positive response to the move to working from home by their respective firms. Here are a select few comments from some of the firms listed above:
How well has your firm adjusted to working from home?
“Really well, some slight IT hiccups for some people but the IT team have been amazing at sorting things really fast. The firm is keeping us really well informed and giving lots of information out on working from home, the current situation for the firm, and other health and wellbeing updates/tips too.”
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well the tech has held up and how supportive teams have been. I’ve probably had more catch-ups and interactions than I would have had in the office.”
“Absolutely fantastic — the firm reimbursed us for home office equipment, and the team was very understanding during the initial ‘teething period’ as we adjusted to internet issues, etc.”
“This has really been a standout. As we all have tablet PCs the transition from an IT perspective was barely noticeable.”
“The firm has always been quite flexible to home working and many departments encouraged at least one day a week working from home. There have been a lot of virtual socials such as quizzes, escape rooms, cook-a-longs, yoga classes etc. My team have a weekly team meeting where we all discuss our weeks and how we are feeling.”
“I was able to get the IT equipment I needed very quickly, and our team has regularly scheduled Zoom catch-ups on both a team-wide basis and in smaller groups.”
“A near seamless integration. The firm has been supportive in providing equipment, particularly at the junior level. The firm already operated 1 day a week working from home for qualified lawyers and so the firm was well prepared.”
The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2021, sponsored by BARBRI, on Thursday 25 March 2021.