From rookies staying late for each other to partners always being available for a chat — which firms are the friendliest?
With everyone hokey cokey-ing from office life back to working from home, peer support and partner approachability remains a top consideration on many aspiring solicitors’ ‘dream firm’ checklist. So, if you are wondering which firms have the friendliest partners and most encouraging employees, then look no further!
For our annual Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey, over 100 firms’ junior lawyers were asked to rank their peers from one being ‘not at all supportive’ to ten being ‘highly supportive’. They did the same for their partners, with those ‘not at all approachable’ being scored a one, and ‘highly approachable’ superiors being scored a ten.
All of the firms listed below scored A*s for peer support or partner approachability, with Bristows, RPC, Taylor Wessing, Travers Smith and Womble Bond Dickinson hitting the grade in both categories.
The results are listed alphabetically below:
Best law firms for peer support 2022
Addleshaw Goddard
Bristows
Burges Salmon
Clyde & Co
DLA Piper
Debevoise & Plimpton
Eversheds Sutherland
Forsters
Gowling WLG
Herbert Smith Freehills
Hill Dickinson
RPC
TLT
Taylor Wessing
Travers Smith
Womble Bond Dickinson
Best law firms for partner approachability 2022
BLM
Baker McKenzie
Bird & Bird
Bristows
Dentons
Fieldfisher
Gateley
Pinsent Masons
RPC
Russell-Cooke
Squire Patton Boggs
Taylor Wessing
Travers Smith
Wiggin
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Withers
Womble Bond Dickinson
The junior lawyers are also given the chance to (anonymously) back up the scores they have given their peers and partners with a few words.
Here are a select few comments from the firms listed above.
How supportive are your peers?
“Very supportive, always here to help, stay late with, ask questions with. We work as a team and has never felt competitive.”
“Incredible group of trainees across all offices. Despite Covid, trainee group have created a really comfortable network of support.”
“Really supportive. It’s a really happy environment and some fellow trainees are now some of my closest friends.”
“Excellent group of fellow trainees which is a great support system.”
How approachable are your partners?
“All the partners on our team are very easy to chat to and request help from and just have a laugh with.”
“Superiors are all very approachable and friendly. Partners and senior associates encourage you to pick up the phone to them, especially since working from home.”
“Very friendly and easy to talk to, always willing to help.”
“Partners are always happy to chat whether that be work queries or just general thoughts on career progression. They seem genuinely interested in trainees and you feel like they really want you to consider qualifying into their team.”
The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2021, sponsored by BARBRI, on Thursday 24 March 2021.