Mills & Reeve

They’re a nice bunch over at Mills & Reeve with both trainees and partners scoring consistently well for their respective supportiveness and approachability in the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey. One merry trainee told us, “I never anticipated having a network as close as the one at M&R, especially with the other trainees, apprentices and paralegals around my age. This is probably one of my favourite things about my job.”

A lot of cross department working on transactions and an open plan office apparently help to create a “genuine flat structure” — “Culture is everything here! Having worked at other firms previously, I can safely say the M&R culture is not the norm (in a good way)! Superiors are very approachable — it does not feel hierarchical at all.” One rookie reports: “Superiors in the business love to get to know trainees, to find out your interests and to learn more about you” and another adds “It is not just my immediate superiors that are approachable, but I feel like I could reach out to any partner in any team, any office and they would be happy to speak with me.”

There’s said to be a decent senior turnout at social events too, with the social life as a whole said to be “excellent” — “Most teams have regular socials and everyone is very friendly. Each office has a social committee that puts on subsidised events and runs sports teams that you can get involved with. However, there is no pressure to go out for drinks every week etc. and people are respectful of commutes and children!” Whether it’s five-a-side, netball, running clubs, walking trips, or firmwide summer and Christmas parties that tickles your fancy, there’s a bit of something for everyone at Mills & Reeve. No wonder the firm is known to report high retention rates!

The firm’s employee-focused ethos feeds into some fantastic work life/balance, with most people out the door around 6pm. “The hours are a dream,” we are told, with “people working hard and staying as long as needed, with no facetime culture”. Rookies rarely find themselves “burning the midnight oil”, even in seats which get a slightly worse rep such as construction and corporate. And when the occasional late night does rear its head M&R’s well-rested recruits seem always ready to tackle it head on: “There are crunch times where I need to work late on a transaction but I don’t mind it as I learn so much from working so close to the documents at those moments” one night-owl told us. Another trainee offered this summary: “Great place to work if you want the experience of doing exciting work, working for big clients, but also wish to have a life outside of work. Not many law firms get this right but M&R do.”

As far as big clients go, you won’t find many bigger than the NHS and Mills & Reeve acts for more than half of the NHS foundations across the country. Other recent life sciences highlights include advising on a groundbreaking merger between St George’s and City, University of London, to create one of the largest suppliers of the health workforce in the capital and the firm also recently advised on a $55 million IPO of a Francis Bacon painting on the world’s first art stock exchange, Artex.

This would usually be the point at which we tell you that you won’t be working on these types of projects every day as a trainee, but at Mills & Reeve apparently you will. “The classic ‘trainee task’ culture doesn’t really exist at M&R” one insider tells us, “supervisors and partners are keen to get trainees involved in high level work from the outset.” Trainees enjoy six fourth month seats as opposed to the usual four six month seats, meaning “you get to try more areas of law and figure out what works for you”. Supervisors are said to essentially give new recruits as much as they can handle, and fee earners “will involve you in the strategy, and truly listen to your opinion and advice” according to one source LC spoke to.

Another recruit had this to say: “It varies by team but in the two seats I’ve completed so far I’ve been completely involved and included as a member of the team. I’ve been fully involved in adjudications in my construction seat and in a wide variety of transactions in corporate. In both seats I’ve been given responsibility of running a matter, which in corporate ran from undertaking conflicts through to post-completion actions, but feeling fully supported throughout. Supervisors have also involved me in tricky discussions with clients and I’ve had the opportunity to be more involved in a few client calls including leading them and giving advice!”

Mills & Reeve is also said to offer “top quality training”. One rookie told LC: “the firm takes a real interest in your development and it is very structured. Your development is prioritised over your time doing chargeable work and that’s reflected in there not being an hours target as a trainee. If you are looking to learn and grow, M&R is an excellent space to do so.” Another added, “Overall the training has been great. Supervisors appreciate that we are trainees and don’t expect us to be the final package. It’s been very reassuring to train in this environment and it’s helped me to grow in confidence and flourish more, as I don’t feel micromanaged.” What more could you ask for?

Maybe some legal tech to make your life even easier? Well watch this space because the consensus from all the trainees we spoke to is that the firm is channelling all its efforts into this space. As one spy told us “We are trialling lots of different legal tech and generally I feel I’ve had the tools required to get the job done efficiently. A big tech upgrade earlier in the year has made our systems more user friendly. The recent introduction of Microsoft Co-Pilot has really helped as a starting point for BD research.” There are a number of tech-related groups at the firm dedicated to sourcing and implementing the best solutions and one trainee gives particular praise to the firm’s slow-and-steady approach: “The firm certainly aren’t tech magpies – they take their time to trial new software and to ensure it has a place, which is appreciated.”

The tech offering when working from home is also appreciated, with Mills & Reeve providing all new onboarders with extra screens, keyboards, desks, chairs and anything else your heart desires upon request. The firm operates a 50/50 WFH policy whereby over a two week period, you are expected to be in the office at least five days. However, our insiders told us that flexible working varies by seat: “It depends on the team you work in: some are very encouraging of balancing office time and working from home depending on when the team is in. Other teams take a more traditional approach and expect trainees to be in the office full time.”

As is common with firms that have several UK offices, there are occasional tensions between the locations. The shinier Cambridge, London, Norwich and the refurbed Birmingham offices (which feature adjustable desks and a sauna!) are the most coveted. But equal rookie pay across the firm helps minimise any politics. The Cambridge office is described by insiders as being a “nice building situated next to the city’s Botanic Gardens. The office has great views over the gardens and the city. Glass-fronted building gives lots of natural light. Nice cafe on the top floor.” The Norwich digs wins some plaudits for its facilities which include “changing rooms, showers, a drying room, very small individual lockers, nice client toilets, a nice client lounge and a café”. M&R’s Manchester hub is described as “stunning” by one trainee, and those in Birmingham are absolutely smitten with their new abode: “ It’s such a beautiful new building, with lots of light and lots of different areas to explore. It’s more open plan than the previous office, so you’re able to chat and be involved with people in other teams throughout the day more easily.”

Another perk which Birmingham recruits love to rub in their fellow trainees faces is their new “amazing canteen” which is described as “a nice, bright space with incredible views and really good value food”. But, we think London might win this particular show of one-upmanship: “We have an ex-Michelin star chef in our office canteen. Need I say more?” Outside of the ‘proper coffee’ machines in Manchester and Leeds, “a tub of “Nescafe instant” is all that is said to be on offer elsewhere, though there are also canteens in Cambridge and Norwich. The Leeds office is also said to be next in line for a full Mills & Reeve refurb so we might soon see a new player in the M&R canteen wars.

While there are no in-house swimming pools or sushi chefs at Mills & Reeve, the perks are good. “The best perks are buying back an extra week of holiday and outdoor office parties held twice a year,” quips one. Another spy put it like this: “To be honest, I didn’t join Mills & Reeve for the perks. I joined for the positive and supportive working culture and the interesting work and clients. I would rather have a good work/life balance and enjoy going to work every day than get financial perks. Saying that, we have a good pension, good holiday (including the ability to flex your annual leave), options to opt into dental/health/life insurance etc. We also get a bonus that is not linked to performance. Our pay is commensurate with firms of the same size and the firm will pay for you to relocate if you want to do a seat in another office.” The current salary for first year trainees is £31,500 a year, rising to £34,000 in the second year, with NQ pay rising to £80,000 in London and £58,000 elsewhere. Common sentiment here is that the “salary could be better but is reflected in work life balance.”

Trainees enjoy the odd client secondment here and there to destinations such as the University of Herefordshire and when the secondment is outside a trainee’s home office, the firm pays accommodation costs, bills and travel. For secondees placed in the capital, this helps mitigate the fact that pay (see below) is set at regional levels.

Mills & Reeve is also increasing its sustainability efforts by reusing and recycling where possible, bringing a “waste not” range into office canteens (where food from previous days is reused into salads) and prioritising local suppliers. The firm also has a dedicated ESG officer to help minimise carbon footprint.