Stephenson Harwood LLP

Halfway through its five-year plan to double revenues, Stephenson Harwood has posted some handy financials, with a 16% increase taking the topline to £264 million up from £228 million last financial year. Net profit also enjoyed a 10% increase to over £90 million while average profit per equity partner (PEP) rose 7% to a record £775,000. Chief executive Eifion Morris credits the success to the firm’s decision “to prioritise five strategically important sectors: decarbonisation, life sciences, private capital and funds, technology, and transportation and trade.” Morris further nodded towards the firm’s blend of contentious and non-contentious practices as another driver of growth, adding that, “litigation, private equity and private wealth all had a strong year”. Lucky London rookies have also felt the benefit of all this growth as newly qualified (NQ) salaries have recently been bumped to £100,000.

Trainees report being given high quality and “intellectually challenging” work that is complemented by “exceptional and consistent” support. “Both in transaction and advisory seats (which are the two I’ve done so far) work has been very interesting, and the team has listened to my ‘asks’ in terms of what sort of work I want to gain exposure to and has made genuine and concerted efforts to give me opportunities to do work of that sort. Overall positive” was the happy review from one trainee. Another, reflecting on the work they’ve done so far, explains they have “been able to carve out ownership of matters” so they genuinely feel like they’re “contributing and adding value to the team”. They go on to say, “there are still some trainee tasks that don’t put the legal degree to the test but are still important for developing understanding of the business and adding context to your work”.

In terms of training, we’re told that ““each department organises its own ‘beginning of seat training sessions’ covering the essentials which are needed for day-to-day practice”. There’s “slight variance” between some of the smaller teams who are less used to training up new recruits but even this is a “minor complaint as even in the smaller teams the training has been good”. Trainees also have monthly ‘lunch and learns’ with more senior members of their team and in litigation expect the odd chambers visit and round table discussion.

A “collaborative and collegiate” culture permeates the Stephenson Harwood ranks. One source explains that their fellow trainees feel more like “good friends” with little to no “atmosphere of competition”. Another reckoned that “you will struggle to find a more supportive bunch than the SH trainees.”

These good vibes are supported through a Thursday pub group / lunch time meet up, WhatAspp groups and a newly formed social committee. There is also a “London-wide Teams chat with all trainees and apprentices,” we are told. Here, newbies “can bounce ideas around or simply ask a question if you do not know the answer”. This supportive atmosphere extends to junior associates too, who are “more than happy to help with questions”.

Further up the ladder, partners are generally “very friendly” although we’re told that, as with other firms, this can vary “a lot” between departments. Sharing a positive experience, one respondent says: “Partners make an active effort to interact with trainees — not only to get them involved but also just to be friendly and to make sure they’re doing ok. I feel very comfortable going to a partner’s office/giving them a call when I have a question or want to get involved with some work. I’ve always felt supported and able to share concerns with the partners, who always seem invested and give great advice!” Others mention that “you need to know how to navigate the styles of different partners” but once you’ve got that down, “partners are happy to discuss work and give you pointers”.

The work/life balance at SH isn’t too bad for corporate law, according to our sources. One trainee explains how their team is “very respectful” of downtime and that on the rare occasions they work late or on a weekend, associates and partners are always “very grateful”. Another tells us that they’re “usually finished around 7pm” and have “never had to work on the weekends”. But we are told, like with many City firms, work/life balance can be “extremely seat dependent”. Some have “peaks and troughs with workload and the flow can be rather unpredictable,” one source explains. “Some are a constant level of busy and you can accurately predict your finish time and be confident in making evening plans.” Overall though, “there is no culture of leaving the trainees alone to do the menial work late into the night” and “when times are quieter, there is also no obligation to stay late for appearance purposes”. Many rookies also report leaving the office relatively early and picking up the remainder from home when possible.

Gen Z’ers take note: Stephenson Harwood offers some solid perks. They free Deliveroo after 8pm, free taxis home after 9pm, a “heavily subsidised canteen”, a £400 contribution towards a 12-month gym membership and a box at the Royal Albert Hall (though there are whispers this is only available to associates and above). Other benefits include private medical and dental insurance along with the opportunity to purchase and sell annual leave days.

Any eco-conscious aspiring lawyers will be pleased to hear that Stephenson Harwood continues to use ‘keep cups’ and reusable water bottles across its offices to reduce waste. We’re also told the firm is “very aware of its carbon footprint” and is “committed to improving”.

The office is also quite nice, with “gorgeous Lutyens architecture and pretty decent facilities” and delightful-sounding olive trees outside the building. The newly refurbished first floor “has a Silicon Valley feel to it,” according to LC insiders, though this has led to calls for a full revamp. Trainees express their pleasure at it being “not another glass box”, but rather “a building with history and elegance (from the outside at least)”. Apart from the first floor, inside is “the normal corporate affair, although the glass doors and walls make it feel very open and accessible”. A number of spies also praise its location, “backing on to Finsbury Circus Gardens”. This is apparently perfect for those sunny “summer lunches”. As one happy camper put it: “I like coming into the office every morning — I still pinch myself a bit!”

The office canteen receives some fairly solid reviews. “Good food, varied, lots of options, good breakfasts. Potentially could be subsidised a bit more (sort-of pricey though still compares favourably to getting lunch elsewhere). Free fruit is a very welcome little perk!” remarked one junior. “Good social hub, discounted and with some good options. Sometimes an adventure with the menu but absolutely no complaints” was another’s verdict. Overall, recruits seem pretty happy with their daily cuisine, though the small portion sizes were a bugbear for quite a few hungry trainees.

SH juniors are generally in their Lutyen digs four days a week, though this can depend on the practice group with some rookies working from home two days a week. In any sense, the recruits we spoke to seem pretty happy with the policy — though this is definitely helped by the £300 onboarders receive to contribute towards their WFH set up. The firm also provides laptops and headsets which work well. “Have not struggled to work from home effectively” is the consensus from one rookie. Back in April 2022, SH made national news by announcing that it will reduce the salaries of staff who want to work from home permanently by 20%, as part of its agile working policy. Under the deal, UK-based homeworkers are still expected to come into the office at least one day each month, with the firm covering travel or hotel expenses.

Tech-wise, rookies encounter “a lot of IT issues” despite this being an area where the firm is making noticed improvements. “Not great tech,” one source tells us. “Often breaks and is slow.” Another informs us the firm is “looking to upgrade the systems” and that some of the tech is actually pretty good. “Contract Companion, DocuSign, Bundledocs make our lives that much easier,” they say. SH has its own innovation team and has recently launched a new three-part GenAI strategy to get more artificial intelligence involved in the workplace, but this hasn’t filtered down to the frontlines yet.