Partners have been spilling the beans in the Firm of the Year 2018 survey, revealing what they love and hate about their firm. And, in response to two new questions this year, revealing why they stay - and what would make them leave.
A Trowers & Hamlins partner said that she felt the "temptation of more money", but then "I remember that's the price of my soul and that life is good where I am". She appreciated that the hours were "not insane" and that work/life balance "doesn't mean taking your blackberry to bed". A partner at Norton Rose Fulbright had similar thoughts. US pay was attractive, "but why would I make my life so difficult for more money?"
Partners at US firm Kirkland & Ellis did raise the amazing cash as a factor, but one said Kirkland was also the "best in the City for structure and clarity of process" when it came to career development. And "contrary to popular opinion we aren't all psychopathic bellends". At RPC an insurance lawyer also praised his firm's mastery of job progression. "Having made partner at 5PQE", he said, "I can testify to the firm's career development being excellent and meritocratic".
There have been entries from plenty of happy partners, but so far the largest contingent hails from Osborne Clarke. "I turn up to work, chat to some mates then go home", said a partner. "In between, I do some really interesting work". Apparently, nothing would make him leave. "They would have to sack me". Refined City powerhouse Macfarlanes was "unsurprisingly great in my view", said a partner, who added that it was "looking increasingly unique, not necessarily through our own activities but everyone else's failures and mergers".
A Clyde & Co partner said his firm was "rather obsessed with world domination and revenue at the expense of profit", with an "overdraft larger than some south American countries' GDP". But, luckily, "chronic Stockholm syndrome" was keeping him from the door. A DLA Piper partner said "you can tell we're soon moving offices", because "nothing gets fixed any more, including the flush handles and (currently) the lights". There would have to be a shift away from "our long-established culture" before she quit, "especially if it was a move towards a US style of approach".
A DAC Beachcroft partner has been studying the minions. She said, "It amazes me when people complain about progression and pay when they are only putting in 9-5 hours". A second disputed DACB's poor showing in last year's RollOnFridday Firm of the Year survey, commenting, "I genuinely don't see why we're so low in the rankings. People are joining us. We turn away more laterals than we take". It could be down to her colleagues on the headed notepaper, one of whom complained that the process for allotting bonuses to salaried partners "ends up in a smoke-filled room called 'personally moderated by the CEO'".
There is a yearning for more class at Irwin Mitchell, where a partner said that "it has been apparent for some time that the business needs to cut loose" the personal injury business. She is "tired of being tarnished with the same ambulance-chaser brush that our TV adverts suggest". Meanwhile, sad times at BLM. "I wish I'd never become an insurance lawyer", said one, confessing that he became a partner "by accident" when his team left. "Schadenfreude" kept him at the firm. "I slow down for car crashes so this place is just superb".
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A Trowers & Hamlins partner said that she felt the "temptation of more money", but then "I remember that's the price of my soul and that life is good where I am". She appreciated that the hours were "not insane" and that work/life balance "doesn't mean taking your blackberry to bed". A partner at Norton Rose Fulbright had similar thoughts. US pay was attractive, "but why would I make my life so difficult for more money?"
Partners at US firm Kirkland & Ellis did raise the amazing cash as a factor, but one said Kirkland was also the "best in the City for structure and clarity of process" when it came to career development. And "contrary to popular opinion we aren't all psychopathic bellends". At RPC an insurance lawyer also praised his firm's mastery of job progression. "Having made partner at 5PQE", he said, "I can testify to the firm's career development being excellent and meritocratic".
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Partnership: not always what they expected. |
There have been entries from plenty of happy partners, but so far the largest contingent hails from Osborne Clarke. "I turn up to work, chat to some mates then go home", said a partner. "In between, I do some really interesting work". Apparently, nothing would make him leave. "They would have to sack me". Refined City powerhouse Macfarlanes was "unsurprisingly great in my view", said a partner, who added that it was "looking increasingly unique, not necessarily through our own activities but everyone else's failures and mergers".
A Clyde & Co partner said his firm was "rather obsessed with world domination and revenue at the expense of profit", with an "overdraft larger than some south American countries' GDP". But, luckily, "chronic Stockholm syndrome" was keeping him from the door. A DLA Piper partner said "you can tell we're soon moving offices", because "nothing gets fixed any more, including the flush handles and (currently) the lights". There would have to be a shift away from "our long-established culture" before she quit, "especially if it was a move towards a US style of approach".
A DAC Beachcroft partner has been studying the minions. She said, "It amazes me when people complain about progression and pay when they are only putting in 9-5 hours". A second disputed DACB's poor showing in last year's RollOnFridday Firm of the Year survey, commenting, "I genuinely don't see why we're so low in the rankings. People are joining us. We turn away more laterals than we take". It could be down to her colleagues on the headed notepaper, one of whom complained that the process for allotting bonuses to salaried partners "ends up in a smoke-filled room called 'personally moderated by the CEO'".
There is a yearning for more class at Irwin Mitchell, where a partner said that "it has been apparent for some time that the business needs to cut loose" the personal injury business. She is "tired of being tarnished with the same ambulance-chaser brush that our TV adverts suggest". Meanwhile, sad times at BLM. "I wish I'd never become an insurance lawyer", said one, confessing that he became a partner "by accident" when his team left. "Schadenfreude" kept him at the firm. "I slow down for car crashes so this place is just superb".
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You're setting the bar too high. In their last year, Halliwells were making unqualified people up to partner. A cynic might think that they did it for the equity contribution.
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