Fools at Simmons & Simmons have it worst off. Rubbish pay and long hours (especially in transactional departments). Miserable associates. Oblivious partners focused on PEP. 

Interesting comment from someone pleased not to be working for a firm that has a separate dining room for partners. I completely agree. The profession is in a pickle partly because of treating partners as if they are a different/superior species. Let the differentiation be the stack of money they take home and not overlay privilege as well. And the firms which still hold separate Christmas parties for lawyers and staff should also have a word with themselves.

Pretty sure the "Spider-man" game which the lawyer is referring to is Marvel's Spider-Man the PS4 exclusive from Insomniac, which means it is not a PC game, but a PlayStation game only. So the image is FAKE NEWS!

What makes you think the reference was to a game at all?  Maybe he completes Spiderman in a spiritual, erotic sense.

"A partner said he managed to see his "kids' recitals and school plays"." I love the fact that this tool offers this as some sort of example of an excellent work-life balance. Well done, loser - you're managing to do the absolute bare minimum that could be expected of an absentee parent. You should be so proud of your firm for its munificence with your family life.

"In a commendably high ranking for a US firms for work/life balance, Shearman & Sterling came seventh. Staff  appreciated the "emergency care cover for children of adults"".

Shame their policy doesn't extend to children of children.  Or adults.

Partner only dining rooms is not ok.

Surprise surprise- Bristol lawyers complaining about their London counterparts at Osborne Clarke. I work at a similar shop with regional offices and what the regional lawyers often forget is the goddamned London commute into the hellhole of the office- most of us have at least an hour long commute, often from outside of London, packed like sardines into a tin box where the only upside is we might catch Coronavirus and get a few weeks off work/WFH. So forgive us if we get in slightly later- we haven't done the 15 min stroll into the office. And yes, we work later to make up for it (and that helps avoid a similar hellish commute home with everyone else that finishes at 5.30 (which is the time my regional counterparts run out of the door most days)).

the 'social interruptions' - yes, there is an element of 'popping out for a quick drink and then back to the office' (because again, we can't pop home easily and then go out for drinks- we all live far away, but often this means the proportionately significantly more BD events that London lawyers are often expected go to because of the fact there are more of them. Yes, all of us really want to go these instead of heading home to our families.

I don't understand why Shearman, Travers and 2Birds rank so highly for work/life when they say they work MC hours and have to constantly check their phones on weekends? Do they mean that it's bad but is worse elsewhere?

The respondent from Trowers must really struggle to lug that giant chip on her shoulder past the Slaughters office every day. 

Probably cause HR at Shearman & Sterling, Travers and Bird & Bird had their fun completing the survey. Don’t believe the Shearman result. Miserable place. Glad am long gone. 

@ Roscoe P Coltrane

Hours is not the only measure.  Pressure, flexibility, etc. all make a difference. 

For Shearman, I suspect it is their hours/quality of life are a lot better than their peers at equivalent US firms on big salaries. 

For Travers / Birds, I suspect they don't actually work MC hours.

It is pleasing to see the progress made at Plexus as some of the nicest people work here. Is it perfect, no. But it is a lot better than the miserable few would have us all think. As for the woman serving her ‘prison’ sentence there, let’s hope she leaves soon. Most of the moaners have now gone and those left behind are now getting on with it and enjoying not being dragged down by the doom and gloom merchants. Anyone else who doesn’t like it should go elsewhere, please. And soon. The firm has been getting better and better as the miserables leave. Of note, most of the miserables have gone to the same couple of places (You know when you’ve been Tangoed - except they don’t ! ) 

These 'results' come as no surprise.

If one could drive (many of us urbanites don't drive!), the regions sound better than a London commute.

I hate commuting into and through London, which is a crime-ridden dump.

Those who are SPs at MC firms are stuck there, what with public school fees, the ski chalet and the house in the Cotswolds to pay for. Those who are in that situation are slaves at a higher level compared to those poor dhobi-wallahs who still haven't got 'higher' dining rights to eat with the senior officers.

My god that Shearman trainee sounds insufferably pompous. Nothing worse than someone who keeps reminding all their mates how hard they have to work - the self importance stinks

My only representation towards Spider-man is us associates at CGSH, London office, climbing the walls with frustration due the shambolic set-up of the partnership and directors alike.

They couldn't organise a pi** up in a brewery.

The comment about separate partners' dining room is a good one. Separate partner dining rooms show a total lack of respect to the associates who do the work. They are also pointless given that most people in MC firms eat at their desk anyway.

It's a minor point in the grand scheme of things, but does show the arrogance of some firms, and another reason why I'm glad I left the MC despite being a top performing associate there.

Agreed re partner dining rooms or partner only free lunches. Find it particularly irritating.

Key caveat that said explanation only comes when they say “stop looking at your f-ing phone and be with the people here” but you can’t afford to piss off someone at work :-(