Staff at Marque Lawyers and Piper Alderman were most satisfied with their career development prospects, awarding their respective firms an impressive 93% apiece. But things seem rather bleak over at DLA Piper, which scored a woeful 17%.
How staff feel about development at their firms is traditionally a key factor in their overall happiness. And this year the top three firms overall were also clustered at the top of the chart for development. Star performer Marque was praised for being a "really great environment to develop a career." Whilst at joint first-placed Piper Alderman, one over-excited lawyer said, "Piper Alderman trains its staff up so well and gives them such good work that the bigger firms then try to steal the staff....go Pipers!" Quite.
Gilbert + Tobin also fared well, taking fourth place with an 85% satisfaction score. Staff claimed the firm is "incredibly open and collegiate". Plus there are "plenty of opportunities for long lunches even at junior level". Fox Tucker was up next with 84%. The firm was praised for promoting "on merit" and for making "numerous internal promotions," although there was a note of caution from one lawyer, who described a "culture of insidious predatory manoeuvring." A special mention too goes to Allens Arthur Robinson (84%), which was lauded for "great career development."
Perennial under-achiever DLA Piper hit the bottom yet again in this category with a meagre 17%. Respondents panned the firm for a complete lack of transparency when it came to promotions, which has led to a "fairly high turnover" of staff. Another claimed that little was being done to hold onto talented lawyers and there are "barely 100 partners now."
Despite scoring nearly three times higher than DLA, 56% was only enough to place Minter Ellison in second to last place. Scoring 59%, Freehills, where "senior associates have run for their lives", took joint third to last spot alongside Mallesons, which was criticised for "pretty uninspiring" partners and a "culture of extremely late nights with no recognition beyond "thank you.""
For a full list of all the winners and losers, click here.
Tip Off ROF
How staff feel about development at their firms is traditionally a key factor in their overall happiness. And this year the top three firms overall were also clustered at the top of the chart for development. Star performer Marque was praised for being a "really great environment to develop a career." Whilst at joint first-placed Piper Alderman, one over-excited lawyer said, "Piper Alderman trains its staff up so well and gives them such good work that the bigger firms then try to steal the staff....go Pipers!" Quite.
Gilbert + Tobin also fared well, taking fourth place with an 85% satisfaction score. Staff claimed the firm is "incredibly open and collegiate". Plus there are "plenty of opportunities for long lunches even at junior level". Fox Tucker was up next with 84%. The firm was praised for promoting "on merit" and for making "numerous internal promotions," although there was a note of caution from one lawyer, who described a "culture of insidious predatory manoeuvring." A special mention too goes to Allens Arthur Robinson (84%), which was lauded for "great career development."
Perennial under-achiever DLA Piper hit the bottom yet again in this category with a meagre 17%. Respondents panned the firm for a complete lack of transparency when it came to promotions, which has led to a "fairly high turnover" of staff. Another claimed that little was being done to hold onto talented lawyers and there are "barely 100 partners now."
Despite scoring nearly three times higher than DLA, 56% was only enough to place Minter Ellison in second to last place. Scoring 59%, Freehills, where "senior associates have run for their lives", took joint third to last spot alongside Mallesons, which was criticised for "pretty uninspiring" partners and a "culture of extremely late nights with no recognition beyond "thank you.""
For a full list of all the winners and losers, click here.