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Legal Cheek and The University of Law (ULaw)’s Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair took place over a week this month.

Over 1,650 students took part in the Scheme, which explored different practice areas including legal tech, insurance, fraud and ESG, among others. Here’s our day-by-day account of the Scheme, which featured a series of short talks, workshops and Q&As, with case studies set by ULaw, alongside an Employability Expo, Law Fair and networking with future trainees.

Day 1

Session 1: Deals

The speakers:

• Daniel Burnand, senior associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
• Adam Hill, associate at Fried Frank
• Chris Carlisle, ULaw tutor and former lawyer at firms including Wedlake Bell, Charles Russell Speechlys and Dentons

What students learnt:

The aim of the first day of the scheme was to explore the two different types of legal work lawyers do: deals and disputes.

This first session focused on deals and the participants heard from current and former transactional lawyers at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Fried Frank and ULaw.

The panel reflected on their career journeys and shared insights into their day-to-day, the interesting deals they’ve worked on as well as the process involved from start to finish. They also shared advice to those considering a career on this side of legal practice as well as the skills that make a good deals lawyer, which include being “organised” and able to manage lots at once.

They also opened up about some of the challenging aspects of their job. Daniel Burnand and Chris Carlisle spoke about work/life balance and the challenges associated with the unpredictable, yet enjoyable, nature of the work. Adam Hill, meanwhile, discussed his challenge of dealing with dyspraxia and advised students with a disability to speak with firms they apply to and seek adjustments where available.

Session 2: Disputes

The speakers:

• Kristjana Nikolls, associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Harry Buchanan, trainee solicitor at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

What students learnt:

In the afternoon session on day one of the scheme attention turned to disputes and we heard from two Willkie Farr lawyers based in the US firm’s London office: Kristjana Nikolls, an associate in the litigation team, and Harry Buchanan, a current trainee.

The pair discussed the different tasks undertaken by partners, associates and trainees during the litigation process. A partner, for example, will manage the client and fees as well as make wider strategic decisions relating to the case. Associates will cover the day-to-day running of the matter while trainees will review disclosure, complete first draft witness statements and build and maintain bundles.

Nikolls and Buchanan also took students through the various stages of the litigation process, from particulars of claims through to disclosure and witness statements and, if required, a trial at court.

During the Q&A the pair looked at some of the motivators for wanting to work in disputes — as opposed to non-contentious areas such as deals. They also cited high-quality training and work as just two of the reasons they chose to be lawyers at Willkie, which recruits around six trainees each year.

The session concluded with a brief discussion of the case study. This involved a dispute between a restaurateur and a wholesale spice delivery company experiencing global supply chain issues.

Day 2

Session 3: Legal tech

The speakers:

• Matt Walker, partner at Gowling WLG
• Umesh Kumar, innovation manager at Gowling WLG
• Patrick Grant, ULaw tutor and project director for legal tech and innovation (for Q&A)

What students learnt:

In this session, the Gowling WLG speakers delivered a joint presentation exploring the themes of technology and innovation within law firms. They started off by shedding light on Gowling WLG and the firm’s CoLab innovation spaces, which allow for increased collaboration between clients, lawyers and teams.

The presenters then discussed the booming legal tech market and touched upon the importance of technology in law firms for tasks like billing, record keeping and accounting. They also shared their thoughts on developing an innovation mindset, which included tips such as acting in a human-centered way and embracing uncertainty. The speakers rounded off the session by describing what a typical day at work looks like for them.

At the end of the workshop, we were joined by ULaw’s Patrick Grant, who shared his experience with artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal education space. The panel also discussed their thoughts on the case study designed by scheme partner ULaw, which was all about the deployment of neural network-based tools, and posed topical questions on AI explainability and data privacy.

Session 4: Employability Expo

Rounding off day two of the scheme was an Expo run by members of ULaw’s employability team. The team delivered four presentations, and here’s what they discussed:

Firm research and applications

• Chloe Warsop, senior student recruitment manager at ULaw

ULaw senior student recruitment manager Chloe Warsop stressed the importance of law firm research and how this separates candidates simply looking to secure a training contract from those looking to build a career with a particular firm.

Key considerations when selecting firms include practice area focus, size of firm, training contract structure and firm values and culture. Warsop also pointed to The Legal Cheek Firms Most List as a useful resource when it comes to undertaking research.

Interviews

• John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw

ULaw careers consultant John McKeown shared his top tips for tackling both virtual and in-person interviews, including the different types of questions that interviewees should anticipate, as well as some useful techniques to practise in advance.

The fundamentals of the SQE

• Daniel Cowan, SQE1 lead at ULaw

ULaw SQE1 lead Daniel Cowan discussed the new two-part Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) including content and how it is examined. He also went through some mock questions as well as their answers and explained how ULaw’s new SQE revision app can help students.

Social media skills

• Tim Carter, supervising solicitor & pro bono coordinator at ULaw

ULaw supervising solicitor & pro bono coordinator Tim Carter gave students an insight into the opportunities and potential pitfalls of social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. He shared how to create meaningful content and connections through these platforms and emphasised the importance of considering your posts from the perspective of your target audience.

Day 3

Session 5: Risk and insurance

The speakers:

• Dianne Worthington, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Tad Adamek, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Neide Lemos, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Sarah Brice, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co

What students learnt:

During the morning session on day three of the scheme, Legal Cheek hosted a panel of trainee solicitors from Clyde & Co. The panel discussed their roles and responsibilities within the insurance sector.

Dianne Worthington kicked the session off with an animated presentation charting her career journey from the bar to her training contract, reminding students of the importance of finding the right work for them.

Tad Adamek’s talk outlined his seats so far and gave insight into construction professional indemnity and corporate insurance, before comparing and contrasting his experiences in these areas.

Then we heard from Neide Lemos and Sarah Brice, who are also career changers. Lemos described her experience in two insurance-related seats: financial institutions and property recovery. Then Brice told us how she leveraged ten years of previous experience as a claims handler for Lloyds into a training contract with Clyde & Co.

The session concluded with a brief discussion of the case study, debating the validity of an insurance claim where previous disclosure was limited.

Session 6: Law Fair

Halfway through the Scheme students took part in a virtual Law Fair in which they met with lawyers and graduate recruitment teams from 40 law firms, including the Magic Circle, US and international law firms.

Day 4

Session 7: Understanding the relationship between in-house and private practice

The speakers:

• Simone Goligorsky, partner at Reed Smith
• Scott Hyndman, associate general counsel at Shell
• Emily McKinnell, legal counsel at Shell
• Terry Prempeh, associate at Reed Smith

What students learnt:

In this session, lawyers from Reed Smith and Shell explained the key differences between working in private practice at a law firm and in a legal team at a large company, and explored the relationship between them.

Shell’s Scott Hyndman said that, in contrast to private practice, when working in-house your only client is the company that you’re working for. In practice, this means providing more strategic advice to the business at the inception of a deal, his colleague, Emily McKinnell, added.

Reed Smith partner Simone Goligorsky highlighted the importance of building informal connections with clients, getting to know them on a personal basis, while Terry Prempeh, an associate at the firm, said that by consistently doing your best work, you are improving the rapport that your firm builds with its clients.

Session 8: ESG

The speakers:

• David Watkins, partner at Slaughter and May
• Helena Cameron, associate at Slaughter and May
• Gareth Bramley, ULaw senior tutor

What students learnt:

Slaughter and May partner David Watkins kicked off the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) session by delivering a presentation alongside associate Helena Cameron. This offered a brief introduction to the ESG framework and how it impacts the work they do. They also discussed the key ESG topics that businesses are thinking about in 2023, including greenwashing claims, supply chain due-diligence and corporate reporting.

The case study for this session looked at ESG considerations in relation to wider economic trends such as rising interest rates and energy costs. Gareth Bramley, senior tutor at ULaw, who joined the panel for this part of the session, reflected on whether businesses — including law firms– will lessen their focus on ESG credentials and operate in a way that facilitates businesses to deliver goods and services without creating additional obstacles. However, Bramley noted ESG credentials are likely to remain important in attracting and retaining junior lawyers.

Day 5

Session 9: Fraud

The speakers:

• Robert Hunter, former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner and founder of City Disabilities

In this session former Magic and Silver Circle partner Robert Hunter reflected on his 35-year career as a civil fraud and asset tracing lawyer.

Hunter came to specialise in this area as a result of going profoundly deaf, which forced him to go out and build his own practice independently. He primarily acted for claimants against professional fraudsters, and shared numerous anecdotes from his time in practice. During his talk, Hunter outlined the different types of injunction orders which could be sought from a court to prevent a defendant fraudster from improperly dealing with money.

Hunter’s presentation was followed by a discussion of the case study exercise, which required students to outline the relevant UK legislation in relation to fraud and asset tracing, and research the growing nature of cyber enabled fraud.

Session 10: The history of corporate law business

The speakers:

• Alan Paul, former Allen & Overy partner, freelance consultant and professional coach
• Alex Aldridge, publisher and founder of Legal Cheek

Former Allen & Overy partner Alan Paul looked back on how corporate law firms had evolved over the last 40 years in a conversation with Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge.

Paul, one of the most renowned legal dealmakers of his generation, took the audience on a whistle-stop tour of how the world has changed since he qualified as a solicitor in 1980.

Among the major developments covered were Thatcher’s 1986 Big Bang of City of London deregulation, the recession of the early 1990s, the dotcom bubble, the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers and the post-financial crisis era of low interest rates that has recently begun to unwind.

Networking: Meet the ULaw future trainees

The networkers:

• Rachel Chow, ULaw student and future trainee at White & Case
• Katie Toolan, ULaw student and future trainee at Pinsent Masons
• Apolloniya Vlasova, ULaw student and future trainee at Mishcon de Reya
• Darren Broad, ULaw student and future trainee at Clyde & Co

For this final networking session, attendees spoke to four future trainees, who are also current students and student ambassadors at ULaw, across two networking booths.

They answered the students’ questions about studying at ULaw, advice for applications, interviews and vacation schemes, as well as what they can do to help them secure training contracts with top law firms.

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Reed Smith has cut its global workforce by around 2%, citing a “reduced level of demand for legal services”.

Roughly 50 roles are being cut at the international firm, with reports suggesting that these will amount to 30 lawyers and 20 support staff.

The firm declined to say whether any roles in London were affected when approached for comment by Legal Cheek. It did however confirm that those affected will receive individual severance benefits and outplacement services.

A Reed Smith spokesperson said:

“Reed Smith announced on Friday a limited number of reductions affecting lawyers and professional staff totalling less than 2% of its workforce. We are offering each impacted individual severance benefits and outplacement services. These decisions are in response to a reduced level of demand for legal services across the industry and in line with the continual goal of best positioning our firm to meet its commitment to excellent client service while prudently managing our business.”

The cuts come hot on the heels of news that US firm Orrick is set to lay off 6% of its global workforce with around 40 fee-earning and 50 non-fee-earning roles expected to be cut. The firm said the cuts were in response to “a convergence of market forces”. It’s not

Other US players to cut numbers in recent weeks include Dechert, Cooley, Kirkland & Ellis.

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International law firm Reed Smith is moving its northern support hub, Global Solutions Leeds (GSL), to a new, larger space in the city.

Launched in 2018, GSL is Reed Smith’s start-up environment which is designed to streamline the delivery of its legal and business services.

Previously housed in Leeds city centre, GSL will be relocating to a new office development in the Temple district of the city. It will occupy 6,479 square foot space on the fourth floor of the flat iron building, Globe Point.

The Globe Point building, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, is the first flat iron building to be constructed in Leeds since the idea for the structure was first developed there in 1875.

GSL’s mix of lawyers, analysts and business services professionals can expect dual-aspect offices with ground floor break-out space and on-site café, Butlers. Following the current trend for eco-friendly office spaces, the building promises to cut energy consumption to 27% below the average.

Tamara Box, Reed Smith’s managing partner, commented:

“I knew that Global Solutions Leeds would be a huge success from its inception and I’m delighted that in under five years, we have outgrown our current space and are moving into a larger and purpose-built space designed with collaboration in mind so that we can continue providing cutting-edge legal and business services to our global network and our clients.”

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows Reed Smith recruits around 25 trainees each year, although these positions are in London rather than Leeds.

Meanwhile, TLT’s Manchester team are getting closer to occupying their new premises at the Eden building, a £36 million development in Salford. The move was announced in January and it is now expected that the premises will be ready to move into in summer 2024.

Boasting what the firm describes as the “biggest living façade in Europe”, the office will feature more than 350,000 plants, alongside bird boxes and “bug hotels” in an attempt to deliver a 174% net gain in the biodiversity of the area.

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Reed Smith has confirmed it will retain 10 trainee solicitors due to qualify next month, handing the firm a retention score of 77%.

Three of the firm’s new associates will join their financial industry group, with a further two going to the corporate team and the remaining five split between energy & natural resources; transportation industry; real estate; labour & employment; and global corporate disputes teams. They are all on permanent contracts.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2023 shows the new recruits will start on a salary of £107,500, up from second year trainee rate of £55,000.

Reed Smith’s training principal, Nick Harris, said:

“We are pleased to report that 10 out of our 13 NQs will be continuing their careers with Reed Smith. A huge congratulations to our talented new class of associates. We look forward to helping them fulfil their full potential at the firm.”

The firm recently launched a scheme to support first-year students from backgrounds underrepresented in law, with successful participants ‘fast-tracked’ through its 2024 vacation scheme application process.

On this, Reed Smith’s graduate recruitment manager, Rebecca Schrod, commented: “Over the last few years, we have introduced a number of DEI initiatives to try to support diverse individuals in pursuing a career in the legal profession.”

“We are well aware that diversity of thought drives innovation, which is essential to the firm’s future success, and so we want to ensure that we are removing barriers that inhibit diverse individuals from pursuing a career in the legal profession,” she added.

Last year the firm announced plans to move from its current digs at the top of Broadgate Tower (pictured top) to Blossom Yard & Studios in Spitalfields in early 2024.

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Law firm offices are playing an increasingly intergral role in attracting lawyers back to their desks as the profession continues to find its feet in the new age of flexible working.

From swanky glass-clad digs offering sky-line views of the City to eco open-plan spaces with every amenity imaginable, firm offices can be a major selling point for clients and aspiring lawyers alike.

With this in mind, Legal Cheek‘s Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2023 asked more than 2,000 respondents: “How impressive is your firm’s office?”. Covering more than 80 of the UK’s biggest outfits, respondents were asked to rate their work spaces on a scale of one to ten — with one signifying “Not at all impressive” and ten as “Highly impressive”.

We can reveal that 19 firms made it to the shortlist, scoring an A* for their offices. Below are the firms listed in alphabetical order. Be sure to check our exclusive TikTok tours too!

Allen & Overy

Ashurst

Bird & Bird

@legalcheek *takes multiple coffees to desk*Bird & Bird #lawfirm #office #london #fyp ♬ Coffee – Quinn XCII & Marc E. Bassy

Burges Salmon

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Clifford Chance

DLA Piper

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

@legalcheek There is a wall in the new London headquarters of Freshfields, a Magic Circle law firm, that is covered in real live moss! #law #lawfirm #lawyersoftiktok #alive ♬ Nature Love – Nature Sounds

Gowling WLG

Howard Kennedy

Kingsley Napley

Milbank

Mishcon de Reya

Morrison Foerster

Norton Rose Fulbright

@legalcheek Norton Rose Fulbright’s office ticking all the boxes #law #office #london #views ♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy

Reed Smith

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Sidley Austin

Vinson & Elkins

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A post shared by Legal Cheek (@legalcheek)

Walker Morris

As part of the survey each year we give trainees and junior lawyers the opportunity to expand on their scores by submitting anonymous comments. We received hundreds of comments giving us the lowdown on their office digs. Here are a select few comments about some of the shortlisted firms:

“Beautiful — from the weekly flower arrangements, to the bar in the client lounge, I think we have some of the nicest offices in the City.”

“The office is very impressive. The best floor is Floor 11 (the canteen and coffee bar) where all the coffee is free and there is a great balcony to get some fresh air. The working floors are semi-open plan (in pods rather than offices) and department heads are constantly coming up with new plans to make collaborative working easier.”

“It’s a beautiful space and I get the impression clients like coming there, they are also re-working some of the areas to become open-plan with special collaborative working spaces.”

“Incredible office — super spacious, adjustable desks and chair. Fast lifts and lots of communal spaces. Great environment to work in.”

“Feels like a 5* hotel.”

“Everything that you want is here. Temperature controlled rooms, standing desks, sky high views for the late nights.”

The winning law firm in this category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2023, sponsored by BARBRI and BPP University Law School, on Tuesday 14 March.

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Wei Wei, a senior associate in the energy & natural resources group at Reed Smith, has built a career around her enthusiasm for all things energy. Now she is helping the firm’s clients move towards a more sustainable future.

From the very beginning, Wei Wei knew how she wanted her career to develop. “I grew up in China surrounded by people working in the energy industry,” she explains. “I’ve always wanted to be able to help energy companies to grow and successfully develop their international projects.”

This early insight sparked the driving force behind a career built around the energy industry. “These projects don’t just benefit energy companies; they add value to society as a whole,” she says. “Energy projects produce essential products to people’s daily life such as heating sources, vehicle fuel and security of energy supply. It’s especially important in developing countries, for instance, where energy projects can have a positive impact on local community development programmes including through local content initiatives to provide basic access to clean water, basic healthcare and infrastructure. It also allows local children to have access to education.”

Many students use the seats in their training contract to experience different areas of law, but with her goal firmly in her sights, Wei Wei put energy at the centre of her training. “I always knew I wanted to be an energy lawyer, so I chose all my seats around that,” she tells us. With this approach, she covered different aspects of energy such as project finance, corporate energy and infrastructure, and contentious construction.

Wei Wei is clearly an energy expert, with experience on mega projects spanning the sector, from petroleum to nuclear power and green hydrogen. But the centre of her passion is liquefied natural gas (LNG). “These kinds of projects are always very complicated and capital intense — they take years to develop,” she explains. She has worked on top-level LNG projects all over the world, from the US to Qatar. A recent highlight includes advising on the massive North Field East project in Qatar.

With the energy sector undergoing seismic changes in the last decade, this is a field in the midst of a transition to a greener future. “Everybody wants to achieve net zero by 2050,” she says. “This means that energy companies are actively supporting this transition. We’ve seen supermajors, for example, divesting downstream assets in order to realise capital to develop net zero projects, whilst others have acquired renewables companies to expand their businesses into new energy sub-sectors such as wind, solar and other advanced technologies,” she says. Some energy companies have evolved from traditional NOCs to market leaders in offshore wind development. “The idea is to move gradually to cleaner energy, renewables and net zero,” Wei Wei explains, “and at Reed Smith, we are working with our clients together in this transition era as energy project development skills are transferrable”.

While the transition is clearly underway, Wei Wei advocates for a steady approach to ensure stability in the energy supply. It takes time to develop new energy and green projects at the commercial level. “For instance, unlike crude oil, which is very established in terms of both market supply and demand; new products like green ammonia and hydrogen don’t yet have an establishment market, and they are yet to have green ammonia and hydrogen projects at commercial scale to replace the current fossil fuel projects,” she says. “These things take time to develop and you need a gradual transition period. It takes years to develop energy projects, especially for new technologies which involve innovation and test and trial. We do need existing O&G and LNG projects to keep producing crude oil, gas, LNG and other refined products until the renewable projects can reach the same level in terms of energy production. Otherwise, it would leave a black hole in our energy supply. That’s why at Reed Smith, we help our clients on the energy transition and developing new technologies to ensure consistency and stability in the energy market,” she adds.

The complicated nature of energy projects is obviously part of the draw for Wei Wei. “I enjoy the complexity of it,” she explains. “To be a good energy lawyer, you should possess a mixture of skills – corporate, finance and regulatory aspects. Most importantly, you need to be on top of sector development, you should have basic knowledge of the entire value chain from upstream project development to downstream sales and marketing, in order to understand the clients’ business as energy clients operate throughout the entire value chain.”

What advice would she give to students interested in energy law? “Be open-minded and have a good attitude,” she says. “It takes years to be a good energy lawyer. It’s not something you can achieve in a few years. So you need to be prepared to play the long game.”

Wei Wei will be speaking at ‘The future of energy — with Reed Smith’, a virtual student event taking place on Monday 28 November. You can apply to attend the event, which is free, now.

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US outfit Reed Smith has launched a new training academy for lawyers and graduates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The ‘Reed Smith Academy’ is open to individuals that have graduated from a “recognised university”, although the firm is particularly keen to hear from foreign graduates seeking to qualify in England and Wales as well as those who are already practicing under another legal qualification and are seeking to dual-qualify.

The firm has teamed up with the Chancery Lane Institute for Professionals (CLIP), a law school which has been delivering legal education in the Middle East since 2014, to help prepare candidates to sit both parts of the Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE).

The firm says the academy will also enable in-house legal teams and law firms to sponsor individuals through the process of qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales.

The first courses will start in 2023, both in-person and virtually.

Sachin Kerur, office managing partner of Reed Smith’s Middle East offices, said: “With the prevalence and use of English law or English law-derived legislation and regulation continuing to surge in the region, this qualification will be hugely useful to both the individuals obtaining it and their employers.”

Kerur continued:

“The training programme presents a significant opportunity for those in the Middle East looking to qualify as a Solicitor; the new process is quicker, more flexible and allows candidates to continue working full-time. We want to support the growth of the legal sector in the region and believe this service will be of great use to our clients and other firms based here. We are delighted to launch the Reed Smith Academy.”

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A raft of UK law firms have signed up to become members of Fifth Day, a non-profit organisation that promotes pro bono opportunities for law firms’ business operations teams.

The programme was launched in June by the former head of corporate communications at Pinsent Masons, Fred Banning, with the aim of extending pro-bono opportunities to those working in non-lawyer roles, including IT, business development, marketing and finance.

Over 10 leading UK law firms have now signed a letter committing to promoting pro-bono opportunities to their 10,000 plus business ops staff.

Amongst the signatories are Burness Paull, Clyde & Co, Dentons, Eversheds Sutherland, Fieldfisher, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gateley, Kennedys, Mills & Reeve, Pinsent Masons, Reed Smith and Watson Farley & Williams.

Commenting on the support, Fifth Day founder Banner said:

“It is really heartening that so many of the leading law firms have embraced the concept of non-legal pro bono. The great thing is that none of the conversations I have had with firms has revolved around ‘this is why pro bono is a good idea’. They know the benefits for their lawyers, and so making the case for extending a culture of pro bono to their business services teams is not a massive leap. It’s a win for the firms, their employees and the third sector organisations we’re trying to help.”

“It’s no secret that we’re in for a tough winter in the UK, and the work of third sector organisations has arguably never been more important. This is a really tangible way for individuals to get involved and help, with the support of their employers. I hope that as time goes on more firms will see fit to join in with us,” he added.

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The flexible nature of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) means that students can study and complete qualifying work experience (QWE) on their own timeline. At Legal Cheek’s latest virtual student event, ‘Kicking off your legal career with the SQE’, legal education experts from Reed Smith, Accutrainee and The College of Legal Practice came together to discuss how aspiring solicitors can best design their future careers in light of the changes brought about by the new centralised assessment.

The speakers:

• Bhavisha Mistry, legal director of The Fragrance Shop and programme committee member, supervisor and course developer at The College of Legal Practice
• Rebecca Schrod, graduate recruitment manager at Reed Smith
• Meera Ferguson, director of operations at Accutrainee
• Giles Proctor, The College of Legal Practice’s CEO

What type of QWE should I do?

The SQE offers aspiring solicitors the flexibility of taking work experience with up to four different organisations in place of a traditional training contract. Giles Proctor, CEO of The College of Legal Practice, stated that QWE does not need to be remunerated and could also involve volunteering with local legal charities or university law clinics. “The Solicitors Regulation Authority has a form for logging your work experience. As long as your work experience matches the solicitor competencies set out by the regulator, you are good to go,” Proctor told a virtual audience of nearly 300 students.

Meera Ferguson, director of operations at Accutrainee, cautioned that this flexibility shouldn’t mean students rush to qualify. “I would advise taking a step back,” she explained. “Be critical of your work experience and question whether it will make you a well-rounded lawyer.” She further expressed her excitement about the new pathway to qualification. “The world of work is changing quickly,” Ferguson said. “The flexible QWE provides the kind of broad experience that will produce brilliant lawyers for the future.” Overall, the panel agreed that students must be mindful of what work experience they choose to undertake, and ensure it aligns with their future career goals.

When should I do the SQE?

A notable change in the SQE regime is that students can decide the timelines for when they undertake their assessments and QWE. However, when asked if you could prepare for the SQE alongside your undergraduate studies, Proctor said: “It is about giving yourself the best chance of passing. Principles of law are really important in the SQE assessments and therefore, it is always a good idea to do your degree first and then move to the SQE. That said, we are working with some universities to offer a SQE1 prep elective in the third year of undergraduate study itself.”

Ferguson agreed that completing a law degree or conversion course would benefit students before starting QWE. “From our perspective, to be honest, many of our clients will want to see some form of legal learning having been completed, whether an undergraduate law degree or a conversion course, and then SQE1.” On the other hand, Bhavisha Mistry, legal director of The Fragrance Shop, said that working while studying might not be a bad idea. “If someone can demonstrate passion and commitment, I would definitely take them on even if they are still at university.” She caveated that by stressing that working while studying is challenging, and students should aim to strike that right balance between the two.

How is the SQE different?

The SQE is all about being able to develop and demonstrate legal skills. Expanding on her experience of tutoring SQE students at The College of Legal Practice, Bhavisha said the SQE is more practical in approach than the outgoing Legal Practice Course (LPC). “Rather than writing essays on consumer or contract laws, students are now being faced with practical scenarios, such as how should a director set up his business when he wants full control,” she explained. “These are the kind of things you’ll need in practice to be able to advise your clients cost-effectively and quickly.” In her words, “the SQE is perfect for developing the right people for the profession.”

The SQE is changing the approach law firms take too. As Rebecca Schrod, graduate recruitment manager at Reed Smith, explained: “At Reed Smith we looked at what worked for us in the LPC and retained those modules. With The College of Legal Practice, we additionally designed bespoke electives which will help our trainees upon qualification.” The testing of practical skills in SQE2 also means firms will want future trainees to be exam ready. “We are instituting two days’ work placements each week for our future trainees so they’re able to understand the business of law better,” she told the audience.

What about the LPC?

The SQE poses a conundrum for students who are still eligible to qualify under the LPC route. Schrod shared that the choice is likely to come down to personal preference. “It all depends on how you want to be studying,” she said. “The LPC is more structured while the SQE offers a more flexible mode of learning.” Students might also want to think about what firms they are going to be applying to and what preference, if any, they have. On this point, Reed Smith’s policy is to adopt the SQE pathway from this year onwards.

Proctor echoed the position and stated: “There is no right or wrong answer. But you might want to consider what kind of learner you are. We see a lot of statutory references and case law in the LPC. By contrast, the SQE is a lot more practical.”

It seems that Graduate Diploma in Law, or some form of conversion course, may stick around in some shape or form. Proctor spoke of how the key to passing SQE is to grasp the foundational principles and concepts and appreciating how the legal system operates. “Non-law students might not necessarily have that background. “With this in mind, our view is to encourage some kind of conversion course,” he said. The College of Legal Practice offers a uniquely designed foundation course for non-law graduates, the Graduate Foundation in Law, to take prior to starting SQE1 prep.

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How will the SQE impact international students?

The SQE has opened up the market for international students to directly qualify with work experience undertaken overseas. As shared by Proctor, “you must meet the SRA’s competencies, regardless of where you gained the work experience. As per the guidance, you can get your international work experience signed off either by your supervisor if they are qualified, or by a solicitor qualified in England and Wales who can review the work and get feedback from your supervisor.”

Bhavisha said she is “optimistic” about the future of SQE. “I am currently teaching students at The College of Legal Practice from Jamaica, Pakistan and Singapore. I think SQE will help in improving accessibility for international and socially mobile candidates,” she said.

The low pass rates for the first SQE1 sit do not hinder this vision, according to Proctor. “There were similarly low pass rates in the initial attempts of Qualifying Lawyers Transfer Scheme,” he noted. “The SQE is a regime change and once students are attuned to it, the pass rates are sure to rise.” In an optimistic closing, Ferguson told the students: “Talent is key and it will always win out. I think the SQE is a valuable step in opening up the legal industry and is going to do really well in the coming years.”

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The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) came into force on 1 September 2021. Though in its infancy, it has masses of potential for the legal profession. At Legal Cheek’s latest virtual event, ‘How to use QWE to qualify as a solicitor’, members from Flex Legal, Accutrainee and Reed Smith joined a legal education expert from BARBRI to discuss the changes brought by qualifying work experience (QWE), and the opportunities it brings for aspiring lawyers and the wider legal profession.

The speakers

• Robert Dudley, Vice President of Strategy & Marketing at BARBRI
• Will Long, Flex Legal’s Head of Client Partnerships and Flex trainee
• Meera Ferguson, solicitor and Accutrainee’s Director of Operations
• Rebecca Schrod, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Reed Smith

1. Gain QWE at multiple firms

Aspiring lawyers can acquire their two years of QWE at up to four different organisations. And they don’t necessarily need to be law firms, with in-house teams, law clinics and unregulated providers of legal services, all now available to offer work that makes the grade. This is cause for celebration according to Meera Ferguson, solicitor and Accutrainee’s Director of Operations. At Accutrainee, which employs trainees who are then seconded out to in-house teams and law firms, “the building blocks had already been set and relationships had been built” for trainees and its client businesses and law firms, she explained.

Will Long, Flex Legal’s Head of Client Partnerships, also shared the same sentiment. Though newer in its inception and with a unique social mobility angle, Flex Legal has been able to capitalise on this shake-up by offering its Flex trainees experiences in a wide range of organisations, including Vodafone, ASOS, BMW and even the Church of England.

But the speakers all emphasised that QWE should not simply be viewed by aspiring lawyers as a tick-box exercise. Rather, “the combined total of QWE should be of a quality that helps you with the most opportunities for your future”, stressed Robert Dudley, Vice President of Strategy & Marketing at BARBRI. When it comes to applying for positions as a newly qualified (NQ) lawyer, it is that quality of experience obtained that will “make you a well-rounded lawyer able to move into organisations and be a manager, a leader or even a CEO”, Ferguson added.

It can be entirely possible for a newbie associate to enter the world of private practice with only paralegal experience under their belt, according to Rebecca Schrod, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Reed Smith. From the international firm’s perspective, it is “very much about telling a story with your QWE, explaining why you’ve approached it in the way you have and why this will add value to the firm”, Schrod explained. The work experience obtained by students must also look to develop skills beyond just technical ability: “it’s the transferable competencies, emotional intelligence and human aspects of being a lawyer that tend to drive people forward in their careers”, Long said. Wider business attributes like stakeholder management, sales knowledge, as well as “softer skills” like punctuality and being present in a meeting “is an accelerant to someone’s legal career”, he added.

When it comes to selecting opportunities for QWE, Dudley told the virtual audience of over 250 students: “Ask yourself, ‘Does this combine well with other experiences for what you ultimately want to achieve in the end?’”

2. QWE: before, during or after the SQE?

Whether you choose to start QWE before, during or after SQE1 or 2 prep — or even during your undergraduate degree — this can all count towards the two-year requirement. But when is the best time to do this?

Some students will prefer to undertake QWE during the SQE. Subjects can be “conceptual and abstract when you’re just studying them in isolation, so being able to apply it in work can be useful”, said Long. The speakers agreed that studying while learning presents an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to deal with competing priorities and balancing them — an important skill for junior lawyers.

However, this approach is not necessarily right for everyone and ultimately comes down to personal preference and experience, the panellists stressed. “At the end of every stage in your career, you need to be able to tell a good story about what you have learnt and how this will contribute to the next stage of your career”, Long told the audience.

3. Death to the traditional training contract?

As Dudley put it, QWE has the potential to “change the entrenched system” whereby after completion of the Legal Practice Course, trainees undertake a series of seats before qualifying into their desired practice area. Following the introduction of the SQE, Reed Smith made the decision to evolve its training contract model.

The firm’s future rookies will first take part in a ‘professional SQE year’, which Schrod described as “a year-long blend of study and practical work experience”. While trainees complete their SQE1 and 2 prep, as well as advanced electives, they will undertake two placements across the firm’s professional services and pro bono teams. After completing this year, trainees will then undertake their QWE across different practice areas in the firm. The aim of this, said Schrod, is to give their trainees “a broader sense of life at a law firm”. It was important to the international outfit that trainees learn about these different functions, “to develop new skills and really make the most of the opportunities the SQE has to offer”, she expanded.

Schrod concluded by explaining that the firm’s logic is largely underpinned by a question all firms and organisations should be asking themselves: “What are the good bits of the old system that we should keep, but also what opportunities could the SQE present us with?”

4. New opportunities for aspiring lawyers

The opportunities created by QWE “could have a really profound effect on the entry points”, according to Long. Pointing to a statistic that showed last year there were some 35,000 applicants for roughly 5,000 training contracts, Long went on to explain that widening access to the profession through new and innovative training opportunities can only have a positive effect.

But equally as important is the recognition that private practice is not necessarily suited for every individual. Dudley emphasised that “we are now in a situation where new opportunities are opening up as a result of this new regime and we need to embrace it”. It’s no longer just “barrister or solicitor, City or high street”, Ferguson added, with new opportunities for students to seek out QWE in exciting new areas such as legal operations, legal technology and legal project management. “Don’t try and fit yourself into a box you think you ought to be in; the SQE can help you if you play to your strengths”, she said.

Rounding off the informative discussion, the panellists were in agreement that there needs to be more awareness and engagement — from all parts of the legal profession. There are practical concerns but for Long, and the rest of the speakers, “the SQE and QWE is a valid and worthwhile path to a long-term career in law”.

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US law firm Reed Smith has rolled out a new policy that rewards its lawyers working on sustainability projects.

The policy was announced this week as part of the firm’s Global Environmental Sustainability Plan 2024 and one it considers “may be the first of its kind among global law firms”.

From next month the firm’s lawyers, including those based in the UK, can count up to 25 hours of leadership, advocacy, training and development work tied to environmental sustainability towards their billable hour targets. This allowance forms part of the firm’s existing 140 hours of billable credit set aside each year for non-billable work. Reed Smith lawyers in London have an annual billing target of 1,700 hours, our Firms Most List shows.

Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s global head of personnel, said: “The expansion of the billable-hours policy to include sustainability projects is another enhancement of our Associate Life initiative, which enables our attorneys to work on issues of critical importance while building leadership skills and expanding their skill sets. These experiences will further support their legal and professional development and yield key advances in support of sustainability.”

Qualifying work could include serving as a leader on the firm’s internal “Green Team”, organising or attending sustainability-focused meetings and initiatives, working on client partnerships or joining groups such as the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, Reed Smith said in a statement.

For some time now law firms have given fee-earners credit towards pro bono work and other activities not necessarily related to client matters, such as diversity and inclusion, tech and innovation.

Back in 2018 Reed Smith was one of the first law firms to allow lawyers to be rewarded for time spent on innovation; they can set aside 50 hours for such projects. The firm, like others, also has a 50-hour allowance for D&I efforts.

Reed Smith’s two-year plan is focused on reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2024 and making all products used across its global offices recyclable or reusable. The firm scored an A* for eco-friendliness in our latest Trainee & Junior Lawyer Survey.

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Reed Smith is set to relocate its London office to a new development which “feels a world away from the City”.

The Pittsburgh headquartered outfit confirmed it will move to Blossom Yard & Studios in Spitalfields, East London, from early 2024. Legal Cheek understands the firm is still to sign on the dotted line but heads of terms have been agreed.

Just a short walk from the uber-cool cafes and eateries of Shoreditch, the new site is a collection of “sensitively designed” Victorian and Georgian terrace buildings that form part of the Norton Folgate development.

The firm is currently based at the top of Broadgate Tower, a glass-clad skyscraper just a short walk from the Blossom Yard site. The present office chalked up an A* in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey thanks in part to its billionaire’s penthouse vibe and stunning views of the City.

Commenting on the relocation, Andrew Jenkinson, Reed Smith’s London office managing partner, said:

“While literally just across the street from our current office, Blossom Yard feels a world away from the City. The events of the last two years have led to fundamental changes in the way we work together. This led us to rethink the space we need for the future and how we can use that creatively. Our people have more choice and flexibility in how and where they work than ever before and our new offices will be an attractive, vibrant and dynamic destination.”

A number of big City players have announced plans to relocate offices.

Hogan Lovells and Allen & Overy are moving to new digs in 2026 and 2027, respectively, while Travers Smith and Kirkland & Ellis have both announced they are moving to new pastures in the coming years. Elsewhere, Linklaters is set to relocate to a new site at 20 Ropemaker Street, Moorgate, from 2026.

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At Legal Cheek’s latest virtual event, ‘Everything you need to know about the SQE’, members from graduate recruitment and learning & development teams at top City firms, Baker McKenzie, DWF, Herbert Smith Freehills and Reed Smith, joined a legal education expert from BARBRI to discuss the opportunities the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) presents for aspiring lawyers.

The speakers

• Sarah Peachman, recruitment manager at Baker McKenzie
• Clare Collins, head of learning and development at DWF
• Victoria Pearson, learning and development manager at Herbert Smith Freehills
• Katrina Watson, learning and development senior manager at Reed Smith
• Victoria Cromwell, senior director of business development at BARBRI and former magic circle solicitor

On 1 September 2021 the SQE regime came into force, becoming the new standardised assessment to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. According to Katrina Watson, learning and development senior manager at Reed Smith, the SQE “really gives opportunities and improvements to flexibility, freedom and innovation” she told the virtual audience of almost 250 students. There has been a “huge move, in part because of Covid, but also because of the delivery of the content and exams, to online learning”, Watson explained. This gives students the opportunity to have “a higher accountability for your own learning journey”, added Victoria Cromwell, BARBRI’s senior director of business development. In order to succeed when studying for the SQE, students will need to be “more resilient and self-disciplined when undertaking any prep courses”, said Watson.

Further, with the SQE, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has removed the requirement for non-law graduates to undertake a year-long conversion course, such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). Sarah Peachman, recruitment manager at Baker McKenzie, explained that the GDL essentially duplicates what is covered by SQE1 so the removal of this requirement creates the opportunity for future trainees to “qualify sooner and get on the ladder quicker”. At many panellists’ firms, the GDL continues to be valued, however. Victoria Pearson, learning and development manager at Hebert Smith Freehills, emphasised that HSF regards the GDL as an important stage in preparing their non-law graduates for practice and that this will not affect non-law grads’ access into the legal profession as this will continue to be firm-sponsored.

The SQE regime also widens the scope for aspiring solicitors obtaining qualifying work experience (QWE). Cromwell explained that “the whole idea of the SQE is to be much more flexible than requiring a particular path”. There are four requirements to qualify under the SQE — to have a degree (or equivalent qualification), to pass both SQE assessments, to have two years’ QWE and to pass the SRA’s character and suitability requirements. As the order to complete these four elements is not defined by the SRA, undergraduate students would be able to obtain QWE during their degree. Pearson observed that “universities are mindful of this and are creating more opportunities to work in legal clinics and law centres”. But “candidates must make sure to keep a full record and have this signed off by an England & Wales qualified lawyer”, she said.

For students looking for a more prescriptive route to QWE, the SQE has created an opportunity for firms and businesses to innovate. For example, in October 2020, DWF announced its decision to replace its training contract with a graduate apprenticeship programme. This new model presents the opportunity “for businesses to draw down on the apprenticeship levy and for students to receive a real living wage while studying — this will open up applications for those who would be otherwise put off”, explained Clare Collins, head of learning and development at DWF.

We are live at today's virtual event 'Everything you need to know about the SQE — with @bakermckenzie, @DWF_Graduate, @HSFgraduatesUK, @reedsmithllp and @BarbriSqe'
On the agenda for the panel discussion: pic.twitter.com/ANZSDVx4Sh

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Baker McKenzie’s trainees, meanwhile, will undertake their BARBRI SQE Prep course from September 2023 and need to pass both exams before beginning their training contracts in September 2024. But in addition, as part of Baker McKenzie’s SQE partnership with BARBRI “we will have a Social Mobility Fund whereby for every four candidates funded by Baker McKenzie, BARBRI will provide one fully funded place on a SQE1 Prep course to an unsponsored individual from a low socioeconomic background. This aligned well with our wider inclusion and diversity strategy and increasing access to the profession is something that we are very passionate about”, said Peachman.

Reed Smith and Herbert Smith Freehills have taken similar approaches starting with their August 2023 trainee intakes. Reed Smith is partnering with BARBRI and the College of Legal Practice for the provision of training. From September 2022, Herbert Smith Freehills trainees will attend the City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme which has been developed with members of the City Consortium and BPP Law School.

With the variety of routes towards qualification as a solicitor available, Watson advised that students should “consider what your end game is and understand what the law firm you want to end up at is looking for; both for sponsorship routes or at NQ level”. When it is time to compete for a position as a newly qualified (NQ) solicitor, “you will need to compete with everyone — ranging from those who’ve followed sponsored routes to those who’ve completed QWE placements with several employers, which in due course is unlikely to be a level playing field”, Watson said. To that end, Pearson added, “make sure to think ahead. Don’t just look at each requirement for qualification as a tick box exercise; really think about what you’re going to get from your qualifying work experience”. Collins advised aspiring lawyers to “start with the end in mind, think about the business you want to be in and the culture you want to be part of then get advice from them”.

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A clutch of law firms have launched a free legal advice service to help survivors of domestic abuse secure protective injunctions.

The Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA) has been brought together by Travers Smith and comprises six other founding member law firms; Debevoise & Plimpton, Gibson Dunn, Hogan Lovells, Latham & Watkins, Reed Smith, and Slaughter and May.

DARA is staffed by pro bono lawyers from the seven law firms. It will take referrals from the National Centre for Domestic Violence and represent individuals who are not eligible for legal aid but who cannot afford to pay for private representation, providing them with help, support and representation from the outset to the conclusion of the case.

“For so many survivors of domestic abuse, legal protection is out of reach,” said DARA founder and Travers Smith director of pro bono, Sam Cottman, who has provided legal support to survivors of domestic abuse for over a decade and now plans to do so at scale. “That may be due to a lack of funding, an overly complex legal system or, often, the terrifying prospect of facing their abuser in court. Many of these individuals have no choice but to return to life-threatening relationships.”

“At Travers Smith, we have committed hundreds of hours to assembling DARA so we can work in tandem with the brilliant founding member firms to help as many survivors as possible,” said Cottman. “I believe DARA is the largest pro bono advocacy service for survivors of domestic abuse ever assembled. I am delighted to see it go live and look forward to driving its growth over the years to come.”

DARA will be supervised by family law firm, Beck Fitzgerald, under the guidance of co-founder Jenny Beck QC, a specialist in domestic abuse cases.

Beck said: “Nobody should live in fear of abuse yet cuts to legal aid have made accessing legal protection orders impossible for many. The solution needs to be a properly funded education, prevention and protection system but we are some considerable way from that. DARA provides an invaluable resource to help survivors who would otherwise be at huge risk.”

In England and Wales, one in four women experience domestic abuse during their lifetime. Every week two women in the UK are killed by a current or former partner and three die by suicide due to domestic abuse.

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With most law firms re-opening their offices and hybrid working becoming part of the ‘new normal’, the importance of a firm’s office cannot be overstated. Legal Cheek’s annual Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey reveals which offices have the ‘wow factor’ according to their rookies.

Legal Cheek asked trainees and junior lawyers from over 100 of the nation’s leading firms to give us the lowdown on their offices. Respondents could score their offices on a scale from one to ten, with one being described as ‘not at all impressive’ and ten being ‘highly impressive’.

We can reveal that 13 firms made it to the shortlist, scoring an A* for their offices. Below are the firms listed in alphabetical order:

Ashurst

Bird & Bird

Burges Salmon

Clifford Chance

Cooley

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Gowling WLG

Kirkland & Ellis

Norton Rose Fulbright

Paul Hastings

Reed Smith

Sidley Austin

Vinson & Elkins

As part of the survey each year we give trainees and junior lawyers the opportunity to expand on their scores by submitting anonymous comments. We received hundreds of comments giving us the dish on their digs. Here are a select few comments about some of the shortlisted firms:

“Amazing office! Bright and modern open plan office with a good cafe and a nice terrace to eat lunch. All desks are also equipped with all the IT equipment and standing desks.”

“The offices are immaculate, modern and somewhat offset the late nights when you have a view over East London, Greenwich, O2 etc. They have all of the facilities and amenities you need (which during normal times are much appreciated).”

“An outstanding office: modern, impressive, functional. Each lawyer (now including trainees post-pandemic) has their own office. I can’t imagine any firm in the City has a better office.”

“One of the major perks of working at the firm is the office. It has great views over London and is the envy of my trainee friends at other firms. The staff canteen is reasonably priced and has a massive range of choice.”

“It’s got that wow factor. Easily the best office I’ve seen, even with having attended numerous events, interviews and vacation schemes at other firms (and companies, for that matter).”

“The newly kitted out office is phenomenal — 100% of the desks are (expensive) sit-stand, top of the line HAG SoFi chairs (so comfortable), so much designer furniture that I feel like I walked into a showroom. Plants in every room. Nothing to say — so comfortable I’d rather be there than my own home!”

The winning law firm in this category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2022, sponsored by BARBRI, on Thursday 24 March 2022.

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From ‘life-changing’ bundling tools to automated contracts, law firms are using tech in a number of ways to boost efficiencies and enhance their client offering. So, for those of you wondering how tech savvy your favourite firms are — look no further! Legal Cheek’s annual Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey reveals which firms have the best legal tech.

‘How advanced is your firm’s legal tech?’ is the question we put to trainees and junior lawyers from over 100 of the nation’s leading law firms. Rookies could rate their firm from 1, being ‘very basic’, to 10, being ‘very advanced’.

We’ve crunched the numbers and can reveal that 15 firms made it to the shortlist, scoring an A* for legal tech. Below are the 15 firms listed in alphabetical order:

Best law firms for legal tech 2022

Addleshaw Goddard
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
CMS
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
DWF Group Plc
Osborne Clarke
Pinsent Masons
Reed Smith
Simmons & Simmons
TLT
Travers Smith
Womble Bond Dickinson

As part of the survey each year we give trainees and junior lawyers the opportunity to expand on their scores by submitting anonymous comments. We received hundreds of comments sharing how firms are harnessing legal tech — from automating certain processes to encouraging trainees to think of tech solutions. Here are a select few comments about some of the shortlisted firms:

How advanced is your firm’s legal tech?

“There is active encouragement to engage with legal technology and further developments in the pipeline. Everyone is encouraged to come up with ideas to solve problems.”

“Sometimes I have to be reminded that some of the tools we use which are just a normal part of my working life are miles ahead of other firms!”

“Bundling tools are life-changing!”

“HighQ collaboration platforms, automated contracts, DocuSign expertise have all enhanced the efficiency of my work.”

“Innovation is a big thing at the firm, they really value progressing legal tech solutions. It’s more applicable to some practice areas than others. For example, litigation uses lots of legal tech for document review, which makes the trainee role much easier. The firm is also keen for trainees to get involved with legal tech if it’s of interest.”

“The firm provides great innovative products to our clients that address their needs. Internally we are encouraged to look at how we can use the tools at our disposal more efficiently or try different ways of working.”

The winning law firm in this category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2022, sponsored by BARBRI, on Thursday 24 March 2022.

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With many law firms and their clients’ keen to promote ESG, the eco-friendliness of a law firm is coming under greater scrutiny. In an attempt to separate the Gretas from those who should be doing better, Legal Cheek asked trainees and junior lawyers from over 100 of the nation’s leading law firms to rate their firms, as part of our annual Trainee and Junior Lawyer survey.

Respondents were asked to score how environmentally conscious their law firms are on a scale from one to ten, with one being ‘not at all environmentally conscious’ and ten being ‘highly environmentally conscious’.

We’ve tallied up the scores and below is the shortlist, listed alphabetically, for the firms that scored A*s for eco-friendliness.

Best law firms for eco-friendliness 2022

Addleshaw Goddard
Bird & Bird
Burges Salmon
Clifford Chance
CMS
Hogan Lovells
Norton Rose Fulbright
Osborne Clarke
Penningtons Manches Cooper
Pinsent Masons
Reed Smith
Shoosmiths
Simmons & Simmons
Taylor Wessing
TLT
Travers Smith
Womble Bond Dickinson

The survey asked trainees to review the sustainability of their respective firms. Here are a selected few of the anonymous comments submitted by trainees at the above firms:

How environmentally conscious is your firm?

“Each office has an Environmental Team who put forward and help progress initiatives”

“The firm does a lot to further its environmental objectives and has an ambitious net zero target. Internal sustainability committee works hard to ensure employees across the firm are engaged with various initiatives.”

“The firm prioritises purchasing and supporting environmentally conscious brands, from the washing up liquid we use in our kitchen, to the furniture and furnishings in our office they have all been chosen due to their environmental impact.”

“On joining the firm, we were all given reusable bottles and beeswax wraps. I even remember my assessment centre with the firm having a strong focus on being environmentally friendly.”

“There is an increased drive to put the environment at the heart of our decision making”

“Very conscious push to go paperless. They’ve removed personal printers from each desk to try and stop overprinting in the office.”

The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2022, sponsored by BARBRI, on Thursday 24 March 2022.

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