Client contact, or more often the lack of it, is a common theme among trainees. At risk of generalising, it's often the larger city/corporate practices which disappoint. It seems the combination of bigger intakes, top-dollar deals and demanding clients means that trainees are kept at arms' length, whereas those firms with smaller intakes tend to allow earlier responsibility. South West Stephens Scown scored well last year and is still winning praise from trainees who run their own files; for one this meant 'working closely with a high-profile client, feeling like a trusted member of the team'. The North West's Forbes provided one trainee with the satisfaction of 'seeing how happy the client was after we were successful at the trial of an RTA'. Yet again Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP makes a strong showing; one trainee certainly won't forget 'having a beer with a client who had just made a personal profit of £60m from the sale of his company.' Healthcare specialist Capsticks encourages trainees to shoulder responsibility – 'I've been to hearings on my own and was given my own caseload', ensuring plenty of client contact. At South West firm Ashfordstrainees are 'encouraged to get involved with business development with ample opportunity to get to know clients and their businesses. You really feel like a valued member of the team'. US energy specialist Vinson & Elkins has a very small intake and one trainee says 'I feel I get a lot more client contact and a lot more responsibility because of it.' At Payne Hicks Beach several trainees mentioned high-profile clients (eg Sir Paul McCartney), with one enjoying 'meeting some very well known people and spending all day with them at a mediation having a really good time'. East Anglian Birketts LLP offers 'more responsibility, more client contact', with one trainee even 'holding a client meeting in my first week', while at Lupton Fawcett LLP in Leeds one trainee enjoyed 'attending a mediation with a director', adding 'it does appear that you get more client contact than most'. At Russell-Cooke LLP 'I get 'real' work with my own files, client contact and supervision when necessary'.