How would you rate the work/life balance at your firm?

As much as trainees are attracted to high-profile work and enjoy the fast-paced nature of a legal career, having a life outside of work is equally important. Working at a firm which offers top-quality work and high-profile clients occasionally requires trainees to work long hours into the evening and weekend, but these Lex 100 Winner firms have managed to find the right combination of quality of work, salary and a work/life balance. Trainees at Forsters report that ‘it is rare to stay later than 6.30pm’ and enjoy working with colleagues who have ‘interests outside of just law’. Wilsons’ ‘personal feel’ combined with ‘niche, high-quality work’ provides the perfect balance for current trainees. At Ward Hadaway, newbies enjoy receiving ‘good-quality work without having to make sacrifices’, and that partners ‘do not expect you to stay late in the office’. Respondents appreciate that at Hodge Jones & Allen ‘there is no pressure to stay after 5.30pm because there is a tacit acknowledgement that we are not paid enough to do that’, but some trainees ‘frequently stay later because I enjoy what I’m doing, although it’s not expected’. Providing the ‘perfect balance’, Ashfords allows trainees to ‘enjoy a South West lifestyle, whilst still offering a national full-service work base and high-quality clients’. Recruits were pleased that Bevan Brittan lived up to its ‘good reputation for work/life balance’ which is supported by its ‘focus on personal development’. At Fladgate trainees report ‘better hours compared to City law firms’ which ensures that recruits ‘feel happy’.