Field Fisher Waterhouse (London)

Our view... 

Around the millennium FFW was seen as a slightly crusty mid-sized firm. Since then it has managed to develop a much sexier image: it’s now a go to firm for technology, IP and European regulatory work. It also takes legal geek levels to new heights – in 2007 it was the first UK law firm to open a virtual office in the online community Second Life.
 
But don’t be fooled by the gimmicks. The firm has set itself some very tough goals over the last few years, and has managed to achieve them. In 2005, when its revenue was just over £52m, its target was to hit £75m by 2008. Turnover for that year actually reached a staggering £88m. It’s now aiming for £200m by 2012.

It hasn’t always got everything right. During the boom staff had to work hard to cope with the influx of work, salaries didn't keep pace with the rest of the City and FFW found it difficult to recruit. Underpaid and overworked assistants do not make for a happy ship, and the firm accepts that "salary was a huge concern". And it didn't win points when, just after posting a massive 30% rise in turnover, it made some 15 of its real estate lawyers redundant.
 
Salaries were eventually hiked up (see table on right) and pay is now reasonable. If not fantastic: back in 2007 it transpired that newly qualified assistants at Weil Gotshal made more money than newly made up partners at FFW… Lawyers also reckon that they work pretty decent hours, even if they still have to operate out of shabby offices at the arse end of the City.
 
The partnership is young and diverse – and perhaps on occasion too bullish. There were recently handbags at dawn over an age discrimination and harassment claim by one of their more senior partners. At the more junior end FFW claims that it takes a serious interest in the development of junior lawyers - there's a pretty comprehensive training scheme (which you would expect) and many assistants have their own marketing budgets (which you might not).
 
FFW has made an about turn on its vision of the future. It used to hold a publicly-stated policy of not pursuing a merger, either transatlantic or at home. This seems to have changed, with senior management stating that they would be interested in merging with a smaller firm. How this will impact on the firm over the next year or two remains to be seen, but for now FFW presents a good combination of decent work and fair hours.

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