Aussie Firm of the Year winners and losers
08 January 2010
The full results are set out in Inside Info. However, basically Gilbert + Tobin wiped the board, coming first in three out of the four most important categories (pay, career prospects and its handling of the downturn).
 
Newcomer Henry Davis York clinched the title for the firm which treats its staff the best. With just one office in Sydney, the 200 lawyer outfit apparently prides itself on having a "one team" atmosphere. And comments from associates back this up. The firm not only had "no formal redundancy programs or pay freezes", but it "recently raised meal allowances for lawyers working late".

Lander & Rogers, another new entrant to the table, performed solidly and took the title of best party firm. Staff say it has "good team morale" and "great staff benefits" despite a few "ego-centric partners". There was praise also for consistently strong performer Lavan Legal - "we are spoilt: we have a personal trainer, breakfast and our efforts are rewarded", and the firm "has a very good approach to a balanced lifestyle". Piper Alderman also did well, with "nice offices, nice culture and smart partners". Even if some of them are "stuffy old men who sometimes have stuffy attitudes".

At the arse end of the table, HWL Ebsworth came bottom at pretty much everything. Mills Oakley was slammed for the state of its dunnies with one lawyer pleading, "we're moving to new offices in Feb, please let this improve the quality of the bathrooms!" And there is grave news for lawyers at Minter Ellison. Last year's reasonable score of 60% for its biscuits has dropped to just 29% after it "switched from specially made ones to Arnotts Assorted range".

Winners
	Pay	Prospects	Downturn	Treatment	Biscuits	Toilets	Parties
1	Gilbert & Tobin	Gilbert & Tobin	Gilbert & Tobin	Henry Davis York	Henry Davis York	Henry Davis York	Lander & Rogers
2	Lander & Rogers	Lavan Legal	Lander & Rogers	Gilbert & Tobin	Lander & Rogers	Gilbert & Tobin	Piper Alderman
3	Piper Alderman	Corrs Chambers Westgarth	Henry Davis York	Lavan Legal	Gilbert & Tobin	Piper Alderman	Lavan Legal
4	Henry Davis York	Baker & McKenzie	Lavan Legal	Piper Alderman	Freehills	Lavan Legal	Mills Oakley
5	Lavan Legal	Piper Alderman	Piper Alderman	DibbsBarker	Clayton Utz	Arnold Bloch Liebler	Henry Davis York

Losers
	Pay	Prospects	Downturn	Treatment	Biscuits	Toilets	Parties
22	Mallesons	Middletons	Minter Ellison	DLA Phillips Fox	McCullough Robertson	Thomson Playford Cutlers	DLA Phillips Fox
23	Middletons	Holding Redlich	DLA Phillips Fox	Gadens Lawyers	Thomson Playford Cutlers	DibbsBarker	Maddocks
24	Thomson Playford Cutlers	Deacons	Holding Redlich	Deacons	Minter Ellison	McCullough Robertson	Deacons
25	Holding Redlich	Thomson Playford Cutlers	HWL Ebsworth	Thomson Playford Cutlers	Mills Oakley	HWL Ebsworth	Thomson Playford Cutlers
26	HWL Ebsworth	HWL Ebsworth	Thomson Playford Cutlers	HWL Ebsworth	HWL Ebsworth	Mills Oakley	HWL Ebsworth

See Inside Info for the full results.