Charles Russell Speechlys

Rookies are positive about the quality of the training at the firm. One enthuses: “I have to say that the responsibility you get at CRS is second to none. Opportunities as a trainee to lead client calls and go to court all the time has definitely made the training a great experience.” We are also told that “the CRS Business School [a part of the firm which provides career development support] has developed tailored programmes to promote development and career progression, which is extremely valuable”.

Alongside private client work, trainees often get to sample the firm’s specialisms in property, litigation and general corporate and commercial work. “There’s a real effort to make sure everyone gets interesting work,” an insider reports. “Also, the issues that our UHNW/HNW [ultra-high net worth and high net worth] clients face are frequently highly bespoke, requiring actual analysis instead of replicating work based off of long-established precedents.” One trainee describes the firm as “a true leader in the private wealth realm”. Another source tells us that the work given “has been really varied”, with trainees often working directly with partners and having the opportunity to drive projects forward.
Trainees also report on having real camaraderie and friendships with their peers. One gushes: “The other trainees in the cohort are absolutely lovely, and we all get on really well. We are genuinely friends and it’s an amazing support system. NQs and other juniors in the team are generally really friendly, supportive and interested”.

Although competition can be present in some seats, such strain is the exception rather than the rule, as “overall, everyone gets along great”. These sentiments are mirrored in trainee feedback on the approachability of their superiors. With “doors always open, and popping in to ask questions always welcomed”, Charles Russell Speechlys is big on support and friendliness, with the caveat of occasional grumpiness when catching someone at the wrong time. There is said to be “a very flat hierarchy, particularly in transactional teams” and this is enhanced by the fact that “some floors in the office are open plan which assists with breaking down barriers between juniors and seniors”.

The social life at Charles Russell Speechlys is also pretty good. Colleagues bond over departmental drinks events, and winter parties — previous locations include the Natural History Museum in London. Summer parties are also said to be “great”. Current perks include subsidised gym membership, private healthcare, days off for moving house, dress for your day policy, and tennis on local courts once a week. For London staff, social events take place in the firm’s highly regarded in-house canteen-turned-pub, Charlie’s, whilst their Cheltenham counterparts head to the recently refurbished penthouse and the Guildford office get together for various activities such as the annual rounders tournament.

While the London office canteen, Charlie’s, is described as “a real hub of the firm”, providing trainees with a great opportunity for lunchtime catch-ups with their cohort, the Guildford and Cheltenham offices lack a canteen. However, this doesn’t cause much discontent as it is compensated by “great eating spaces” and plenty of “external food providers very close by”.

On the IT front, the firm “has all the classic tech”, including Luminance for “due diligence” tasks. Trainees report that the legal tech offering has “massively improved from 12 months ago”, but the biggest issue is its uptake, as more can apparently be done to integrate it into workstreams. The firm also operates a ‘Russell Up’ scheme, requiring trainees to complete an innovation project for each training seat, which encourages the “use and expansion of legal tech from the bottom up”.

The firm operates a flexible working policy, with most lawyers spending three days in the office and two days at home. Individuals can choose which days to work from home, although we’re told those in the regional offices tend to come in more frequently. It provides monitors, keyboards, mouses and headphones and “regularly check that your setup is suitable by providing training”, leading to one trainee finding working from home a “seamless” experience.

The money is pretty good too — especially in view of the decent work/life balance. Charles Russell Speechlys has a fairly strong reputation in this regard, with trainees speaking of “ebbs and flows”, “peaks and troughs” and “some late nights and occasional weekends”. Typical hours seem to be around 9.00am-6.45pm. Generally, the trainees recognise they have a better deal than their peers at many other commercial law and financial services firms, and report that when work does ramp up, they always feel supported by their superiors.

The London office, at 5 Fleet Place, is “very swanky, newly decorated” and the “9th floor in 5FP is particularly impressive”. Insiders report that the office is currently undergoing a refurbishment to make all floors open plan. The already updated floors are said to be “very modern with lots of private and group meeting room space”, as well as a swish new client space. The Guildford office is also being “spruced up and made modern”, a closed plan office where trainees sit in with their supervisors. Elsewhere, a relatively recent refurbishment of the Cheltenham office “really worked wonders” whilst the Guildford office comes with a highly recommended coffee machine – essential stuff for busy lawyers!

There is also a chance of going on a secondment, both client and international. Destinations include Morgan Stanley, private equity firm Actis and, internationally, in Zurich, Geneva, Paris, Luxembourg, Dubai and Hong Kong.