Bristows

“I have been lucky during my TC so far and I have been given plenty of responsibility and interesting work,” one source tells LC. “All areas have a certain amount of admin but we are encouraged to make use of PAs and paralegals to deal with the brunt of that where possible.” Trainees describe being involved in “complex legal research questions” and taking ownership of tasks from their first day on the job. Another puts it this way: “Once you can demonstrate being able to do the basic tasks to a high level, most associates are very happy to give you more complex tasks, or there are plenty of opportunities for some more stimulating tasks if you are proactive and volunteer for them.”

The TC itself is a little idiosyncratic, with the firm offering a mix of three and six month seats across different areas, meaning trainees usually sit in five or six seats over the course of their contract. One seat is guaranteed to be in IP litigation; other potential areas include corporate, real estate, commercial disputes, EU and competition, commercial IP/IT and regulatory. Competition for a place is steep: the firm offers around ten training contracts a year, and with IP work in mind, several of those often go to candidates with science PhDs.

The firm’s latest financial results show another year of steady growth. Revenue increased by almost 4% to £62.6 million, while profit per equity partner (PEP) is understood to remain around the £500,000 mark. Bristows now has more than 200 fee-earners and has continued to strengthen its market-leading practices through a combination of strategic promotions and lateral hires, among them IP litigator Sean Ibbetson’s promotion to partner and the arrival of leading AI specialist Tom Sharpe, reflecting the firm’s continued investment in the technologies shaping its core client base. The firm also appointed Matthew Warren as senior partner last year, signalling a new chapter for one of the City’s best-known specialist firms.

All that growth hasn’t come at the cost of trainees’ evenings. They’re “very happy” with their work/life balance here. “The work life balance is certainly excellent, I leave before 6 most days,” explains one. “Late nights certainly aren’t unheard of, especially in the classic busier periods leading up to completion/trial (depending on the seat). Weekend work also can’t be entirely ruled out either, but it is rare.” Another adds: “I consistently finish between 6:30 and 7:30pm, subject to a handful of late nights for urgent matters.” There is some variation between departments, patent litigation has gained a reputation for being more of a slog, but on the whole, trainees describe their workloads as “very manageable, especially in comparison to other law firms.” One spy sums up the worst case scenario: “Sometimes late nights can’t be avoided (e.g. a deal, a call with counsel in the US, or ahead of a trial or hearing), but these have been relatively infrequent.” As one trainee puts it: “As far as city law goes, it can’t be much better.”

Pay is on the lower side for BigLaw, with NQs earning £95,000, though that doesn’t seem to bother many. “The best perks are the nice colleagues and the decent salary given the hours worked,” says one trainee. The occasional free breakfast is also greatly appreciated, while the standard package of private healthcare, a gym subsidy and a cycle to work scheme rounds out the offering. “Nothing flashy,” says one, “but what else could I really want?”

A mood of happiness pervades the firm, with Magic Circle style backstabbing notably absent among trainees, and senior lawyers maintaining a genuinely open door policy. “Cut-throats would not fit in here,” one source tells us. “People come for the friendly culture and the interesting and techy legal work.” Another describes their fellow trainees as “infallibly kind and supportive.” The seniors get similarly high marks. “I have never felt unable to raise a question or issue with partners and feel that my input is genuinely respected and valued,” says one source. Partners are said to have a sense of humour and are “happy to be mocked mercilessly” or, for those feeling less devilish, “happy for you to walk up to them and ask questions or have a chat about things you find interesting.” Another trainee notes: “There’s a real open-door policy, meaning that if I leave the door to my office open, my superiors are likely to stop by for a chat.” Also contributing to the good vibes: Bristows pays associates entirely on the basis of seniority rather than perceived merit, and has no billable target hours.

A social scene that’s positively pumping (by corporate law standards) further deepens the bonds. Partners often plan social activities for their departments, or simply send round a Friday work drinks email to whoever’s come into the office. On top of that, there’s a firm wide drinks event on the last Friday of every month, departmental Christmas celebrations, softball games, the Bristows Trainee Quiz, a lunchtime board game club, a “big all-out glitzy dinner dance” in the spring, and an autumn party, plus plenty of well attended sporting and charity events, including an annual cycle challenge.

Client secondments are a major selling point too, with a good chunk of survey respondents having done one. “Awesome” three month placements at Google DeepMind are common, with other destinations including Capgemini, GSK and a “clinical AI company.” As one insider puts it: “Ultimately, every firm has work that pays the bills and work that’s genuinely interesting and exciting. Luckily we get a lot more of the latter.” International secondments are rarer, unsurprising for a firm with just three offices, in London, Brussels and Dublin, although trainees and junior lawyers do get the odd business trip.

Tech has improved significantly in recent years, “from the basics of ‘the printing is now reliable’ to the development of advanced AI tools,” as one trainee puts it. The firm now has its own in-house GPT, and trainees get “everything you need to work from home,” with the budget stretching to a screen or two, a keyboard, mouse and a decent chair. A flexible three days in, two days out policy gets a thumbs up all round.

Bristows’ London HQ is currently based at the Grade II listed 100 Victoria Embankment, overlooking Blackfriars Bridge. Change is on the horizon, though: the firm is set to relocate later this year to Bow Bells House on Bread Street, taking the building’s top four floors. Little has been revealed yet about the fit-out, but the move promises a significant upgrade in both space and facilities. The new location puts trainees right in the heart of one of the City’s liveliest neighbourhoods. St Paul’s Cathedral sits just around the corner, while Paternoster Square (home to the London Stock Exchange) and the One New Change shopping centre offer plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops for lunch breaks and after work relaxation. The surrounding streets are also well stocked with traditional City pubs and bars, one reason Bread Street has become an increasingly popular destination for major law firms. If the move lives up to expectations, Bristows’ already highly rated office experience should get another welcome boost.

Put it all together, the client list, the work/life balance, the culture, the secondments, and it’s easy to see why one trainee calls Bristows “the best firm in the UK for tech work.” It’s a bold claim, but on this evidence, one the firm’s trainees seem more than happy to make.