The Legal Cheek View
Consistently rated one of the best firms for training in the City, Mayer Brown’s newly qualified (NQ) associates are so well drilled that they’re often targeted by other US and Magic Circle rivals. “An excellent mix of formal training sessions and on the job experience makes the training very good”, a current trainee tells us, with hands-on learning being particularly prominent in transactional teams.
Mayer Brown’s financials this year saw a 2.7% revenue boost to $1.91 billion (£1.47 billion) and a 4.4% increase in profits per equity partner (PEP) to $2.44 million (£1.87 million), approximately the same as some Magic Circle outfits. The latter was helped by the nearly 8% drop in equity partners, attributed to retirements and less lateral hiring. The firm’s well-known strengths in regulatory, finance, M&A and restructuring contributed to its growth this past financial year, with firm chair Jon Van Gorp highlighting energy work in Brazil and private equity in Paris as notable strengths. Closer to home, the firm’s insurance and bank-related practices are particular positives in London — no surprise, given the firm’s strong financial services orientation.
Mayer Brown offers its freshly qualified solicitors a £135,000 pay package, with the firm’s US-based management team opting against adopting MoneyLaw rates and instead choosing to follow what is a broadly Silver circle junior solicitor pay scale. This dates back to the firm’s English roots in Rowe & Maw, the legacy firm which Mayer Brown merged with in order to establish its base in London.
In London, Mayer Brown concentrates on finance and real-estate, referred to by Van Gorp as its “calling cards”, as well as restructuring and high-stakes insurance work. Recent deals include advising on the sale and forward funding of a 32-storey West London mixed-use property development, as well as ING Bank on a refinancing with a multi-billion pound sustainability-linked facility. On top of this, Mayer Brown also boasts highly-rated niches in intellectual property, pensions and tech.
No paralegals means rookies handle a decent amount of admin-based work. But alongside standard trainee tasks in these practice areas like bundling, bibling, proof-reading and general admin, insiders tell us that there is “meaty work, such as drafting documents, interesting pieces of research, and attending meetings/court”. The quality of the work varies between teams, with one rookie noting that work is “more stimulating” in litigation. Another junior points out that “trainees are generally afforded a high level of responsibility and autonomy once [we] have earned people’s trust”. Being proactive and seeking stimulating work tends to operate in trainees’ favour, with associates also “look[ing] out for good development opportunities they can pass on to trainees”. Work content is said to be “very varied” and the opportunity to work “with most teams across the firm and other offices” is much appreciated by one insider.
Current trainees are also hugely positive about the quality of training that they receive. One insider describes it as “stellar formal and informal training which equips a trainee to do all the typical tasks they would usually be assigned in any given seat”. Moreover, every seat has a “thorough and practical” foundation training programme, with the firm also providing additional, more academic, training, where required. One rookie says that those in a construction seat undertake 15 weeks’ worth of training in construction law. Trainees also find associates “excellent at answering questions” and “always happy to explain why we are doing things a particular way”. Survey respondents are generally positive about their peers as well, with one describing the trainee cohort as a “fantastic resource”, and “really close”, save for the odd competitive one. A relatively small trainee intake of around 15 helps solidify bonds. In line with this, the superiors are also said to be “lovely for the most part”, who are great to learn from and build a nice relationship with in the meantime. The social life at Mayer Brown is said to “depend on the team”, with there generally being team drinks every couple of months and “a few more events around Christmas”.
While client secondments have dwindled in recent years to just one per seat rotation and international secondments are “effectively non-existent”, those keen to gain some in-house experience don’t have to be disappointed just yet. Trainees and junior associates have previously sampled life at the likes of Lloyds, HSBC, London Stock Exchange Group, Unilever, Wells Fargo and British Land where they enjoy a high degree of “independence” and “authority”.
Work/life balance varies from seat-to-seat, with generally no facetime culture, “except for maybe in corporate”. Another insider confessed that “it’s generally not amazing” with “draining busy periods”, but recognises that it’s the nature of the job. Trainees say that the general culture and friendliness of the place is a big boost when the going gets tough. Trainees are “a bunch that will go through hell and back with you”, and there’s “a real attitude of everyone being in it together” while “associates try and be considerate of your evenings and weekends”. They also “always try to give you notice if you will have to contribute a couple hours of your free time”.
Mayer Brown’s young are not particularly enthusiastic with the firm’s IT offering with one rookie commenting, “I’m no expert but I don’t think it’s great”, and another describing it as “pretty average”. While some legal technology is made available by the innovation team, such as ‘Office and Dragons’, which automates document creation and editing tasks, rookies think more can be done in this area. As for WFH allowances, the firm does not provide any equipment apart from the standard laptop, charger and work phone to encourage office attendance. That said, there is considerable flexibility if juniors want to leave early and pick back up or work from home on a day.
As for the firm’s office, one current trainee describes the “hipster” meeting rooms as “quite impressive” although “some of them do not have any natural light”. Insiders describe the firm’s London office in the Broadgate Tower development as “lovely and modern” and “very well-located”. Topping the perks is the firm’s subsidised London canteen, ‘The Hub’. There is “breakfast and both meat and veggie options for lunch every day, plus soup, salads and sandwiches, all subsidised”. That said, portion sizes can sometimes be “a hit or a miss” and the restrictive timings can sometimes mean missing lunch if stuck on a deal. The “lovely” staff get a particular shoutout from survey respondents, who are grateful for how “they always pick [you] up if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed”. Other much appreciated perks include a in-house GP, physio and counsellor, travel insurance and a gym subsidy, with one rookie noting that “it’s easy to forget how lucky we are to have such perks!”.