The Legal Cheek View
Meet the firm at Legal Cheek’s upcoming November UK Virtual Law Fair on Tuesday 19 November 2024
RWK Goodman, an ambitious and growing firm forged by successive mergers, is not one to be overlooked by aspiring lawyers seeking a TC at a regional firm. With three mergers in the last decade, the group now have offices in London, Bristol, Oxford, Swindon, Marlborough, Thame, and Bath (which houses the firm’s HQs and a second office). Building on a strong practice of injury and medical expertise, the successive acquisitions have added experience in private client, family, and business matters. The firm is also unique in having a specialised French-speaking team based in London, dealing with a wide range of international issues, and in being a (founding) member of Interleges, the international association of independent law firms.
Successful recruits can expect to be part of an annual cohort of around seven, with applicants able to select their preferred offices — although London seems to be the most sought after (and competitive) choice. Whilst there are no international or client secondments available, the quality of training is high, nonetheless, with the majority of respondents to the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2024-2025 rating it nearly excellent, or excellent. One mole reports that there are many opportunities to participate in external training in addition to internal pushes to aid team development. Another notes that while general firm-wide training is “good and well-managed”, some improvements could be made in providing more “refresher training”.
Having completed their four seats across the range of RWK Goodman’s practice areas, fresh faced associates will be joining a firm of around 100 partners with more than 600 staff nationally, bringing in an annual turnover in excess of £50 million. Since a good work/life balance is prioritised by the firm, most trainee and junior informants have a typical working day of 9-6. But this also means that salaries do not reach the astronomical heights of leading City firms.
Elsewhere, we’re told there is a broad range of interesting and stimulating work up for grabs. Most survey respondents gave high ratings to the quality of work they were exposed to, with one insider summarising – “it varies from department to department, but on the whole, it’s good”. Whilst for both trainees and juniors there are typical murmurings of administrative tasks, we’ve been assured that most of the work is “intellectually challenging and engaging”. There aren’t many better words to describe some of the firm’s most recent highlights, advising on the merger of the British Liver Trust and the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation and supporting an Oxfordshire-based renewables outfit on the acquisition of Chiltern Solar Limited. Previous high-profile deals have included representing four banks in a $133 million (£104 million) dispute with Essar Group’s Cypriot subsidiary, and advising software company Oxford Metrics plc on a £52 million sale.
Rookies also report that both peers and superiors foster a supportive environment and culture. “All members of the teams, from legal assistants to partners, will make time to talk you through work and answer any questions you may have”, states one jolly junior, with another adding that “my peers are always looking for ways to aid my development and improve my technical knowledge”. Generally, both peers and partners receive a near unanimous highly, or very highly, supportive score. The firm’s social life receives an average rating from its juniors, with survey respondents noting that this has “taken a significant downturn post-Covid, and with many people now hybrid working”. Another insider notes that while a number of social events take place each month these are not generally widely attended. However, trainees “try to get out and socialise once a month, usually for lunch – it’s a positive and friendly environment”.
Beyond the salary, hours, training, and comfortable environment, the perks offered to juniors are more limited. The newbies gave only an average rating for additional perks, and think that the office quality is variable from place to place. One insider reports that the client space has been recently renovated and looks great, while the new Bristol office “is fantastic and equipped with a rooftop terrace, café and open spaces”. While the firm’s offices do not have a canteen, its trainees across all offices have good things to say about the communal breakout spaces, with a foosball table adding a nice touch. Kitchen facilities are also found on each floor, with “free tea, coffee, biscuits, squash and fruit” up for grabs.
As for the legal tech on offer — in line with many other regional firms, juniors were not particularly blown away. One rookie describes it as “very standard but with multiple problems”, while another notes that while “steps are being taken to bring AI into certain processes”, implementation is in its early stages. An outdated case and client management system is another common gripe. It is also worth noting that the firm pays the full SQE fees for new recruits, a real benefit that should not be overlooked.
Although most firms generally expect trainees to attend the office full-time, RWK Goodman maintains a more flexible approach. Rookies report that they are required in the office a minimum of four days a week, something that is welcomed, allowing recruits to make the most of their training and benefit from the work environment. Juniors rate the firm’s WFH set up highly, noting that they are provided with “everything we need” and that it is easy to request additional equipment if required.