Charles Russell Speechlys

In the UK, the firm takes around 25 trainees per year across its three spaces in London, Guildford and Cheltenham. Insiders say that the size of the intake has the advantage that trainees are given “plenty of opportunities for independent work” while still having someone to lean on when the going gets tough.

Rookies at CRS rave about the “excellent supervision” and “brilliant” training they receive at the firm, which balances “great client contact and high responsibility from the outset” with “a supportive environment.” “You get given a high level of independence, but not in an overwhelming way,” one source told Legal Cheek. Another explained how “the flat hierarchy means that fee earners at all levels are willing to give up their time to answer questions and give real insight into the matters trainees are assisting on.” Trainees are given a chance to get stuck in without any expectation of perfection; one insider revealed, “It is emphasised to ask any and all questions and to just have an attempt even if it isn’t perfect.”

These rave reviews come with the caveat that trainee experiences can change significantly between seats. “Depending on how comfortable you are, some teams are happy for you to go straight into the ‘deep end,’ eventually leading to you becoming the main client contact and leading matters,” one trainee tells LC. “Other associates like to keep their matters close to themselves, and you may only get involved with certain aspects of a matter, which can mean your training can be slightly disjointed. There are also sometimes quiet periods, and I have found myself twiddling my thumbs at times. That being said, supervisors do try really hard to ensure that you are being given a broad range of work.” Another current rookie notes that the “opportunities as a trainee to lead client calls and go to court all the time has definitely made the training a great experience,” and we are 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.”

Work-wise, the firm’s expertise in all things private capital makes for some really interesting clientele. “The quality of work is really exceptional,” one spy divulged, “especially in the Private Client sphere (both UK and international). I really don’t think there are many firms that have the same calibre of clients (many of whom are UHNW [ultra high net worth]) for this type of work.” Another adds that “the issues that our UHNW/HNW clients face are frequently highly bespoke, requiring actual analysis instead of replicating work based off of long-established precedents.” As another rookie put it, “CRS has a wide range of clients who typically seek highly bespoke advice, so there is not a lot of churn work in most departments. You are typically client-facing as a trainee and involved in the action.” We also heard reports that seniors “will try to find you work if you express a particular interest in something,” and that “the firm actively works to involve trainees in a diverse range of matters.” Private capital isn’t a synonym for private client either, so alongside working for the uber rich, you’ll also have the chance to get involved in more general corporate and commercial work. “You could be working on a sports matter one day, and then a hospitality deal the next,” one inside source commented.

Although there’s still some run-of-the-mill stuff to do, insiders tell us that “even when doing the most mundane tasks, there is usually always an interesting aspect to the matter you are assisting with.” One cheerful junior noted that “while there are a few admin-heavy jobs that come our way, that is just the nature of being at the start of your career!”

There’s a strong feel-good factor within CRS’s trainee ranks, with one describing their group as a “really supportive, lovely cohort who lean on each other for those ‘silly’ questions!” Our sources tell us that “everyone gets on well and it does not feel like there is much animosity despite there being competition between certain seats.” One insider revealed, “the trainees have a great group chat where you can go for advice or recruit emergency support when needed, such as when the football team is down a player!” Rookies also report having real camaraderie and friendships with their peers, including across offices. As 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,” while another comments, “I feel I have built a genuinely close group of friends, there’s always a face you can turn to!”

This sentiment seems to run even further up the ladder, as trainee feedback on partner approachability is also glowing. “On the whole, the firm’s culture is genuinely how it describes itself. Respect is mutual across levels, teams and departments. I can’t fault the support I’ve been given, and superiors are generally approachable and invested in your training/development,” was the summary from one. Another rookie told us that “from associate to partner level,” seniors at CRS are “fun, professional and helpful at all times.” We hear that “partners take time to get to know you,” and there is a “genuinely flat” hierarchy at the firm. “I have never felt I could not approach a partner or associate I work with,” a spy affirmed.

Charles Russell Speechlys is also “very, very sociable,” according to our sources. Colleagues bond over departmental drinks events, trainee socials, away days, lunch sessions, winter balls (previous locations include the Natural History Museum in London), and the firm’s “great” annual summer parties. As one trainee put it, “it seems you’re at a social event at least every week!” There’s also a “running club, lunchtime yoga and other sports groups” to get involved in when you get a spare hour away from your desk. Spontaneous socialising might be a little less frequent; one source we spoke to revealed that “we want to be better at informal drinks, but people get busy and sometimes they simply want to get home, which is fair!”

Luckily, it seems like this is possible at CRS, as rookies describe a “good work/life balance,” especially compared to other City firms. Rookies report finish times of anywhere between 6pm and 7:30pm, and while trainees do report some early starts and late nights, we’re told that “this is not a regular expectation, and seniors are careful to check in on late finishes etc.” As at all firms, work life balance is heavily seat-dependent. “In some seats, you can reliably leave at 6pm and not log on in the evening; in other seats you will regularly work past midnight and at the weekend,” one of our sources summarised. It’s no surprise that the corporate team have “notably the longest hours.” When trainees do end up working late, we hear that “there is a feeling of camaraderie” in the office and “partners do show their appreciation.” Rookies are even sometimes compensated with a day off in lieu. “Generally, the work-life balance is brilliant,” a source commented, while another explained that “I have rarely had to cancel plans, and find that I leave the office by 6.30pm on 90% of my working days.” Not many City trainees could say the same!

It helps that 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. CRS is said to provide a “seamless” WFH experience, with monitors, keyboards, mouses and headphones all provided, and there’s even a team that “regularly check that your setup is suitable by providing training,” neat!

Having eschewed mandatory in-office days, CRS is instead tempting its London trainees into the office with the key to every Gen Z-er’s heart: free matcha. “Everyone is hooked on the free matcha and iced coffees,” one inside source revealed, while another divulged that “some people must be on at least five oat iced vanilla matcha lattes a day!!!”

This constant flow of matcha stems from Charlie’s, CRS’s in-house canteen-turned-pub, which is described by trainees as “the social heart of the London office.” Matcha is not all it serves: “bao buns, peri-peri chicken, tapas, barbeques on the terrace” have all been offered up on its “varied menu.” While the Guildford and Cheltenham offices don’t have such luxuries, this doesn’t cause much discontent, as both spaces are compensated by “great eating spaces” and plenty of “external food providers very close by.”

The London office, at 5 Fleet Place, is “very swanky, newly decorated,” and the “9th floor in 5FP is particularly impressive.” The rooftop terrace is much-loved by CRS trainees, who describe it as “a really impressive space” and often have lunch there in the summer months. The 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. “We love the casual breakout spaces,” one insider gushed. 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.”

For those willing to venture beyond the CRS walls, trainees have the chance to go on international and client secondments. This year, our jet-setting sources boasted of stints to Dubai, Geneva, Singapore and Zurich, while in recent years placements in Hong Kong, Paris and Luxembourg have been available. With the firm landing in the U.S.A. this year, Legal Cheek hopes that a trans-Atlantic secondment might be on the cards for some lucky CRS trainees.

Tech is said to be a focus at the firm currently, with the recent launch of a new innovation unit, “Advanced Client Solutions,” to streamline its work processes, developing an in-house AI tool “sidekick” and announcing its collaboration with existing legal AI platform Harvey. The trainee-focused innovation programme “Russell Up,” which sees new recruits complete an innovation project for each training seat, has also “inspired others in teams to think about how tech can be used to streamline day-to-day processes,” according to our spies.

Some CRS rookies we spoke to felt the firm could be focusing on the more mundane tech grumbles rather than the flashy stuff. “There are some really basic IT problems that are really painful to resolve,” one source claimed. “The firm could fix some of these instead”. One eco-conscious newbie added that “I think more could be done to consider and communicate how we are going to offset the environmental impact of our AI usage, which has been heavily pushed.” Others, however, were buzzing about CRS’s place at the cutting edge of legal tech. “CRS has invested a lot into its legal tech in recent years, and I would say it is now a leader in the area. The legal tech team are highly responsive and always keen to try out new use cases,” a spy summarised. “Harvey has transformed the way the firm works,” gushed one source, while another praised the “extremely useful” AI initiatives and tools being introduced at the firm.