Forsters

Training here means lots of exposure to quality work at an early stage. As one Forsters rookie reports: “The amount of responsibility we are given is incredible. We are able to run our own (albeit small fry) files and are given plenty of client contact. Thorough feedback is provided at regular intervals.” Another adds: “I feel I am constantly involved in work outside of my comfort zone, but it is very stimulating as a result.” Trainees receive formal training sessions with members of the team or knowledge development lawyer specialists, as well as more informal at-desk overviews. Training does seem to vary between teams, though, with one spy telling us: “The quality of training is closely linked to the approachability and availability of senior lawyers, and this has been a significant challenge within my team.”

Whatever the department, there’s ample opportunity to get stuck into a range of interesting and often high-profile matters. As one trainee puts it: “I have consistently been given a very high quality of work and responsibility. Trainees are trusted to work on complex and interesting matters, sometimes running files for smaller transactions and disputes.” Recent deals out of London include advising on the £56 million sale of a five-storey office block in the West End and the successful defence of a €50 million fraud claim brought by ex-Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. The firm also acted for the Ministry of Defence in its landmark £5.99 billion deal with Annington Homes, which brought the entire Armed Forces housing estate back into public ownership in one of the largest property transactions in UK history.

Headline-grabbing work aside, the culture remains one where reasonable hours are the norm. With no expectation to hang around in the office once you’ve finished your tasks for the day, and partners reportedly “very hot on wellbeing”, work-life balance has exceeded many trainees’ expectations. “I’m not sure I’ve ever worked past 8pm in my nearly two years as a trainee,” one spy tells Legal Cheek. “On the couple of rare occasions I have done a few hours on a weekend, out of my own choice, this led to a concerned, ‘Is everything okay?’ email from my supervisor.” Another source adds: “Holidays, CSR days, external interests and down time are all encouraged. It is clear that many of the lawyers here have come to Forsters looking for excellent work-life balance. Longer days are rare and, in my experience, arise only when a team is working towards a deadline. There is a sense of groups of colleagues putting in the hours together rather than certain unlucky individuals having to stay late.”

And if you thought that all these reasonable hours came at a cost, think again. The latest figures show revenues were up a healthy 14% this year, from £81 million to £92 million. Profit per equity partner (PEP) is also understood to sit comfortably about the half a mllion mark.

Now a few years into life at 22 Baker Street, Marylebone, trainees remain impressed by the firm’s swish digs. Decorated to a “high specification”, the space means “all teams are back under one roof.” The ultra-modern surroundings are quite the contrast to the firm’s previous HQ, a collection of converted Georgian terraces near Bond Street station that featured a warren of separate rooms. Breakout space is everywhere, with an imaginative selection of pods and meeting rooms for collaboration, dotted with frequent cafes and coffee stations. A stunning roof terrace overlooking the West End tops it all off. The only criticism rookies had for their abode was that the canteen is a little hit-and-miss, with the salad bar said to sometimes “look a little malnourished.”

Trainee ranks are “incredibly close-knit”, according to our spies. “As a trainee cohort, we really have each other’s backs,” one source tells us. Another expands: “Support amongst my junior peers is excellent. There is a strong culture of collaboration, with colleagues willing to share knowledge, help with workloads where possible and support one another through busy periods.”

This cordiality continues at partner level, with one source reporting that they have “personally formed close working relationships with lawyers of all ages and positions within the firm.” Trainees particularly appreciate how partners take the time to provide feedback and get to know everyone. “Partners are very approachable and will happily take time to answer any questions,” says another insider. A couple of respondents offered a slightly different view, with one noting: “There is a frequent sense that questions or requests for support are unwelcome because people are ‘too busy’, which can leave junior lawyers feeling unsupported.” On the whole, though, Forsters’ culture and community appears to be one of its strongest assets.

There aren’t many gadgets or gizmos to help trainees with their workloads, as the tech is described by newcomers as “far from innovative”, though trainees appreciated this was an area being looked into by those higher up. Many spies have also flagged the perils of Forsters’ current document offering. “The lack of an Adobe subscription feels odd, and PDF Docs is not great,” says one. Another expands: “We use PDF Docs which is so slow. I normally lose about half an hour a day to things crashing and everything lags a lot.” How stressful.

The perks are nothing to write home about, but equally, we heard no real complaints. As well as the usual benefits, sources told us they had decent shared parental leave, the option for a sabbatical every five years, up to two weeks’ qualification leave, and “some sports tickets available to take clients to, which is excellent!”

There are no MoneyLaw salaries on offer, but that’s the trade-off for reasonable hours. First and second year rates currently sit at £47,000 and £50,000 respectively, while newly qualified associates earn £88,000. International secondments are not a feature of the training contract, though it is relatively common for trainees to be taken on business trips. For some, the upsides of ploughing a different furrow in the West End will no doubt override such considerations.

The firm also demonstrates its charitable side through a partnership with the Marylebone Project, which provides life-changing services for women facing homelessness. Forsters supports the project through fundraising, material donations, social activities and volunteering.