I am looking to move to the City mid-2008. I am at the 1 year PQE level and am working at a fairly renowned firm outside of the UK.
Whilst I am fairly certain I could obtain a position at a Magic Circle firm by virtue of a BCL degree, good experience and good references, I am not interested as I have seen what these firms have done to peers of mine (ie killed their social lives, killed their enthusiasm and almost killed them).

I am looking for a position at a mid-tier firm which focuses on corporate/commercial work, pays competitively and, of most importance, allows one to have some semblance of a work/life balance.

I wish to go into a corporate-based department/team. I realise that even mid-tier firms work their associates in such teams long hours and some weekends- I am not looking for an easy ride and am willing to work hard, but not like a dog. Anything better than the MC!

Firms I am considering (which I would very much appreciate your views on with regard to balance, treatment and quality of corporate work) are:

Jones Day
Travers Smith
Denton Wilde Sapte
CMS Cameron McKenna
Pinsent Masons
Simmons
Addleshaw Goddard
Norton Rose
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Baker & McKenzie
White & Case

My current favourites are Travers and Jones Day.

Dear JCLEDB,

I know where you are coming from on this. All of us who have been in City practice have experienced the long hours culture.

Frankly, given the demands of clients its difficult to avoid the long billable hours culture. Some firms will be more tolerable than others but it is almost a necessary feature of private practice.

I think what you can look for however is better organised and more efficient firms who do not unnecessarily send their lawyers off deep into extra long hours of work and where the atmosphere is businesslike but civilised.

My own tip on this issue is that its worth early on getting some private practice experience even if the long hours are not for you and then switch to in-house counsel or public agencies where the hours are more tolerable, although where usually the money is not as good.

Hope the above helps.
with best regards
alan riley

Professor Alan Riley
City Law School
City University, London.
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk

Many thanks; this was very helpful. I am currently working about 2000 hours a year and do not want anything more than that; nor do I want to work long hours on matters that do not really require long hours (ie just because one feels pressured to put in the hours). I have been advised to go the in-house route before, and I think I may well do so after getting a bit more experience.

just a quick note: some of the firms you mentioned (in particular jones day and white and case) are american firms. In spite of their size, their hours are as long - if not longer - than magic circle firms...

Thanks Susiee. That is the kind of guidance I need. Have you specifically heard that re Jones Day, or is it because Jones Day is American that you say that? The reason I ask is that I have heard that it is not a 'typical American firm' regarding hours (ie that it doesnt have a long hours culture). I would be grateful if you could let me know if you've heard otherwise.

Dear JCLEDB,

Just to add another firm to your list, if you haven't already looked at it, is Latham & Watkins. Personally I was looking at the firm due to their impressive arbitration team, but from what I could gather from their pitch, was that the firm placed a high premium on civility and treated their employees well. Unfortunately I haven't got any inside info on the matter, but I do recall that they did stand out in this regard when I was in the midst of my personal research into the matter.

Best of luck!

now that's good to hear...i will def. be looking into it.

Dear JC

I don't know about the Magic Circle firms or the firms in US/ UK but I'm from Delhi, India and have almost 10 years of work experience.

Even in Delhi, most of the law firms do not have a work life balance. I know that, because in my experience, I used to work for some of the biggest Law firms in India and I was working 20-22 hour work days sometimes for days on end when transactions were going on.

I think Dr. Riley is very correct in saying that you need that initial work experience in a law firm even at the cost of work life balance for some time. You can then move to becoming an in house counsel.

In India most law firms (except for 4-5) do not pay as much as the big MNC's do for in house counsels, though it seems to be the reverse outside India. You're only paid much higher than an in house counsel at a Senior Associate/ Partner level in a law firm.

FYI In my career between 2001and 2004 I was working on average about 6000 hours per year. Weekends were spent catching up on my sleep. But it was worth it because therafter I could pick and choose offers.

Just my thoughts on this post. Hope it helps.

Cheers
Prash

I'm pretty sure that jones day has long hours since they do the same kind of work (M&A etc) as magic circle firms and other american firms. it also has a reputation for being fairly aggressive becasue of their eat-what-you-kill approach. Latham is supposed to be a pretty civil and friendly place - but their hours are still very long, and they give less holidays than most firms (only 20 days). if you're looking for a better work/life balance, I'd suggest going for English small- mid-size firms / going for a practice area *other than* corporate / M&A, such as litigation or IP. Hope this helps!