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Hours

• "It is inevitable that hours are long at times, but this is very much dictated by business need. Trainees are encouraged to go home as early as they can when possible and you are not expected to stay in the office just to show your face if you have nothing to do. Hours eventually balance out as a busy period will be contrasted by more reasonable hours later in your training contract. Initially, I worked many more hours than I expected, but now I work less than I expected. On average, I work around 50 hours per week." -- First year trainee
• "I expected to be working long hours and I am, but this is not forced. I want to make the most out of the opportunity to train at a Magic Circle firm and I try to take on as much work as possible." -- First year trainee
• "On average, I work around 45-50 hours per week unless there is a deal closing. This is pretty much what I expected, and there is very little expectation of face time when you are not busy." -- First year trainee 
• "The hours are long, but this was expected and is honestly not as bad as it sounds. It is actually worse when you are quiet with work, as the time drags. My average week normally consists of working 9:30am - 7:30pm. However, when my deal was closing I had two weeks of 8am - 11pm as standard, along with working on a Sunday. But it was actually pretty enjoyable, and the adrenalin definitely keeps you going!" -- First year trainee
• "It's quite up and down which is the hardest thing about it – when it's busy and I am working on a transaction which is closing soon it can mean a whole week with very limited sleep (there has only been one particularly horrific week...). On smaller transactions I have been averaging 12-hour days in the week leading up to closing (9am to 9pm generally). Between transactions, however, when there is just post closing stuff to see to I am out the door at 6 o'clock. I don't mind working late and working hard (you've come to the wrong place if you do), but the stop-start nature of the work flow can be frustrating. I think part of that just comes with the territory of being a trainee rather than being firm-specific – you don't really know what's in the pipeline until it lands on your desk. I have found it varies across teams and departments, however, and the minute you are on a deal it becomes easier to manage your own workload and predict what kind of a week you are going to have." -- First year trainee

• "Around 50-60 hours a week at an average. I expected to work hard and have long hours, so it is no shock. No all-nighters yet though!" -- First year trainee
• "Since I work in quite a niche seat, the hours aren't too bad – but I’m consistently leaving after 7, 8 or even 9pm which can get quite tiring." -- First year trainee
• "Average working week is 50-60 hours, comprised of billable and non-billable (e.g. know-how, marketing, pitch documents etc.) hours. This is what I expected. Occasionally, there can be 100-hour weeks, but these usually balance out. The key is that you are given responsibility to manage your workload, and as long as you are meeting the deadlines you are given for your work, there is no need to hang around the office trying to look busy. This is actively discouraged. If you have no work, you go home. If you want to go to the gym in the afternoon, you go." -- Second year trainee
• "48 hours on average per week. The hours are not as bad as the horror stories lead you to believe. Late nights are the exception rather than the norm and are only taken when necessary. This does differ between departments, but trainees should also be wary of thinking that they should stay beyond 6.30pm when they have finished their work. Opportunities to leave at a decent hour should be taken wherever possible as there will be occasions where an early finish is not possible." -- Second year trainee
• "Hours can be long – but this is a global law firm and is at the apex of the legal profession. You should not come into the profession, or this type of firm, without an appreciation of that. Despite that: There is an excellent support mechanism (PA, marketing, finance, document production, etc.) to help you to work efficiently and spend less time in the office. It is possible to work from home and this can be really convenient. No one expects you to stay late if you have no work. You can sell or purchase holidays and can take longer holidays for weddings, etc. After intense periods of busyness you may receive some days off in lieu (practice varies across departments and across partners). In short, when necessary you will be expected to work hard. But everything is done to make sure that you do not need to work harder than is absolutely necessary." -- Newly qualified solicitor, Banking

Salary

• "At times, the hourly rate can be disappointing given the number of hours worked, but it is entirely fair that trainees are paid the same regardless of how many hours they work." -- First year trainee
• "Obviously good for a first job, but increasingly eroded by inflation and pay freezes, and lower than at US firms." -- First year trainee
• "We are very well compensated as trainees – obviously it looks absolutely abysmal when you work it out as an hourly rate in a week where you've billed 100 hours, but the remuneration packages increase quickly after qualification and I think on the whole they are just." -- First year trainee
• "We do get paid very well but to do my current hours long term I would want a significant amount more. As per hour we probably average about £12. We do not get paid for overtime or weekends. I would probably be happy with our wage if we got time off in lieu but this is hardly ever given." -- First year trainee
• "It's pretty comparable to most other firms of the same size. Not really better or worse." -- First year trainee
• "Pay is competitive amongst the Magic Circle and better than all other English law firms. Pay still significantly lags behind American firms. Bonus at my level is a fixed award, based on the firm’s performance – can be up to 10% of your salary." -- Newly qualified solicitor, Banking

• "I am pretty satisfied with my compensation. Not only are we paid well, but the added benefits beyond the salary really make an impact. In addition to healthcare and insurance, the subsidised food and subsidised bar probably save me the best part of £50 a week, which quickly adds up. Saving on a gym membership due to the firm having a free gym on site is also an added bonus." -- First year trainee
• "If you take into account how much you get paid per hour you work, it's a bit depressing! But otherwise a good starting salary and in line with other similar firms." -- First year trainee
• "Widening gap between compensation offered by US firms is an issue." -- Second year trainee 
• "£38,000 is not a huge salary in London. I have yet to manage to save anything even though I live quite frugally, and I have yet to see how it can be justified that we earn only around £2,000 pa more than trainees at smaller forms that require less hours to be put in." -- First year trainee
• "When I signed my training contract my salary seemed quite high. However, when you consider the number of hours you have to work, we are not highly paid. I can live very comfortably on my salary in London though, despite my rent being high." -- First year trainee
• "Fixed bonus up to 2 years PQE." -- Junior solicitor, Litigation

Perks

• "Free dinners after 7pm and free taxis after 9.30pm are a nice touch, as at least if you are working late you are well looked after." -- First year trainee
• "Free evening meals and transport home if you are working late, a 'moving day' of leave if you are moving house, excellent events such as client barbeques on the roof terrace." -- First year trainee
• "Free gym extremely good with very friendly staff. Minimal hospitality events for trainees." -- First year trainee
• "Corporate box in the O2/Wembley – but you have to go with clients! Some departments have weekly (free) drinks where there is a department tab in Lavanda (the A&O bar)." -- First year trainee
• "Secondment perks are excellent: uplift, free accommodation, free flight out and return flight, one free flight back, free flights for training with which there is a degree of flexibility. You stay in top hotels and can eat at top restaurants, access to seats/boxes at sporting events (although sometimes some costs are payable towards these if not client related)." -- Newly qualified solicitor, Banking

• "A&O box at Wembley, great client events like a day at Lord’s, great taxi service if you work past 9.30pm and a great menu in the restaurant, paid for by the client if working after 7.30pm." -- First year trainee
• "Huge 6th floor roof terrace with a subsidised bar! Free dinner after 7pm, free taxi after 9.30pm. Free gym in the basement with 5-a-side football court and sauna. On-site doctor, physio and beautician." -- First year trainee
• "The roof bar, without a doubt!" -- First year trainee
• "Free dinners if you work after 7.30pm. Taxi home if you work after 9.30pm. Wide range of events and informal nights out with my team. The recent trainee ball was excellent. Free gym on-site, free private health care and GP on-site, office bar, excellent food in restaurant, exceptionally good office support services." -- First year trainee
• "Free gym in the office, fun bar, day off for moving house, two extra days off when you get married." -- Junior solicitor, Litigation

Fun Facts

• "We have our own brand of water." -- First year trainee
• "Mr Allen advised King Edward VIII on his abdication (or was it Mr Overy?!). A&O did the first ever bond issue." -- First year trainee
• "There's a Hummingbird bakery only 3 streets away." -- First year trainee
• "A&O was the firm advising on the abdication of Edward VIII." -- First year trainee
• "Even partners eat pizza with their fingers." -- First year trainee

• "We are the only firm that I know of with an on-site bar. Apparently, if you go to Moscow on secondment in your fourth seat, you get an allowance to buy warmer clothes." -- First year trainee
• "Lawyers can be fun." -- First year trainee
• "I've learned that being chirpy is a valuable asset; stay positive, no matter what!" -- First year trainee
• "There is a real passion for cakes here." -- First year trainee

Pluses

• "Responsibility and reputation." -- First year trainee
• "Everyone is friendly and understands workloads. There is no pressure for face time." -- First year trainee
• "You get to feel part of a pretty lively and cool team." -- First year trainee
• "Status of working for such a highly regarded firm. Most of the people here are a pleasure to work with. Closing high-profile deals can be exciting." -- First year trainee
• "Quality of work. The people. Pay and perks. Great name on the CV." -- First year trainee
• "The people I work with are intellectually phenomenal, but also very nice to work with. The outdoor roof terrace on a sunny day." -- First year trainee
• "People, bar, interesting and high profile work, good responsibility." -- Junior solicitor, Litigation

• "The people, without a doubt. I am working with my friends, which definitely makes the experience that much more enjoyable. The subsidised bar and the free gym come a close 2nd and 3rd." -- First year trainee
• "The quality of work. The training. The fantastic academic ability of the lawyers here. The facilities." -- First year trainee
• "The office is great, restaurant is good and well subsidised, excellent gym, very friendly atmosphere, top quality work, good training." -- First year trainee
• "Top deals, working with best lawyers in their field, good compensation, nice offices, good and ongoing training programme." -- First year trainee
• "Friendly people, office bar, Friday cakes." -- First year trainee
• "The people. The quality of work. The fiscal remuneration." -- Newly qualified solicitor, Banking

Minuses

• "The office has so many facilities that you rarely need to leave and you feel like you live here." -- First year trainee
• "Hours, lack of diversity in City workforce (again, not firm-specific!)." -- First year trainee
• "The hours are unpredictable and it is difficult to plan things. Potentially not that much job security on qualification as many of the current crop of fourth seaters have been offered jobs abroad instead of in London. There is often not much transparency on this kind of thing from a trainee perspective. I don't think they are as flexible as some firms regarding seat planning." -- First year trainee
• "Pay could be better – calculating it as an hourly rate yields a rather depressing result." -- First year trainee
• "Hours sometimes." -- Junior solicitor, Litigation 
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• "The hours. An inherent part of the job and completely expected, but it is a bit galling when it is a Friday night and 5.30pm comes around and you still have work on your desk!" -- First year trainee
• "Long hours, the odd partner's inability to manage people." -- Second year trainee
• "Often long hours, very document-heavy." -- First year trainee
• "The hours can be annoying and waiting for emails back from clients so you can start work is always frustrating, but probably not exclusively a problem at this firm." -- First year trainee
• "Unpredictability of workload – but this is also a positive as no two days are the same." -- First year trainee
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