Culture

• "The working environment at Mills & Reeve is very collaborative and teams often pool knowledge and skills together when working on something. The office is open plan which encourages people to bounce ideas off each other and the more junior fee earners to get feedback from associates and partners. It is an extremely supportive environment in which to train. Trainees generally have little contact during the working day, although there is often a cross-over period just before or after a seat change when we will all help our successors in the seat out with anything. Trainees do socialise together, although there is a quite a mixed age range so people often have different priorities to consider." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "The culture here is very relaxed and the work/life balance is good. The main reason I applied here is because of this ethos, and leaving the office at 5.30pm is very normal practice. The trainees have become very tightly knit and formed an excellent friendship group both at work and outside of the office. We regularly have lunch as a group and go out at the weekend, which helps in office relations too. When trainees switch seats we tend to be very helpful to one another advising on things to watch out for and how to impress, along with how the partners like their tea." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "The firm is committed to a work/life balance. We have a good restaurant that is well used at lunch time, there are firm-wide charity events and a lot of M&R sports teams. The trainees are very supportive of each other, particularly in the first year. We usually have lunch together and we often go out after work even if only for a quick drink." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "The working environment is very friendly and open. There is no embedded sense of hierarchy and I feel able to approach anyone, including partners, for guidance or assistance. The trainees in my year group get on very well and are supportive of each other. We socialise together regularly and often meet for lunch." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "The trainees’ support is very strong, both from each other and from the firm as a whole. The attitude to working hours is very much ’don't stay late unnecessarily’ which makes a lot of sense. The culture of the firm is friendly but professional which sounds cliché but is in fact very true!" -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "The firm prides itself on promoting a good work/life balance, and in the time I've been here that certainly rings true. Though you may occasionally have to put in extra hours if a big deal is going through, you are actively encouraged to have a life outside of work and to keep reasonable hours. The firm also makes a real effort to put on social activities and events on a regular basis. The trainees are generally quite good at supporting each other, and competitiveness is not generally an issue. My year enjoys socialising together on a regular basis, and everyone (not just trainees) is very approachable." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "There is a good emphasis on maintaining a healthy work/life balance here. Trainees support each other. Whether they socialise together depends on each year group of trainees – we are not coerced into socialising together by the firm at all, they have more of a laissez-faire approach to the trainees' social life. The trainees in my year get on well so we do socialise." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "In my experience there is quite the support network amongst the trainees. Each first year trainee is paired with a second year buddy. The trainees often socialise together, participating in sports events, quiz events, charity events, dinner and drinks, etc." -- Trainee, Norwich

Hours

• "Working hours are dependent on the department in which a trainee sits. However, the firm does not have a long hour’s culture. I work an average of 50 to 55 hours per week." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "As expected the work/life balance is brilliant. Compared to friends at other firms who never see daylight hours, we are encouraged to leave the office before six. This obviously comes with the caveat of if there is work to be completed then you are expected to meet deadlines. I have been keen to meet deadlines and been in the office past 9pm, but when the hours are more often than not kind to you, you’re more than happy to put the extra mile in when required." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "I usually work from 8:30 – 5:00, Monday to Friday. I have never had to come in at weekends and although I do often stay later than 5pm, it has never been later than 7:30pm. Further, it is your choice to stay late and I do not believe that anyone would ever tell you that you had to. Unless you have something pressing which needs to be done then you are expected to leave at 5pm. As I had researched the firm before applying and had carried out a vac scheme here I knew of the emphasis that M&R places on a work/life balance so I was not surprised by the social hours. I am very happy with the balance of hours I work." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "I typically work around 40 hours a week which is what I expected. I have sat in teams where it has been a little quieter and it is strictly 9 – 5 but I have also sat in teams where I have come in early, stayed late, and even worked on a Saturday. It just depends on the demands placed on the team and the type of work being carried out at any particular time." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "I am working about 10 hours a day. If I worked any less however, I would feel like a fraud. As a trainee, you are a vital cog in the wheel and therefore you must do your bit." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "So far I have been working around 37 hours per week on average, which is a little less than I would have originally expected." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "On an average day I work from 8:30 to 5:30, with a break for lunch. There are occasions when I have stayed much later when working on a large project, but overall the hours are probably less than I expected." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "40 hours – about standard. Some seats are very busy and will demand longer hours. I’ve only come across one seat which demanded putting in ‘face time’ regardless of having work to do." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "My usual hours are 8:30 – 5:40 and I have never had to come in on a weekend. Sometimes the work requires that you stay longer or come in earlier but this is quite infrequent and can depend on the department you are sitting in due to the nature of the work. I’d say I'm working less than I expected." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "I work on average somewhere between 40 – 45 hours a week, depending on how busy the team is. This is about what I expected, and I don't feel that I have to work extra hours just to be seen to be doing so." -- Trainee, Cambridge

Pay

• "Not the best in Birmingham, but equally not the worst." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "I think that whilst the qualification salary is very competitive for the region, the trainee salary does not rank as favourably with other midlands firms." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "I think that our salary is quite low for the amount of work and level of responsibility that is often expected from us. However, placed in context of the overall market, it is competitive with other local firms." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "Although it probably equates to the salary available in most regional law firms, it doesn't compare favourably with trainee salaries in City firms, particularly considering that the cost of living in Cambridge isn't significantly less than in the City." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "The salary is higher than other regional firms and is reflective of the standard of work that is expected. It is still considerably lower than London firms, but this is to be expected. Given the high starting salary for a newly qualified solicitor I would have expected the trainee salary to be slightly higher. I was disappointed that once the recession hit my salary was reduced from what I had been told I was going to get. Despite this, the salary is fair and I have no complaints." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "Cambridge is an expensive place to live and the firm consistently comes near the bottom for trainee pay." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "It's a very fair salary for the work to training ratio." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "The pay is good for a trainee in this area but is less than some firms that are doing similar work. The other benefits are very good (e.g. the option to buy or sell holiday, bikes for work, pensions, healthcare, etc.)." -- Trainee, Norwich

Interviews & Assessments

• "Candidates are selected from their application form and invited to an assessment day. This usually lasts half a day and consists of three parts: a group exercise and presentation, aptitude tests, and an interview with a partner. It is quite intense and you certainly feel that you are being assessed from the moment you enter reception!" -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "I did a vacation scheme and then applied for a training contract as a result of that. The assessment day for the vac scheme included a half day of assessments, including a discussion of commercial issues in a group exercise, an aptitude test and an interview with one of the partners, which was fairly informal." -- Trainee, Birmingham
• "There was an online application followed by an assessment morning. Everyone interviews with one partner each. The morning started with a group activity and presentation, followed by aptitude testing and then an interview." -- Trainee, Cambridge
• "I applied for the vacation scheme and got my contract off the back of that. The application process for the vac scheme is the same as applying for a contract. You must fill out an extensive online form and then you may be invited for an interview. The interview is actually a half day assessment which includes a presentation, a group discussion of a legal/commercial issue, aptitude tests and a formal interview. We then had what was effectively a two week interview by way of the vac scheme; following this I was offered a contract. The process was very hard work and the firm is very selective. This ensures that those chosen are the right sort of people to fit in at the firm and I am glad for this. I believe that it is appropriately difficult to get a contract with M&R." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "After submitting the application you attend an assessment day. You are interviewed by a partner, participate in a group (of about six people) exercise and presentation and take three tests on logic, maths and language. We also got given tours by the current trainees and got to ask them questions." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "There is an online application, if you get through this stage then there is an assessment day, comprising an interview and group exercises. There are also three or more aptitude tests. I was interviewed by partners; it was fairly relaxed, but there were plenty of questions! The assessment day was well organised and clearly a good way to judge the candidates; the group activity effectively shows each candidate’s character and team skills, etc." -- Trainee, Norwich
• "The actual application form is long and detailed. The assessment day lasted all day and consisted of spelling, maths and reasoning tests, a mock client meeting/business situation (under the watchful eye of partners and associates), and an interview with a partner and associate. It was all designed to see how well we worked with the other candidates and how we handled ourselves in pressured situations. The interview questions were fairly standard and asked to draw on personal experiences, e.g. tell me about a time when you planned and completed a project successfully, etc." -- Trainee, Norwich