UK: Roll On Friday’s Best & Worst Law Firms to Work At 2025

_{One man’s poison…}

At the bottom of the barrel again, the last place for culture satisfaction was the Golden Turd 2025 recipient, Shakespeare Martineau (31%).

“No real culture,” said a Shakespeare Martineau partner, “clashes at all levels, old school partners rambling about the old days and new generation trying to do things their way”.

“Complicated, over-engineered and disingenuous at best,” said a business services staffer, who opined: “what is said on the endless reinventions of the culture” set out by the firm, “is very different to what is actually experienced on the group in the offices.”

While a junior at Shakespeare Martineau said there had been a “culture shift” which was “a total train wreck”.

Somewhat dissatisfied

Staff criticised Slaughter and May (48%) for being “hierarchical”, “complacent” and for simply having a “bad culture”.

But it wasn’t all bad. “Some teams are better than others,” said one Slaughter and May staffer, adding “surprisingly less traditional of what I would expect. I can see their effort in changing their external perception.”

At DWF (47%), a partner lamented: “I have always banged the drum of DWF’s culture, but that has been lost long ago. Gutted!” While a senior lawyer opined: “morale could not be lower. There’s unity in quiet quitting due to constant let downs on pay and bonus.”

However, a DWF junior in Scotland stated: “The culture depends on the team and office but I find both genuinely great. The Edinburgh office has a really easy-going and friendly atmosphere and my team’s culture is super helpful and supportive.”

At Broadfield (46%) a business services staffer opined: “It was great until the new management took over. The firm has lost the traditional value, family culture, trusts and support among teams.” While a senior lawyer agreed: “It’s lost its culture, it’s not the firm it once was.”

Another Broadfield lawyer said: “there are still some good people who care about the firm and the people who work here that you can have a chat or a pint with,” adding, “sure there are some weirdos but we are solicitors, what did you expect?”

Dissatisfied

Two other firms joined Shakespeare Martineau in the lowest scoring category.

At Knights (37%) a partner commented that the culture is “pretty toxic. The numerous acquisitions mean there is no One Team culture, despite this being drummed into everyone.”

Although there was a split opinion, and a senior lawyer stated the firm was: “Co-operative, friendly and generally quite supportive”. Adding, “thankfully not woke”.

At Keoghs, a partner commented: “A lot of the aspects that made Keoghs a friendlier, more forgiving place to work than its City rivals are being eradicated” following the deal to join the Davies group “really beginning to squeeze, but without any of the additional benefits or salary matching that would come with those City firms.”

While a junior lawyer commented that “new joiners are not made to feel particularly welcome.”

You can read what staff at the top end of the culture satisfaction table had to say, here.
https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/rollonfridays-best-law-firms-work-2025-bottom-firms-culture