Firms

Field Fisher Waterhouse

Web: www.trainee.ffw.com

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web: www.trainee.ffw.com

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Survey results

Survey results

The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others?

''For its public regulatory department'; 'work/life balance'; 'diverse practice areas'; 'variety of the seats'; 'niche practice areas'; 'continually developing life sciences involvement''

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms?

''Hours are shorter'; 'we have more responsibility'; 'more client contact'; 'more varied work'; 'it's a lot less social'; 'more stressful''

Best thing about the firm?

''It does some really unusual, high-profile work for household-name clients'; 'approachability of partners'; 'very nice people on the whole'; 'good variety of departments'; 'they do not work you into the ground''

Worst thing about the firm?

''No canteen'; 'lack of visibility in the market except in niche areas'; 'lack of firm-wide social events'; 'lack of support''

Best moment?

'Being commended on a presentation'; 'meeting alone with a client to obtain instructions'; 'time out with colleagues'; 'being sent on secondment'; 'attending three matters at court''

Worst moment?

''Administrative tasks'; 'a week of staying in the office till 2am'; 'uncertainty over seat allocation'; 'doing an all nighter with a difficult client who wanted everything done there and then''

The Lex 100 verdict

The Verdict

The firm

Field Fisher Waterhouse has offices in London and Manchester as well as five in Europe and one in Tokyo. The firm is highly regarded for its outsourcing and lower mid-market M&A practices and has a very strong insurance department. In 2010 its turnover was £92m putting it in the top 30 firms in the UK.

The star performers

Administrative and public law; Brand management; Clinical negligence: claimant; Commercial contracts; Commodities and futures: futures; Flotations: small and mid-cap; Franchising; IT and telecoms; Investment funds; M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m; Media and entertainment; Outsourcing and procurement; Personal injury: claimant; Professional discipline; Trade finance.

The deals

Assisted the Albanian Ministry of Finance in relation to mission-critical technology outsourcing; clearing All Nippon Airways of any involvement in the air cargo cartel; advising Orange in a number of appeals in the CAT and Competition Commission regarding Ofcom's statement on mobile call termination charges.

The clients

2K Manufacturing; Albanian Ministry of Finance; BBC Worldwide; Jersey Finance; KPMG Corporate Finance; Mirabaud Securities; PacketExchange; RBC Capital Markets.

The Verdict

Field Fisher Waterhouse attracts trainees looking to train in some of its more niche practice areas such as IP, IT and media for which it has a good reputation. The firm 'compares well' to others and trainees are particularly glad that the hours are certainly more reasonable. It also offers a good work/life balance and the work is 'varied'. Working on 'high-profile' matters for household-name clients and not having to do any photocopying also helps to make this firm an attractive choice. The friendliness of colleagues makes it easier when moving around on the four-seat rotation and you are 'fully supported' in your career development. The lack of social activities at the firm is one thing that current trainees complain about (and the lack of canteen doesn't help). And some trainees would prefer a little more structure and communication as it is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the 'full picture' when being 'handed from deal to deal'. Stress levels can be high here but work highlights include 'being sent on secondment' and 'attending three matters at court and being able to see the result of all of your hard work'. If you are looking for a City firm with some interesting niche specialisms which gives you 'more responsibility and client contact' as well as letting you enjoy a life outside of work then Field Fisher Waterhouse could be the place for you.

A day in the life

A day in the life of.....

Daania Karim, first-year trainee solicitor, Field Fisher Waterhouse
Departments to date: Dispute resolution, technology and outsourcing
University: University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST)
Degree: Business Management and Marketing, 2(1)

I arrive in the office just before 9.00am. I have recently moved to technology and outsourcing and I share an office with partner Simon Briskman. Simon and I have a chat about last night's technology curry night, which was a great way to get to know the team. Simon asks if I will have capacity to help with something later today and we agree to chat about the task in the afternoon. I check through my emails.

9.30am: I have received an email from partner Nick Holland. Nick is doing a presentation on the legal issues surrounding open source and I have been helping him by researching and putting notes together. He asks if I can pop by to see him when I am in, so I grab a notebook and pen and head to his office. We discuss the presentation requirements further and I tell Nick that I can get some presentation slides over to him within a couple of hours.

10.00am: Michael Chissick, head of the department, pops in to see if I can help with a client matter today. I haven't done any work for Michael yet so I am eager to take this on. Michael forwards me an email (with several attachments, including a contract) in which a client is requesting advice on some employment issues. However, on first glance at the email, I go into slight panic/freeze modeâ€¦ Not only do the client's issues seem far from straightforward, but my knowledge of employment law is absolutely zero! I have to remind myself that every day of my training contract I am tackling something new and unfamiliar. Although this can be stressful at times, it is also what makes it so exciting to be here.

2.30pm: I have my first draft of the advice letter ready for Michael. I have had to email Nick to ask for an extension on the presentation but, thankfully, Nick is fine with this. Over the last few hours, I have researched the client's issues using a variety of online and textbook sources, further guided by our information officer. I email the letter over to Michael for his review. I also receive a phone call from one of the NQs who is stuck in a meeting. He asks if I can meet a client at reception in 15 minutes to hand over some contracts. I meet the client and also use this as a good opportunity to run out and grab a quick sandwich.

3.00pm: I make the finishing touches to the open source presentation and send this across to Nick. Michael also comes by to say he is pleased with my letter. We agree a few amendments and then send this off to the client.

4.00pm: I receive an outlook reminder that I now have a meeting with Lewis Cohen, a partner in commercial IP. Three weeks ago I did some pro bono interviewing at a legal advice centre in London. The client was an interior designer who requested advice on copyright issues. Lewis was my supervisor during the interview and so I meet him to review the advice letter which I have prepared. Chatting to Lewis is also a great way of getting to know a bit more about the firm's IP work.

5.00pm: I finally have an opportunity to sit down with Simon. Simon has a client who has started up a new business venture setting up and running websites for small businesses. The client would like to offer a sliding scale percentage fee to some of his customers and would therefore like us to draft an appropriate clause into the website design development and hosting agreement. I have been looking forward to gaining further drafting experience and this is a great chance to do so. Simon and I go through my clause together, before emailing the final version over to the client.

7.00pm: Today has been a busy day but the variety has been fantastic. I head down to the local pub to meet a couple of the trainees for a drink. We have all only recently rotated to our new departments so there are lots of tales to be told and gossip to be shared.

About the firm

About the firm

Address: 35 Vine Street, London EC3N 2PX

Telephone: 020 7861 4000

Website: www.trainee.ffw.com

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Senior partner: Nicholas Thompsell

Managing partner: Moira Gilmour

Other offices: Brussels, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, London, Manchester, Munich, Paris, Tokyo

Who we are: Field Fisher Waterhouse is a European law firm providing commercial solutions across a range of industry sectors. We have a particular focus on companies that are highly regulated and those with intellectual property and technology-driven business models.

What we do: Our main areas of practice are corporate, IP, technology and outsourcing, and regulatory law. We also have leading expertise in areas such as banking and finance, financial services, real estate, dispute resolution, personal injury and medical negligence.

What we are looking for: We value more than just talent, ambition and great qualifications. We don't believe in developing legal clones; the people who do the best here have interests, experience and a life outside the office. To be a 100% lawyer here, you have to be a 100% you.

What you'll do: We offer a challenging training contract, where you will work closely with your supervisor to gain hands-on experience, so that you are ready to commence work as a solicitor upon qualification. This is complemented by a full programme of training and development.

Perks: A full flexible benefit package including 25 days' holiday, BUPA cover, pension, life assurance, season ticket loan, corporate gym rates, squash courts in our offices, numerous sports teams and a great social scene.

Sponsorship: Sponsorship through the GDL (if applicable) and the LPC, including payment of fees and a competitive maintenance grant.

Facts & figures