Lewis Silkin

About the firm

Lewis Silkin and Michael Scott might not have a lot in common, but we’d like to propose that both spend a fair bit of time thinking about employment. The key difference, however, is that the former actually knows what they’re doing, and certainly has the credentials to back it up. As one Lewis Silkin insider outlined, “Employment is our bread and butter.”

“Employment is our bread and butter.”

Indeed, the firm picks up a number of Chambers UK accolades for its employment practices across London, the North West, Thames Valley, Northern Ireland and Wales. UK-wide, its related business immigration expertise shines bright.

However, also taking the stage is Lewis Silkin’s national media & entertainment (advertising & marketing) practice which advises a number of big names in the industry. Wondering how the two sides of the business go hand-in-hand? Partner and training principal Shalina Crossley explains: “One is supporting creative industries and their ideas; the other part is the people side of our business, which involves helping our clients with all of their HR and people-related problems.”

Why trainees joined the firm

Mid-sized firm with lean teams

One trainee noted, “I wanted a firm with a smaller trainee intake where I wouldn’t feel like a cog in the system.” The firm takes on trainees twice a year, in cohorts of just ten each.

Specialist practice and sector focus

Multiple interviewees pointed to certain practices as drawing points to the firm, including immigration law, employment law and sports work. As one trainee noted, “I wanted a firm that had the sectors and practices that I was interested in, as well as others that I thought I might enjoy, like sports work.”

Strong development opportunities

“I was looking at firms that placed an emphasis on training and development,” said one insider. Indeed, with leaner teams, trainees are often given a bigger role to play on matters – once they’re up to speed, of course!

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

Before embarking on the training contract, prospective trainees are invited to the firm to attend talks from people in each of the firm’s teams. The talks cover what their department does so that “you can get an idea of what you might like to do.” There are no compulsory seats, though it’ll come as no surprise that trainees noted “it’s highly likely you’ll do an employment seat, as it’s the biggest department and they take on the most trainees.”

Three months ahead of each subsequent rotation, trainees have a catch up with the graduate recruitment team to list their seat preferences. While the firm tries to accommodate these, trainees did note that “second years get preference as they’re thinking about where they want to qualify.”

Client secondments

“There’s always an opportunity to do a client secondment each rotation,” highlighted one interviewee. Trainees explained securing one is a fairly straightforward process: “the firm sends round an email with the opportunities and they ask who’s interested”. For the secondments that are in demand, insiders told us that you can expect to “…write a 300-word application to show your interest.”

It’s worth noting that these opportunities tend to go the way of second years due to the prior experience required to partake.

International secondments

N/A

Seat Experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

When asked about the culture at Lewis Silkin, one word in particular kept cropping up in interviews: approachable. Insiders highlighted that everyone is “super friendly and willing to help,” adding that “I haven’t come across a person who I haven’t been able to strike up a conversation with.” On top of this, sources highlighted the firm’s social committee who host events on a monthly basis, including end of month drinks and even a spot of pumpkin carving in the autumn.

On the office space itself, trainees had nothing but praise, particularly for the onsite barista in London, with one source joking, “It gets me to the office! It’s the best thing ever.” Trainees were also fans of the in-house canteen offering stand or sit tables. The office is open plan, which interviewees appreciated for facilitating learning-by-osmosis: “you can overhear conversations and listen in on calls. It’s nice to hear what advice is being given and how people approach the calls; you can absorb it all.” The folks in Cardiff in particular have just moved to new digs: “It’s night and day! It’s an amazing new space in the central hub of Cardiff right by the station with all the other firms. It’s a motivating space to be in.”

The firm’s sustainable practices were also celebrated, with trainees noting, “It’s very green; there are outside building shutters that are controlled for heating and cooling. It’s nice to know the firm cares about that.”

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

Trainees are required to be in office at least two days a week, with interviewees noting that the firm “encourages trainees to come in more than that.” When it comes to average working hours, if you’re looking for a firm where late nights aren’t the norm, Lewis Silkin may be for you. On average, sources reported working from 9am to 6pm, with most reporting working no later than that.

The firm does require its lawyers to bill five hours a day, but when it comes to trainees, sources explained “it’s more of a benchmark.” Insiders noted that some groups, like real estate and employment, put more emphasis on the target than others.

Pay

Data provided by firm and our annual trainee survey

The consensus among trainees was that they felt well compensated for the hours they were required to put in. As one noted, “I’m conscious that the value I’m adding is less than that of a qualified solicitor, and there’s lots of training involved, so I think the trainee and NQ salaries are fair!” With more of a glass-half-full perspective, another noted, “It’s reflective of inflation and the amount of work we do!”

Supervision and training

Data from our annual trainee survey

Supervisors hold fortnightly catchups with their trainees; “It’s a check in to see how things are going and to see if there’s anything I want to try that I haven’t been able to yet,” said one insider. Sources also highlighted that supervisors “are very open to giving feedback and explaining why they make certain changes to your work.”

When it comes to overall training, juniors receive seat specific sessions at the beginning of each rotation on top of the occasional trainee-specific sessions: “We go round the room to hear what people are working on and give personal updates; we get to know each other well!

Inclusion

“Inclusion is not just a buzzword – it’s part of the ethos of the firm,” one insider highlighted. The firm has DEI-focused groups which trainees praised for hosting internal events with guest speakers. “The firm’s good at publishing when the events are happening so people know to attend,” they added.

Trainees also highlighted the firm’s social mobility work including participation in various work experience schemes. “We do things organically which is important,” said one, referring to the firm’s inclusion ethos.

Pro bono & CSR

Trainees praised the firm’s plentiful opportunities to get involved in pro bono work, with one noting, “I’ve done it in every single seat!” Lawyers are given a 30-hour minimum pro bono target each year; while trainees aren’t subject to this target, sources noted the benefits of getting involved: “It’s a way of developing your own skills and learning about a specific area you may not have looked at in your seat.”

Other opportunities include:

• CityCLAC

• Greenwich Foodbank

Qualification

“The firm tries to let you know what’s available as early as possible,” said one source on the qualification process. We heard that trainees have a meeting mid-way through their third seat with the recruitment team to discuss qualification preferences and offer for NQ are then released towards the end of April. Trainees are encouraged to speak to departments they’re interested in to make it known they’d like to qualify there.

The steps of the process vary by group, with teams like DCC typically conducting interviews, while employment and immigration favour more informal conversations. An insider told us this was because employment is their largest practice, a NQ position is almost guaranteed!

Win or Lewis…

If you’re looking to brush up on your team sport skills, here’s a firm to get your head in the game. “There are lots of groups across the firm; we have a netball team which is great!” one trainee noted.