RPC

About the firm

As a society, we value individuality. Human beings pride themselves on being different from one another because after all, what distinguishes us from our peers is what makes us us. For law firms, it’s a tricky balance. You have to match the pace of change and meet the standards that others set, but also find a way to stand out. RPC has struck that balance: “We offer the best of both worlds: We’ve got global reach but personal touch,” explains training principal and partner Laura Stocks.

According to Stocks, the firm was “historically described as an insurance powerhouse, but we’ve also got financial services, consumer brands & retail, professional practices, technology, as well as media & entertainment.” Chambers UK undoubtedly saw the value too, bestowing top rankings in construction, professional negligence and corporate/M&A in London, as well as banking litigation, commercial contracts, tax, retail, defamation/reputation management, and media & entertainment nationwide.

“You don’t have to look a certain way to fit in here either, you can be yourself.”

The firm’s individuality proved infectious and juniors reported being able to embrace who they are as well: “You don’t have to look a certain way to fit in here either, you can be yourself.” Trainees at RPC are split between the firm’s London and Bristol offices.

Why trainees joined the firm

Unique sector focus

“I was looking for a firm that was more interesting than just ‘we do corporate work’ and it can be hard to differentiate between the firms,” pondered one interviewee, “but RPC drew me in because they have that sector focus including tech and media, and cybersecurity too.” As another put it, “it was really interesting to me, I loved that they were doing something different.”

Just the right size

“I was looking for a firm that was not too big, and not too small,” revealed one junior, sharing in the opinions of our interviewees who were pleased by RPC’s headcount.

It’s not what you do, it’s who you do it with

“It really stuck with me that they live up to their claims,” one source was glad to report, “everyone wants you to succeed and they all enjoy working here.”

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

Juniors were thankful that seat allocation was streamlined into the same process for all rotations. Trainees simply fill out their list of three preferences and then have a meeting with the early talent team to discuss. “So far, I’ve been really happy, and I think that’s the same for most people,” one newbie imparted, “they always try to give you the top choice if they can.” The firm expects trainees to complete a seat in the insurance and disputes departments.

Client secondments

Juniors reported a host of different opportunities for client secondments. “It’s just like making a seat preference,” one insider revealed, “there’s not even an interview.” We heard that there tends to be around 5 – 6 client secondments available per rotation.

International secondments

As for those looking to travel further afield, RPC offers two overseas secondments, one of which is more of a sure thing – Hong Kong. The other is Singapore, and although popular, we heard it’s “a bit more on and off.” In terms of putting your hat in the ring, rookies informed us the process is slightly different as “we send in applications a bit early, mainly to secure our visas.”

Seat Experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

If RPC’s culture could be condensed into one word, it would be “friendly.” Across all levels of the firm, everyone approaches trainees with a warm curiosity that is built out of a desire to see them succeed. The trainee cohort itself seemed tight, often sharing lunches together or heading out to watch the football, but as for outside socialising as a whole we heard the firm is more “family friendly, with people rushing home to see their kids and loved ones after a hard day.” That doesn’t mean social events don’t exist however, client events are common and a great chance to network, the summer party is always a highlight on the calendar, and team socials pop up from time to time as well. “The social side is definitely improving and they’re doing more,” one insider revealed, “trainees also get their own social budget so we can do separate events.”

As for the office itself, currently located by St. Catherine’s Docks near Tower Bridge, the base was said to be “lovely in summer” but “not the most convenient place to get to from other areas of London.” Weighing up those pros and cons, the firm has decided an office move is in the near future, with RPC setting its sights on 10 Devonshire Square.

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

Bucking the usual trend, RPC doesn’t have a strict in-office policy, or at least, most teams don’t. “There’s no set thing, you can build your own schedule and do what’s best for you,” assured one source, along with the caveat that the firm does encourage trainees to be in as much as possible so they can learn and grow. “As long as you’re getting your work done, that’s the main thing,” one insider summed up, “but we like to come in three or four times on average, and some teams do have mandated days.” As for hours, although the transactional seats were said to be “quite feast or famine” at times, most juniors were happy to report rarely ever working past 6:30 PM.

Pay

Data provided by firm and our annual trainee survey

On the salary at the firm, one trainee noted that “the firm has grown a lot, and I think we need to match that increase in hours and work with an increase in pay.” That said, other sources reasoned that “it’s not the kind of firm you join to make a lot of money compared to the big firms,” adding that “I think our work/life balance more than makes up for it right now.”

Supervision and training

One insider was relieved to report that “I think the majority of my supervisors trained at the firm, so it’s nice to see people committed to the firm and to training me.” It’s true, everyone we spoke with claimed that their supervisors all seemed lovely and approachable with a mind to develop the best lawyers they could. “RPC wants everyone to succeed,” beamed one junior, “they’re all trying to make sure we have a fair shot at qualifying here.” Just how hands-on a supervisor was depended on the person, but biweekly catch ups and quarterly in-depth conversations seemed to be uniform.

“RPC wants everyone to succeed... they’re all trying to make sure we have a fair shot at qualifying here.”

Training comes in the form of an array of online modules available for soft skills that newbies could make use of. “Each team has their own training as well,” one insider went on to say, “some are with the entire team while others are catered more towards trainees.” This is all in addition to an induction week at the start of each seat, but we heard it all fits together rather nicely: “there’s a lot, but it’s never overwhelming.”

Pro bono & CSR

The firm’s active pro bono committee periodically sends out an email with a list of opportunities to get involved with, from there, the trainee must simply reach out to whoever is running the matter and ask if they can get stuck in. “You don’t have to be working in that department if they’re running the matter,” one junior explained, “it takes initiative because you need to find someone to supervise you, but people are generally quite open to it.” As eager as some of our interviewees were, others hadn’t had the opportunity to get involved yet, mainly due to other commitments: “I’m keen to do some, but it really depends on your workload. So, a few things have to line up first.”

Inclusion

Gender and LGBTQ+ representation was flagged as a particular positive at RPC, and trainees highlighted a “planned approach” to the firm’s events and talks designed to bolster an inclusive environment. There was also positivity around the firm’s affinity groups which include Belief, Enable (Disability), Gender, RAIN (LGBTQ+), Ethnicity, Families, Mental Health and Social Mobility. Overall, sources where aware that when it came to diversity in the firm’s headcount, “there’s always more work to be done, here and industry wide.”

Qualification

As is understandable, juniors found the qualification periods “quite a stressful time” as each team has their own way of running things. Departments don’t advertise how many places they’re offering which sources understood was “to keep them flexible” but trainees felt the ambiguity was a challenge. After you send off an application, an interview will follow, but some teams also require an assessment: “It can feel like there’s a lot going on because you’re also working at the same time as having to prepare for that.” Despite the pressures, our interviewees were in it for the long haul as they highlighted “there are a lot of partners that have trained at the firm which is encouraging to see.”

RPseen and heard…

The firm puts on a monthly Thank You Thursday event, bringing in an external caterer and celebrating the staff with drinks and food that brings the whole office together.