BHW Solicitors

Advice to law firm management:

New manager team would help out a lot for morale in the place, and would help people know they are not working alone on the projects.

Pros:

My first job here was very well trained. All the explanations of the place were streamlined and everyone was on task overall.

Cons:

Benefits are poor and I feel overworked as of recent events. More attention to workforce needs should happen, such as more people in general.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

Follow employment law!

Pros:

Colleagues you interact are helpful.

Cons:

They treat you with a lack of respect, your expected to work non stop without breaks. If they don’t like you they will get rid of you, hence why there is a high staff turn around. Senior managers often ridicule their assistants.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

Try caring more about your employees maybe?

Pros:

Good client base

Cons:

This firm has handled the pandemic atrociously. No regard for staff safety.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

Try caring more about your employees maybe?

Pros:

Good client base

Cons:

This firm has handled the pandemic atrociously. No regard for staff safety.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

More frequent discussions/reviews with trainees on their training. Increased pay/benefits to show that the firm actually cares about the long term for their employees.

Pros:

BHW are successful and well regarded in the industry - if you decide to leave your time there will be well regarded in the industry.

Cons:

Overworked and underpaid - they expect the long hours of the national/international firms but pay is below average with zero benefits. Additionally, trainees are treated poorly with no thought as to their training needs or any consideration as to what they might like to do.

Favorite Things About this Firm:

The people on the ground are really nice/great people (paralegals/trainees, other junior employees).

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

You need to make people actually enjoy wanting to come to work for you instead of making people feel undervalued. I do feel bad for writing this review but I feel it will help someone looking for a job here knowing what they are getting themselves into before they accept an offer. I mean, if they don't mind being overworked and treated like shi*t then so be it!

Pros:

The people I worked with and it's reputation for your own CV.

Cons:

The management. The practice manager at the time I worked there was rude. I won't disclose her full name, let's call her Bell for the purpose of this review. If you worked there you will know who I'm talking about. She would only really respect you if you were ranked higher up in the firm or had some sort of status. The paralegals were literally like sh*t on her shoe. We would laugh after she left the room after watching how she said good morning to the solicitors and would just give us a dirty look and walk off. She made you feel like you were at school at times. Very odd way of managing adults. We were (paralegals, assistants and trainees)made to do things outside the scope of our job. Sorry but when I applied for paralegal position, I didnt apply to sort out your post, make drinks for clients, answer doors and close/open the office on certain days. Perhaps you should have hired a receptionist for this? You would just have to carry on and do it if you wanted to keep your job and wanted to be in a friendly environment. Training was also promised but never given. You would just learn off the person you were working with. A few people were lead on for training contracts but were left hanging and after running around the firm trying their best they eventually left. Head of Conveyancing S Newcombe was also the same. Very intimidating and made you feel like you had to be on your tip toes around her. She once shouted at someone in front of the whole office for something that really wasn't much to hit the roof about. It was embarrassing for that person to be made to feel so small. The owner was also very inconsiderate, he expected hours from us beyond 9-5. Ok then, pay us more and maybe we would consider it? If you left the office at 5 he and the people mentioned above would look down at you. Sorry we have personal commitments after 5pm like childcare and a family at home. I feel as Bell and Newcombe didn't have kids they didn't understand.

Partners to Avoid and Why:

I don't think I should answer this one as it depends on who you are as to how they treat you.

Favorite Things About this Firm:

Nothing lol

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

You need to make people actually enjoy wanting to come to work for you instead of making people feel undervalued. I do feel bad for writing this review but I feel it will help someone looking for a job here knowing what they are getting themselves into before they accept an offer. I mean, if they don't mind being overworked and treated like shi*t then so be it!

Pros:

The people I worked with and it's reputation for your own CV.

Cons:

The management. The practice manager at the time I worked there was rude. I won't disclose her full name, let's call her Bell for the purpose of this review. If you worked there you will know who I'm talking about. She would only really respect you if you were ranked higher up in the firm or had some sort of status. The paralegals were literally like sh*t on her shoe. We would laugh after she left the room after watching how she said good morning to the solicitors and would just give us a dirty look and walk off. She made you feel like you were at school at times. Very odd way of managing adults. We were (paralegals, assistants and trainees)made to do things outside the scope of our job. Sorry but when I applied for paralegal position, I didnt apply to sort out your post, make drinks for clients, answer doors and close/open the office on certain days. Perhaps you should have hired a receptionist for this? You would just have to carry on and do it if you wanted to keep your job and wanted to be in a friendly environment. Training was also promised but never given. You would just learn off the person you were working with. A few people were lead on for training contracts but were left hanging and after running around the firm trying their best they eventually left. Head of Conveyancing S Newcombe was also the same. Very intimidating and made you feel like you had to be on your tip toes around her. She once shouted at someone in front of the whole office for something that really wasn't much to hit the roof about. It was embarrassing for that person to be made to feel so small. The owner was also very inconsiderate, he expected hours from us beyond 9-5. Ok then, pay us more and maybe we would consider it? If you left the office at 5 he and the people mentioned above would look down at you. Sorry we have personal commitments after 5pm like childcare and a family at home. I feel as Bell and Newcombe didn't have kids they didn't understand.

Partners to Avoid and Why:

I don't think I should answer this one as it depends on who you are as to how they treat you.

Favorite Things About this Firm:

Nothing lol

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

Learn how to treat your staff.

Pros:

There really wasn't anything positive about the firm. They don't treat you like human beings - you're basically slaves who are expected to do everything the firm requires e.g. tidy up meeting rooms, tea rounds and answer all incoming calls. The partners are egotistical and have 0 respect for you unless you literally kill yourself to prove your worth. They will find any reason to remove you once they know you are no longer required. I honestly wouldn't recommend this firm as a place to work as respect is just a one way street.

Cons:

Please see above which covers some of the main issues with working at the firm.

Partners to Avoid and Why:

I'd just say think carefully before joining

Favorite Things About this Firm:

There honestly wasn't alot. Best thing was leaving the firm. Just wish I had left sooner.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years

Advice to law firm management:

Start again with a new approach

Pros:

There isn’t any positives other than the road out of there

Cons:

People who are just egotistical- jumped up people with no people skills

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

10+ years