Annual Review 2009 - Watson, Farley & Williams

18 A DISTINCTIVE FIRM
A distinctive firm
At a time of consolidation in the legal sector,
WFW has maintained equilibrium and strength.
That stability, coupled with our unique culture,
makes us as attractive to talented lawyers from
other firms as it does to graduates embarking
on their careers.
-33%
Reduced carbon footprint
in our London office
How are we different? First, our size means
we are able to offer stimulating work to small
teams of lawyers in a supportive atmosphere.
We are a rare combination: a UK top 50 firm
that is not overwhelming, maintaining the
camaraderie of a small firm environment across
our 12 international offices in three continents.
We are proud to feature in The Lawyer’s league
table for female-friendly smaller firms.
GLOBAL REPUTATION
Since our work is often challenging
– a reflection of its complex and often
multi-jurisdictional nature – we have a high
ratio of partners to fee-earners. As a result,
clients receive more partner attention, and
fee-earners and graduates also benefit from
more contact with partners.
Our growing number of offices is unusual
for a medium-sized practice. Indeed, we often
compete successfully for work against much
larger firms – both because of an increasingly
global reputation in our areas of expertise and
because potential clients know our track record
in high-end, cross-border transactions.
TALENTED INDIVIDUALS
We are also relatively young: established in
1982 we are today a solid City firm known for
its commercial acumen. We value our spirit of
independence and individuality. We hire and
promote the very best, regardless of any factors
other than talent and potential. We have a work
ethic that is less rigid than that of many of our
peers, encouraging a healthy work-life balance.
Our culture and exciting work portfolio allow
excellence to thrive. The results speak for
themselves: in our latest firm-wide staff survey,
97% said they were committed to doing their
very best and 84% were proud to work for
WFW. Staff also expressed a high degree of job
satisfaction in roles that were both interesting
and fulfilling.
ENCOURAGING EXCELLENCE
Our generous remuneration and benefits
structure is backed up by an annual salary
review that also reflects our equal pay
principles. To maximise performance and staff
retention, we invest in regular training and
development, including legal qualifications,
professional skills and personal development.
Above all, we take pride in our open and
friendly culture in which every member of our
talented teams is encouraged to excel. A mark
of our success in this area is our staff turnover
– significantly below average for both the legal
sector and other business sectors.