The leading law firms for associate satisfaction 2020
WE'VE moved progressed from a simple linear ranking this year and looked at satisfaction from two dimensions: the X axis charts the average scores associates gave us from each firm to represent their satisfaction with their employers; the Y axis compares reality to expectation. The firms featuring in the graph above posted strong X and Y figures: associates were net-promoters of their organisations, and we can confidently say that the firms here are the market leaders for creating a positive associate experience.
Why have we made this change?
Nuance is everything when representing data. When you conduct a satisfaction survey, there is no such thing as an unbiased response, whether it's positive or negative, so we wanted to inject some relativity. And if students are going to use rankings to make decisions, they should have useful detail. As you can see in the variance in the X axis scores, they're so tightly packed together that the difference between (e.g.) #22 and #23 has very limited meaning. So the Y axis is there to offer a certain relativity. Surveys like this are interesting, but we would urge you to look far deeper and consider the whole firm, which we explore in the Inside View.
Methodology
For every firm taking part in our interview-based research, we also invite their junior associates to respond to an online survey covering every aspect of law firm life. They complete 40 questions asking about everything from their initial views on the firm and its competitors, to their relationships with partners and clients, to the firm's handling of D&I and pro bono. We also ask them about their expectations and aspirations. Each question involves a rating, which we agglomerate here for comparison. The satisfaction scores are a combination of all topics that can determine job satisfaction, including stress and mental health, career development and retention.
And for those who want to see the Associate Top 50 ranking, it's here:
