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Hall & Wilcox

4.6
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Hall & Wilcox Reviews

Based on 34 surveyed graduates working at Hall & Wilcox. Read on to get an insider’s view on life as a graduate.
4.6
Based on 34 reviews

Pros & Cons

  • The culture. The most down to earth workplace I have ever worked in. Everyone is so genuine. There is no significant hierarchy of positions as there are at other law firms. You can talk to partners as peers. As a graduate, everyone is so eager for you to make the most out of your experience rotating in each team. You end up getting a real variety of work from different people.
  • Fantastic culture of respect and inclusion, very progressive, feels like an excellent place to be as a junior.
  • Everything about working at Hall & Wilcox makes the blood, sweat and tears during law school worth it! The firm's clients are top tier, the culture is great and everyone is supportive and welcoming. There is a plethora of training and professional development opportunities and you really feel that people have your best interests at heart.
  • Hall & Wilcox is not stuck in the past and is a flexible, tech savvy company with a great culture. We can work remotely, learning is facilitated through regular educational seminars and many of the sections have workflows which are assisted with intuitive and useful software. This has made my experience of plugging myself into a new team seamless. Also, their early careers education is amazing. I have been assigned a mentor who takes significant time to review my work, offer detailed feedback and encourage me to participate in firm activities. The culture is a highlight, we are treated with respect, and encouraged to be genuine with one another. People here want to work as a team and share resources.
  • The best aspect about working at my law firm is the great people that I work alongside everyday. My team leaders are very experienced lawyers who delegate a broad range of interesting tasks to me and genuinely care about my growth as a young professional in the legal industry. I am always given helpful feedback for improvement and the overall team environment has been very inviting and welcoming since I joined the firm. Overall, the firm has a very collaborative culture which is conducive to a positive and motivating work environment.
  • Hot desking - sometimes there's more people than seats in sections of the office.
  • Adjusting to billing. It is part of the job but it does take some getting used to.
  • Billable targets, but it is a corporate law firm and their targets are reasonable.
  • The firm is a national firm, so those looking to work in overseas offices may find this a downside.
  • The hybrid nature of our workplace means that there is less attendance at firm events, and this is something I feel could be improved! However, having the opportunity to work in a hybrid office is really great for being able to manage and maintain a positive work-life balance.

What Insiders Say

8.5
Career Prospects
8.5
Career Prospects
Seeing the promotions celebrations and how many people have the opportunity to progress in the firm gives hope to the ability to progress.
8.6
Corporate Social Responsibility
8.6
Corporate Social Responsibility
The firm has a strong emphasis on pro bono and community work. Graduates and lawyers are given opportunities to participate in a wide range of pro bono and community initiatives. I have regularly volunteered with the pro bono team to assist clients with facilitating access to legal services to people in disadvantaged situations.
9.4
Culture
9.4
Culture
The culture is strong. People are friendly and welcoming. I have got to know people inside, as well as outside of my team/practice area. I don't feel that there is any disconnect between those at a higher level (eg partners) and those at a lower level such as myself. I have built good relationships with the partners, special counsel and senior associates, just as I have with my graduate cohort. Within my team, the work-sharing arrangement is great, I have been getting work from many different lawyers and assisting in a variety of sub-practice areas which has been great for my exposure to different areas of law. There are many social events, probably the right number in my view. I cannot always attend them all, but I don't feel pressured to get involved in everything, I just attend those of interest to me. I can't speak highly enough of HW.
9.0
Diversity
9.0
Diversity
As an older applicant, Hall & Wilcox were the ONLY company prepared to interview and consider me. As far as I am concerned, they don't just talk the talk, they walk the diversity walk. Ageism is real and I am forever grateful for HW for giving me a shot. I feel very lucky.
8.9
Satisfaction
8.9
Satisfaction
The work varies significantly, which is good. Tasks can range from contract reviews, to writing court documents for disputes, taking file notes in meetings, contacting stakeholders and government departments for information, writing client reports or doing broad research on a point of law for a specific matter. Grads also have opportunities to assist with pro bono matters, through the Homeless Law clinic, which allows you some more autonomy in terms of managing a file.
8.8
Management
8.8
Management
My managers are very good leaders and have greatly helped my professional development during my time at the firm. The managers are always friendly and have always made me feel very welcome in the team. They often give me advice on how to develop my skillsets further and consistently give feedback on the work that I produce.
9.0
Office Work Environment
9.0
Office Work Environment
We have a light, open and friendly workspace. The facilities are excellent, practical and look great. We have 'dress for your day' so we can make choices about how dressed up we get according to what we have on for the day (eg - if you're going to court you are obviously dressed very professionally).
9.1
Recruitment
9.1
Recruitment
I liked how our name, gender, university and address were all redacted at the initial stages of the application to remove any biases. This made the application process very attractive as I knew I would mainly be assessed based on my capabilities, skills and work experience. There were no psychometric tests which is another indication that the firm does not believe in hiring people based off their test scores. The interview process itself was very relaxing (sounds counter intuitive I know) as the Partner, Senior Associate and HR member made me feel very welcomed. I got asked questions about my exchange program, my language skills and my hobbies and the focus was not just on grades and my legal experience.
7.7
Salary
7.7
Salary
Very happy with the compensation received, considering PLT costs are also covered.
8.9
Training
8.9
Training
There is a combination of structured, more formal training sessions and more flexible on the job learning. This makes for a very holistic learning experience, with emphasis on both technical and professional development skills.
8.7
Work Hours
8.7
Work Hours
The company is flexible with work from home/ in office time. The onus is on us as employees to determine where and how best to spend our days. I love the flexibility that is offered.
7.9
Sustainability
7.9
Sustainability
My company makes a significant effort to reduce its environmental footprint, particularly by reducing electricity usage and having diverse and dedicated waste facilities.