Careers: Clifford Chance seen as most attractive employer

City giant Clifford Chance has emerged as the most attractive employer for students and graduates aiming for a career in the law, a new study has revealed - but the research has also suggested that other avenues such as investment banking are proving more popular.


The survey of 6,000 potential employees by market researchers Millward Brown found that those considering a career in law put Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Matrix Chambers and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as their top five future employers. These were followed by Baker & Mackenzie, Lovells, Blackstone Chambers, Slaughter and May and Herbert Smith.


The most well-known law firm among respondents was Lovells, followed by Eversheds, Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Norton Rose.


However, most respondents were more aware of major banks and other big enterprises such as the Ministry of Defence and Royal Mail, as well as multi-media enterprises including Amazon and Google.


Respondents overall saw law firms as less attractive than investment banks and financial services institutions. But researchers suggested that entrants to the legal job market are more diverse in their career motivations than those looking to go into other industries.


John Whitehouse, commercial director at GTI, which is publishing the research, said: 'Those interested in banking, for example, were a lot more materialistic.


These results could be down to the fact that there is a wide breadth of careers in law, from City barristers' chambers to local high street practices.'