DLA works magic to topple Wragges as employees' choice

City firm DLA has sprinted ahead of Wragge & Co in Birmingham as the best large law firm in the country to work for, according to a survey supported by the Department of Trade and Industry.

DLA was placed 16th out of 100 companies, with 250 or more employees, in the list published by the Sunday Times.

DLA was 31st last year, while Wragges was 19th.

The Birmingham firm fell to 34th in 2003.

Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees entered the list for the first time at 38th, as did Bolton-based insurance firm Keoghs at 49th.

City practices CMS Cameron McKenna and Eversheds rose up the list from, respectively, 93rd to 59th, and 92nd to 73rd.

However, fellow City firm Simmons & Simmons dropped from 48th to 81st.

Bristol-based Osborne Clarke, which was 56th last year, was not on the list.

Staff surveys carried out as part of the research found that 70% of staff at DLA consider themselves fairly paid, while the firm's success is shared with staff, including a contributory pension and health insurance that includes family members.

However, the firm's 'generous' maternity package of 18 weeks at full pay is not available to junior support staff.

Four in five said their team is fun to work with, while two-thirds of staff considered that DLA does a lot of charity work.

DLA human resources director Robert Halton said: 'Our people differentiate us from the competition.'

Of the seven law firms in the list, Keoghs had the most female staff (75%), while Camerons had the youngest staff - 65% are younger than 35 years old.

Some 8% of Keoghs' staff are older than 55, the highest of any law firm.

Camerons had by far the lowest staff turnover rate (4%), with Dickinson Dees next best with 13%.

Eversheds suffered a 22% staff turnover.

A total of 296 companies registered to participate in the competition, of which 201 - up more than 20% on last year - completed the process.

Microsoft headed the list, followed by Richer Sounds and Flight Centre.