Promotion prospects and international outlook improve opinion of US firms

RECRUITMENT SURVEY: results show an increased feeling of security among partners

Increased promotion prospects and an international outlook are the main reasons that US law firms are catching up with their UK counterparts as attractive places to work, according to research out last week.

A survey by recruitment consultants Graham Gill showed that confidence in US firms is increasing among London lawyers, with 19% of respondents feeling more secure working for a US rather than UK firm, compared to 11% five years ago.

The survey, which questioned 100 partners at US and UK firms, also found that two-thirds of those who moved to a US firm remained there for at least five years.

Louise Wall, who specialises in partner recruitment at Graham Gill, said: 'In the early days, US firms tended to manage the London office from the States, but over the past few years we have seen this responsibility handed back to the London offices, who have more autonomy in issues such as recruitment, culture and finance.'

She added that the gradual Anglicisation of US firms was having a positive impact on their recruitment and retention rates.

The most popular reason for moving to a US firm was the international outlook and potential for long-term career prospects.

Thirty-four percent of respondents stated that US firms had a less hierarchical atmosphere compared with their UK colleagues, which led to increased promotion prospects.

Only 15% of respondents claimed that an increased salary was the main reason for joining a US firm.

Ms Wall said: 'The majority of partners we have worked with are moving to US firms because they are perceived to offer more potential for career development.

Many US firms offer a varied range of work, which is a way for partners to expand beyond their specialism without giving it up entirely.'

However, almost half (44%) of the 28 partners who had left US firms to return to UK practices cited a poor European strategy as the reason for leaving.

'In the past, US firms have believed that setting up a London office had achieved their strategic European objective,' said Ms Wall.

'However, this seems to be changing with the majority of US firms [67%] in London now also planning to open a European office.'

Victoria MacCallum