We spoke to over 1,000 trainees and junior lawyers across more than 150 law firms for this year’s Future Lawyers survey, asking them to rate their firms on everything from training quality and inclusiveness to salary, work-life balance, and career prospects. The responses form one of the most comprehensive pictures of life inside UK law firms from those living it day to day.
This year’s research lands at a pivotal moment for the student and trainee market. The SQE is bedding in as the new qualification pathway, with apprenticeships and alternative routes continuing to attract attention, while the Magic Circle and US firms have driven pay to record highs (top-end NQ salaries now pushing £150,000–£180,000 in London). However, the Future Lawyers survey doesn’t measure a single definition of “success.” Each category was rated independently, offering a snapshot of how firms perform across different aspects of trainee life — from work-life balance and supervisor support to inclusiveness and sustainability. The results reveal a sector where pay may grab headlines, but day-to-day experience and firm culture are what distinguish the best performers.
Across all firms surveyed, trainees reported an average job satisfaction score of 74.43%, reflecting a generally positive view of life at their firms, though with clear room for improvement. Trainees were most satisfied with the approachability of their supervisors, which averaged an impressive 84.35%, suggesting that support and accessibility remain real strengths of the training environment. Quality of work (78.68%) and client contact (76.22%) followed closely, reflecting a generally positive picture of the hands-on experience trainees are getting.
Satisfaction dipped slightly when it came to work-life balance (75.48%) and working from home (72.75%), though these still indicate solid levels of contentment overall. The weakest scores came in pay (68.64%), social life (69.09%) and sustainability (69.11%), while legal tech was the lowest-rated core category at 63.68%, hinting that firms still have work to do in integrating technology meaningfully into day-to-day practice.
The real drop-off appears around secondments — with client secondments averaging 38.69% and international secondments just 25.13%, suggesting that while these opportunities remain desirable, they are still limited in availability or consistency across the market.
Anthony Collins was this year’s standout, securing first place in multiple categories including Client Contact (91.2%), Job Satisfaction (89%), Sustainability (92.2%), and a joint win for Quality of Work (90.1%).
Roythornes, too, had a strong showing. It not only tied for Quality of Work but also took the top slot in Sustainability with 93.3%. That suggests they’re delivering both performance and purpose.
Milbank secured the lead in Pay with 89.3% — a reminder that financial reward still matters, especially in a market where top-of-the-market NQ salaries are becoming de rigueur. While International Secondments averaged just 25.13% across all firms, Watson Farley & Williams scored an impressive 94.1%, offering guaranteed overseas placements as part of its training contract.
👉 Explore the full results of the 2025 Future Lawyers guide here.
Winning Firms
Client Contact
Anthony Collins – 91.16
Confidence of Being Kept on
Sullivan & Cromwell – 86
Inclusiveness
Thrings – 86.49
International Secondments
Watson Farley & Williams – 94.14
Job Satisfaction
Anthony Collins – 88.99
Legal Technology
Womble Bond Dickinson – 88.67
Quality of Work
Anthony Collins and Roythornes tied winners – 90.07
Salary
Milbank – 89.30
Social Life
Leathes Prior – 94.40
Supervisor Approachability
Crown Prosecution Service – 93.93
Sustainability
Anthony Collins – 92.24
Vacation Scheme
Roythornes – 97.67
Work from Home
Bevan Brittan – 95.66
Work/Life Balance
RWK Goodman – 89.81