The other repeat performer from last year''s list is Corrs Chambers Westgarth and one of the areas in which it stood out among employees was in terms of the quality of work on offer, which - according to the survey results - is the most important factor when choosing a firm.
"Our people have the opportunity to be involved in some of the most interesting, high-profile work in the Australian market today, working with some of the best lawyers in the business. Corrs has worked hard to continue to strengthen its portfolio of large clients and share of landmark deals," says executive director of human resources Cindy Carpenter, and adds that the firm has taken positive steps to ensure the achievement was adequately rewarded. "In 2007, Corrs launched a new compensation system called Rewarding Excellent Performance. This system has three objectives: to ensure our remuneration remains very competitive with top-tier firm benchmarks, to differentiate remuneration on the basis of individual performance and to make the principles of performance review transparent. The firm delivers on each of these objectives and is assisted in this regard by rigorous salary benchmarking," she states.
Thynne & McCartney, which was also rated one of Australia''s employers of choice, has adopted a similar approach. "We encourage our staff to take an active role in deciding what remuneration they deserve," says the firm''s human resources manager, Lyn O''Neil. "Our staff are not paid in bands or years of experience but rewarded based on merit and performance." Corrs has also reaped the rewards of a collaborative approach. "We seek regular feedback and involvement from our people as to what is working well and what isn''t, and take direct action where required. We are committed to providing an inspiring workplace which truly engages our people," says Carpenter.
Blake Dawson is another employer of choice and, according to deputy managing partner Helen McKenzie, its employees come first. "The firm''s strategy for many years has been centred on its people," she says, "and this explicit recognition that the key to delivering excellent client service lies in recruiting and developing outstanding lawyers means that, as an organisation, we strive to create an environment that enables all members of the firm to achieve their potential."
The other firm that made the list this year is multiple-award-winning law firm, Swaab Attorneys. According to CEO Bronwyn Potts, the firm is not only in search of great lawyers, but also great people. "The first hurdle for candidates is that they have to be really nice people," she says. "There is a genuine commitment by the partners to ensure that the younger lawyers are interested and engaged - they are the future of the firm," she explains. Partner Fredrick Swaab is in agreement, and adds that being a small firm put even greater emphasis on the need to create an employee-friendly culture. "We are not a large firm so our employees are very precious and as we can''t afford a lot of turnover, we need to keep them engaged," he states.
Swaab acknowledges that attracting the cream of the crop has not always been easy. "About six years ago, when we re-branded the firm, we saw that it was going to be hard to attract those ''young upwardly mobile'' new partners. Until you get a profile in the industry, it''s difficult to get recruiters to refer good people to you, because they won''t invest their CV in a smaller firm if they feel that it''s going to denigrate them in the eyes of their peers. So, once we started winning awards, it was whole different ball game - because they knew they were joining a law firm that is the best in its category," he declares.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, Russell McVeagh, Chapman Tripp and Buddle Findlay were rated as the best firms to work for. Buddle Findlay''s Chair, Peter Chemis, says the firm has always considered quality of work as a top priority. "We are delighted to be acknowledged as one of New Zealand''s great places to work. Buddle Findlay has always placed a real emphasis on quality work and quality people, and recognises that to retain staff and stimulate them, we must provide a broad range of challenging work and dedicated support at all levels," he states.
The firm has also invested heavily in developing tomorrow''s leaders. "We expect our lawyers to become leaders in their field and to play a leadership role in the firm, whatever their age or level of experience - and this plays its part in making Buddle Findlay a great place to work," he adds.
This article first appeared in ALB's March issue 2009 – ALB Employers of Choice 2010 will be announced in March 2010.
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