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Overview
A mid-tier City firm that had enjoyed (if that's the word) a fairly low profile in recent years, Field Fisher Waterhouse made waves in 2007 after deciding to rip up the strategy it had been quietly pursuing in favour of something many of its rivals had begun at least a decade before - international expansion.
That decision came after the firm enjoyed double-digit growth in 2006-07 for both profits and fees. Turnover climbed by 13% to £67.7m - maintaining the firm's place at 39th in the Legal Week Top 50 - while partner profits improved by a similar rate to £545,000.
In the more serious business of headline-grabbing gimmickry, Field Fisher was the world's very first law firm (it says here) to open an office in Second Life, the virtual environment for people with too much time on their hands. According the firm, that move "reflects the firm's position advising clients at the cutting-edge of online commerce and digital technology".
History
Culture
Key departments
National/international coverage
Key clients
Major clients of the firm include Accenture, Apple, the BBC, BP, Citibank, GMC, Home Office, Luminar, Mastercard and Thomas Cook. Field Fisher was also among those appointed to the commercial sub-group of the Government's 48-strong 'Catalist' super-panel in the summer of 2007.
Leading partners
Well-regarded partners at Field Fishers include:
- Mark Abell (intellectual property);
- Kirstene Baillie (financial services);
- Anthony Brockbank (corporate/AIM);
- Michael Chissick (technology);
- Paul Houston (real estate);
- Matthew Lohn (public law/regulatory);
- Rodney Nelson-Jones (personal injury/medical negligence);
- John Olsen (trademarks);
- Peter Stewart (commercial litgation); and
- Charles Whiddington (competition).
Career prospects
In 2008, the firm promoted six new partners, all of them at its City headquarters. So much for that international expansion then.
Salaries
First-year trainees pocket £33,000, rising to £36,000 in their second year. Other salaries are:
- NQ - £60,000
- 1PQE - £64,000
- 2PQE - £68,000
- 3PQE - £71,000
Recruitment
For graduate recruitment, contact Lucie Rees. For general recruitment, you want Nicola Gilmore.
Work-life balance
Diversity
