Duncan Cotterill

There is a very good culture of work hard play hard. Play hard being more so ensuring that you have a balanced life outside of work. DC is very supportive of ensuring that everyone has a life outside of work and I do feel as though they really care about our wellbeing. There is plenty of social events that has allowed me to get to know people within the firm in out of office setting, such as our social sports. Structure is just like most other law firms, where you get work from people higher up then you. You do have to be a bit proactive in the grad program in regard to seeking out the type of work you want to do but I also am viewing the first year as being a sponge, just keen to take on any work that comes my way because it's a very awesome opportunity to get to work in lots of different areas.

The workplace culture is really good. We have a social football team that plays one lunchtime per week which is good for building friendship amongst colleagues. People are all friendly, and I feel like I could have a conversation with almost anyone in the office over lunch. After hours we have team events in the evenings occasionally which are fun but appropriate for a workplace. I think while there is obviously a structure to working at a large firm, people don't look down on grads or juniors, and seniors (including special counsel and partners) genuinely want your opinion and advice when they ask you to do work, which makes it feel less hierarchical. I think having an open plan office also helps with that, as you are often sat next to people more senior than you so the distinction between those organisational levels doesn't feel so stark as it would if all the seniors were in offices. The teams all work really closely together here, and within teams there is a really good sense of camaraderie and friendship. I feel like I could ask anyone on any of the teams for help with a task, and I know they would help out if they could.

Everyone is really friendly and welcoming, and there are lots of social events that are organised by the firm, which is really good as a grad starting out. There is definietly a hierarchy in terms of work roles, but I don't think this generally comes through when you're dealing with people - everyone is still really welcoming to us as grads, even if they're more experienced. I think this also comes with the law firm structure a bit.

Overall, I would say there is a very positive workplace culture at the firm, where people are genuinely excited to engage in events and make plans outside of just working hours. It is easy to suggest a new office initiative or social event. People at the firm are respectful of each other, welcoming and hardworking. The partners also have an 'open door' policy where you can go to them with anything regardless of your level/position at the firm. There is also a great team feel in each of the different areas. There is a lot of cooperation and interaction of people at all levels, and across teams.