Kingsley Napley leads law firms in best companies survey

The City-based firm was placed 13th in a list released on 21 May, which was topped by Beaverbrooks jewellers. Guest services firm Rapport came second, followed by IT company HSO and restaurant chain Dishoom.

It is the fourth consecutive year that Kingsley Napley has been the leading law firm in the list, which is usually published by the Sunday Times but was released separately this year because of delays caused by the pandemic.

Seven other large legal firms – employing between 200 and 1,999 people – featured in the top 100 included Mills & Reeve (23rd), Brabners LLP (47th), JMW Solicitors (50th), Howes Percival (72nd), Withers LLP (74th), Stewarts (81st) and Stephens Scown LLP (98th).

Kingsley Napley’s ranking represented a 13-place improvement on last year’s when it was 26th. The firm also was eighth in London’s 75 Best Large Companies to Work For and first in the Law’s 20 Best Firms to Work for list.

The Best Companies survey noted that workplace factors that particularly shone at the firm were personal growth, wellbeing and “giving something back”.

It said: “All of the teams from managing partner Linda Woolley downwards operate an open-door policy with discussions on large projects that affect employees opened up to firm-wide consultation.”

Best Companies’ survey found that virtually all staff agreed that Kingsley Napley had a strong social conscience (99%) and almost three quarters (71%) agreed they were happy with the balance between their work and home lives.

Woolley said she was delighted by the results, adding she was particularly pleased “that leadership and management of the firm during the pandemic was appreciated and that we have strengthened our strong values and culture throughout the challenges the last 12 months have brought”.

Best Companies noted that 40% of senior managers at Kingsley Napley were women and that 40% of staff had worked at the firm for five years or more.

Its report on Kingsley Napley found that the firm “prides itself on its commitment to training programmes”, with a six-figure annual budget that ensures all employees have access to learning and development opportunities, including Path to Partner.

Also impressive for the researchers was Kingsley Napley’s benchmarking of its salaries against the market, in each area of practice. It said: “Opportunities for promotion have been switched from annually to every six months to support personal growth and continual career development.”

The rankings were based on the results of a detailed firm-wide employee survey, which probes areas such as leadership and management, levels of commitment and engagement at the firm as well as pay and benefits, personal wellbeing, CSR and feelings towards colleagues.