Clothes, dinner, childcare and pilates: the best law firm employee perks
Competitive salaries are no longer enough. Wardrobe allowances, emergency childcare, fitness classes and scholarships are just some of the work perks on offer at Australia’s top legal firms.
In 2023 it’s simply not enough for law firms to just offer employees competitive salaries and four weeks of annual leave.
During one of the tightest labour markets the industry has seen, companies are going above and beyond with employee perks to ensure workers are happy, fulfilled … and willing to hang around for the long run.
Even more so, industry leaders say offering workers benefits will help to reduce the burgeoning mental health issues among lawyers who are expected to work long hours and experience high levels of stress.
“We understand the industry’s frustration with bureaucratic management structures and pressures to deliver short-term profits at the expense of employee development,” Hamilton Locke managing partner Nick Humphrey told The Australian, as part of this year’s Legal Partnerships Survey.
“We continually work to create a culture that attracts, retains and develops the best talent with aligned interests and goals. We work to develop and scale a work environment based on learning, development, collaboration, innovation and agile leadership.”
And so how does a business create a culture such as this? We detail the employee benefits for Australia’s major legal firms below.
Gilbert + Tobin
Along with top of market remuneration and an additional bonus structure, Gilbert + Tobin offers 26 weeks of paid parental leave, and access to personal/carer’s leave.
Employees can also “purchase” up to 10 days of leave in addition to annual leave, and take up to 20 days off for volunteering or emergency services.
“We have exceptional people stepping out of the lift every day – because we know if we get this right, the rest looks after itself,” founder Danny Gilbert said.
The firm also offers:
- Public holiday swaps, allowing people to swap existing weekday Australian public holidays to celebrate a cultural or religious day more aligned to their beliefs and traditions
- Retail discounts
- Discounted gym memberships
- Fruit baskets, afternoon snacks, free evening meals, one free coffee per day
- A subsidised cafe
- Annual “G+T Awards” where winners accept a $500 prezzee voucher
- $10,000 scholarships
- Flat structure: Employees at G+T are simply “lawyer” or “partner”
- Up to $10,000 given for employee referrals
- A $20k ‘bounty’ for recommending use cases for AI
Lander & Rogers
Lander & Rogers prioritises hybrid working with no days mandated in the office, to ensure employees can manage their work and outside responsibilities.
The firm holds a gender-neutral parental leave policy with up to 26 weeks paid, superannuation paid on unpaid parental leave, and paid leave available within 18 months of birth/adoption of a child to “encourage access by secondary carers.”
“People want to feel genuinely supported and respected in the workplace, and to benefit from initiatives that support work-life integration and reflect our responsibilities in the wider community,” chief executive partner Genevieve Collins said.
The firm also offers:
- “Dress for your day” policy
- Public holiday swaps
- Annual remote work allowance
- Group fitness classes
- An annual day off for “wellness”
Clayton Utz
Top tier firm Clayton Utz offers employees up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave that can be taken at any time over a two-year period. One of lawyers’ greatest gripes – the billable hour – does not apply to new parents, who are given the flexibility to ease back into work without logging a time sheet.
The firm has established a diversity and inclusion interest group, to grow representation among employees.
The firm also offers:
- Paid study leave
- An annual bonus scheme that rewards high performers
- Flexible working for all
- Discounted gym memberships
- Free health checks and sleep programs
Addisons
For Addisons managing partner Kieren Parker, superficial “work perks” aren’t what will retain employees. Instead, he believes workers will remain with a company if they feel fulfilled by the work they are doing.
“We have built a unique culture which fosters meaningful career paths and a balance between work, life and family responsibilities,” he said. “At Addisons, it is the bespoke supportive, collaborative environment, across small teams which ultimately enables our lawyers to thrive.”
The firm offers:
- Flexible work options
- Career breaks
- Study leave
- Recruitment referral bonuses
- In-house pilates sessions
- Solicitors’ lunches
- Monthly cake days
- Friday night drinks
MinterEllison
Employees at Minters can access free gym memberships, emergency childcare assistance and are given annual free flu vaccinations. The firm values flexible and hybrid working, allowing workers to select when, where and how they work.
“We explore benefits to cater for individual needs and preferences to foster the inclusive workplace we support so that everyone can bring their best to work, and they feel welcome and valued,” chief talent officer Alissa Anderson said.
The firm also offers:
- A “Gender Affirmation” policy which offers five days of paid leave
- $1200 wardrobe allowance
- Financial support for home offices
- Payment of College of Law students
- Parenting support through external partner Karitane
- Additional leave to fit around study or learning requirements
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