Careers with us

Working at Sackers - Q&A

We have set out some frequently asked questions and answers:

• Why a career in Pensions?
• Can you tell me more about your reputation?
• Work/life balance: how does Sackers measure up?
• How flexible are your working policies?
• How 'family friendly' are you?
• How much client contact will I have?
• Will I be able to control my work?
• Will I get exposure to international work?
• What is the ratio of work between general advisory, corporate support and dispute resolution?
• Will I get involved in Business Development at Sackers?
• IT systems: are you state of the art?
• How will you support me during my first six months?
• What's your view and policy on equal opportunities?
• What is the staff turnover at Sackers?
• How social is Sackers?

Why a career in Pensions?

Because pensions is:

• Ever changing
• Always challenging
• No two pension schemes are ever the same

And has:

• Great variety:
  • Pensions law combines corporate, tax, trust, finance, employment, and family practice areas
  • General advisory
  • M&A and private equity transactions
  • Investment
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Employment
  • Regulatory
• Real longevity
  • Together Sackers and pensions have five decades under their belt!
  • Traditional final salary pension schemes may have decreased in number but they will not disappear; and neither will the requirement for a decent standard of living in retirement
  • New forms of defined benefit schemes are coming to the fore (such as career average and cash balance schemes)
  • Defined Contribution pension schemes continue to grow and become more sophisticated
  • Because pensions are an integral part of retirement planning the need for investment advice (and help in settling disputes) is in high demand
  • The Pensions Act 2004 has created a clearer demarcation between the roles of employers and trustees who are now increasingly seeking separate legal advisers

   

Can you tell me more about your reputation?

It is very possible that if you are not currently working in the area of pensions, you may know very little about Sackers. Here are some things which you may find interesting and a compelling reason to consider us if you are thinking of making a move.

1. Clients include:

• Over 20 of the FTSE 100
• Many other top tier law firms, particularly international firms with offices in London, without pensions expertise

A significant number of our clients have been with us for decades. We are winning new clients all the time.

2. Awards / Recognition

• Employment, Pensions, Benefits and Tax Team of the Year, British Legal Awards (2007)
• Pensions Management Pensions Law Firm of The Year (2006)
• Part of the UK's Top 100 Law Firms by Revenue (The Lawyer and Legal Business)
• Consistently ranked in the Top-tier in Pensions by the leading directories (Chambers and Legal 500)
• Nominated for Legal Week's Niche Firm of the Year (2006) and Global Pensions Law Firm of the Year (2007 and 2008)
• The Lawyer's Niche Law Firm of the Year (2005)
• UK Pensions Lawyer of the Year (2004)

Sackers is the leading and largest practice specialising in all aspects of pensions law. There are 49 pensions solicitors, 24 of whom are partners. This includes three professional support lawyers (and a total of five professional support staff). There is also a 35 strong business support service as well as a state of the art client conference facility and IT systems allowing for full remote accessibility.

Sackers is sometimes referred to as the leading “Pensions Boutique”. This may be misleading in some ways, not the least being an impression that Sackers may be too small to be a real pensions player. However, because of our size in comparison to our competition, we can be very quick to respond to mounting pressures, to recognise extra efforts and to “lighten the load” for our clients.

Sackers is a genuinely happy partnership with very little or no politics and no interdepartmental conflicts. The firm is driven by a common goal to provide the highest quality of service to our clients, delivered in a way that is down to earth, with no dramas. As someone here put it recently, we are a City firm without the clichés.

There is a reciprocated loyalty between Sackers and its staff, which is underpinned by the importance placed on listening to each other.

4. Very low staff attrition

• With less than 10% staff turnover in the last 5 years, Sackers has one of the best retention rates of law firms in the City
• Sackers has an excellent reputation for enabling staff to balance personal and professional commitments. The annual billable hours target is 1400; this in part underpins the stability of the firm
• Sackers is the pensions law firm of choice not just for other law firms without pensions expertise but for solicitors who want to specialise in pensions. All of our solicitors have joined from either magic circle firms or other large pensions practices. Click here for profiles of our solicitors to see where they have joined from.

Work/life balance: how does Sackers measure up?

Sackers not only encourages a balance between working and personal life, it expects staff to maintain the right balance. This is made possible in a number of ways including:

• Annual billable target of 1400 hours, which is less than many other City law firms
• Weekly “busy-ness” polls to determine levels of firm wide capacity
• Monthly support group meetings to continually monitor volume and type of work and to address quickly any imbalance
• Subsidy to gym membership with one of three associated facilities
• Seriously considered requests for flexible working
• All other life-style facilities near rather than on premises to ensure the office does not become a home away from home.

How flexible are your working policies?

The firm has an open mind about working flexibly, and there is a real give and take within Sackers. All employees are expected to be adaptable with their time when fulfilling their respective roles and servicing clients. But equally, the firm recognises that most people need a balance between their professional and personal commitments. We consider any request for flexible working individually and on its own merits.

• c. 35% of solicitors work less than 5 days per week or flexible hours
• c. 10% of business services staff work less than 5 days per week or flexible hours

The firm’s information and communications technology team and facilities enable most staff to be as flexible as one needs to be – blackberries and full remote access are available as is wireless dictation equipment.

How 'family friendly' are you?

Around 40% of Sackers is made up of working parents, 30% of whom are partners with the remaining 70% solicitors and support staff. Sackers’ success is made possible in part by ensuring a family friendly environment. Measures to support families include:

• enhanced paternity, adoption and maternity pay during leave, and a maternity/adoption leave return to work bonus (certain criteria apply)
• childcare vouchers
• flexible working arrangements
• Maternity coaching for fee earners

How much client contact will I have?

Sackers is committed to developing confident, client focused solicitors which can only be achieved through exposure to clients and increasing client contact quickly over time.

In addition, one of our top priorities is to ensure client retention. This is the responsibility of everyone at Sackers and our lawyers achieve this through delivering a high quality service. Through direct client contact and the opportunity to add value to our overall legal service (eg speaking engagements, training workshops, writing bulletins), we maximise to the full our efforts in achieving excellent client care.

Finally, there is no one particular sequence of events or framework within which client contact is provided or gained. However, because the firm structures itself through client teams, you will inevitably have contact with clients almost immediately on joining, whether it be at a meet and greet before a seminar, direct instructions from a client over the phone or via email, or in person at trustee meetings.

Will I be able to control my work?

We can promise a wide variety of work which is stretching but controllable and manageable. This is made possible in part by our focus on pensions only. This doesn’t mean you will never feel challenged by client demands. But it does mean you will be properly supported to ensure a healthy working life. This is achieved through:

• A matrix structure and support group system, which allow the volume and variety of an individual’s work to be continually under review and monitored for balance
• An open door policy with partners, professional business support managers and others to discuss any issues relating to your work

Will I get exposure to international work?

Our work is mostly UK focused. However we are a member of the international organisation ius laboris (www.iuslaboris.com) which is a network of law firms who are leaders in the field of employment and pensions law. There are around 35 member firms and we liaise with them regularly on international matters.

In addition, because of recent new legislation, there is an increasing demand for cross-border pensions advice when working alongside other law firms without pensions departments, particularly on transactional matters assisting with M&A and private equity deals. This exposure also enables opportunities to develop relations with other firms, something we encourage all solicitors to do.

What is the ratio of work between general advisory, corporate support and dispute resolution?

The majority of our work (80% of the firm's revenue) is general advisory to trustees and/or employers of pension schemes. The remaining work is split between that of M&A / corporate support (10%) where we are instructed by other law firms without pensions expertise, and dispute resolution / litigation (10%). This split between general advisory and other work provides solicitors a good balance and consistent levels of workload.

Will I get involved in Business Development at Sackers?

As part of the full training and development at Sackers, you will have real on the job business development opportunities through a variety of means including:

• client networking events
• formal pitches for new work
• writing articles
• speaking engagements
• training workshops

Involvement in business development is more than merely encouraged. It forms an integral part of the criteria against which overall performance and development is assessed. So whether you have a natural appetite for these sorts of activities or need a bit of support in developing capabilities in this area, there is no shortage of opportunities.

IT systems: are you state of the art?

In a word, yes. Sackers believes in technology and the work environment as a means of achieving its overall business objectives.

If a piece of office equipment and new IT software are deemed necessary to further efficiencies and effectiveness to our working day, the firm will introduce it without delay.

Our infrastructure includes:

• up to date computer equipment
• mobile office systems including Blackberry and full remote access
• leading edge systems:
  • digital dictation
  • time recording and practice management
  • contacts management system
  • state of the art VOIP telephones
• full off-site business continuity facilities

In addition, because of our continued success and growth, the firm has fitted out and devoted an entire floor to a brand new client conference and hospitality facility which has enhanced our office space by 50%.

How will you support me during my first six months?

Changing firms always has an element of risk. However you can be assured that whatever support you feel you need, will be given during the settling-in period and beyond. Some of the ways in which Sackers helps to neutralise potential anxiety includes:

• comprehensive induction programme
• room sharing with a partner if you are between newly qualified and 1 year pqe (otherwise sharing with an associate or assistant)
• mentoring and coaching from the start
• first class know-how team (which we are told outclasses other know-how services in comparison)
• general 'check in' at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months
• monthly and other ad hoc social evenings for you to join in

The firm’s professional and relaxed culture allows for time to get to know people on a personal as well as professional level, and this assists new joiners in settling in.

What’s your view and policy on equal opportunities?

Sackers believes that a diverse workforce is important in achieving business objectives. We also believe that enabling equal opportunities in recruitment/selection, progression and training is more than applying best practice or legal compliance.We select the best qualified candidates in the market and promote solicitors on merit alone.

You will see from the profiles in our website that currently Sackers has a healthy 50% male/50% female balance. You will also notice that this exists at all levels within Sackers, from assistant to associate and through to partner level. In comparison to other law firms, we have one of the best male/female ratios in the City.

What is the staff turnover at Sackers?

There has been less than 10% staff turnover in the last 5 years. The firm is exceptionally stable with long serving members of staff. We won’t say too much more about this, save to say that this is the result of real commitment to operating and maintaining a professional, yet relaxed and friendly, collegiate and balanced working environment.

How social is Sackers?

Sackers is a very sociable firm to work for. We have a dedicated committee that organises events throughout the year. These organised events, as well as ad-hoc activities, happen regularly and are attended by a full cross-section of staff. Some examples of the activities include:

• Monthly in-house drinks
• Ad-hoc lunches and after work drinks
• Summer and Christmas parties
• Annual ski trip
• Bowling evenings
• Ice skating every December
• Curry nights
• In-house Wine Club
• Theatre nights

© Sacker & Partners LLP 2008.  Sacker & Partners LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership.