Research
Small firms can be as innovative and competitive as the City giants, legal research shows.
Three partner Liverpool law firm Goldsmith Williams made the top ten in Sweet & Maxwell and CRF’s Top Legal Employers study. The firm, which employs 240 members of staff, ranked top for innovation and corporate social responsibility. It has developed unique e-conveyancing GWLive software, which gives mortgage brokers 24-hour access to information held by solicitors.
John Jones, director of learning and development at the firm, says: “The idea for GWLive originated in-house and was developed entirely by our own employees. We are immensely proud of GWLive and that our policy of encouraging staff to put forward their ideas has resulted in a software programme that now underpins the procedures of the whole firm”
Berwin Leighton Paisner ranked highest for pay and benefits, and took first place overall for the second year running.
The judges were impressed by its private medical insurance programme, which offers employees cash bonuses for adopting a healthier lifestyle.