What makes a law firm a great place to work? We think it’s about the quality of work, and the impact we can make on the future of our clients, our people and our communities.
We’re known for our supportive, collaborative approach. We’re a place of energy. Of thinking differently. Of taking action, and delivering smarter solutions.
We’re a place where you can be free to be you. Where inherent curiosity leads to positive enquiry, challenge and question; where a commitment to continuous learning helps to deepen your understanding of colleagues and broaden your perspective on the world. A place for ideas, skills, ambition and innovation. For personal growth and professional challenge. For powering success through trust, respect, integrity and an unwavering commitment to quality.
In a complex, demanding world, Simmons is somewhere that cuts through the noise to build the future. We’re a place of progress where you’ll discover so much more than the practice of law.
What makes a law firm a great place to work? We think it’s about the quality of your work, and the impact you have on your people and the world around you.
We’re known for our supportive, collaborative approach. So, while we might be working on the best projects, we don’t let egos take over.
In other words, it’s our culture that sets us apart. We want everyone to feel welcomed, valued and heard. And we want to create an environment where you can learn so much more than law.
A culture of collaboration and innovation
A culture of collaboration and innovation
We pride ourselves on offering the right balance between great clients, great work and great people. That means completing top-quality projects, all while putting teamwork at the heart of everything we do.
From the start, you’ll work hand in hand with teams across the UK and our international network. Our small cohorts mean you’ll get direct access to partners, who’ll guide and support you from the start. With us, you won’t be just a cog in a machine; you’ll be helping to shape our world.
You’ll also work with people in other parts of the business, such as our innovation and marketing departments as well as our legal engineering business, Wavelength. Working alongside our Wavelength team creates exciting opportunities for us to further embrace technology and develop more dynamic ways of working by drawing on a blend of legal, data, design and engineering skills.
Working as one team, you’ll soon see the bigger picture – and be well on your way to gaining the skills you’ll need on your path to partnership.
A culture of inclusion
Diversity is a huge part of who we are. We know that by embracing people with different mindsets, experiences and backgrounds, we’ll build a law firm where everyone can thrive.
We’re proud of the progress we’ve made towards this goal. We’re recognised for our efforts to advance LGBT+ equality and have been named a Stonewall Top Global Employer five times. We champion gender balance across all corners of the firm and we have ranked as a Times Top 50 Employer for Women seven times. We’ve also been a Top 30 Employer for Working Families eight times. EMerge, our race and ethnicity network, is leading the discussion on racial equality at work. In 2022, Fiona Bolton, EMerge co-chair was recognised in the EMpower 100 Ethic Minority Executives list.
But we’re not stopping there. Through our diversity networks, we create places where everybody – no matter their background or experiences – can find support, allies and like minds. These networks include:
You’ll also find plenty of kindred spirits in our sports and social clubs. You might be a keen netball player, or an avid hockey fan. Maybe you’re more of a musician, yoga enthusiast or you’d rather join our choir. At Simmons, you’ll find people who share your passions, and even introduce you to new ones.
You’ll also find plenty of kindred spirits in our sports and social clubs. You might be a keen netball player, or an avid hockey fan. Maybe you’re more of a musician, yoga enthusiast or you’d rather join our choir. At Simmons, you’ll find people who share your passions, and even introduce you to new ones.
Our impact on the world
Our client work isn’t the only way you’ll see our impact on the world. We are a purpose drive firm, united in helping to shape a better future for our clients, our people and our communities.
Our partners lead from the front on programmes which includes diversity and inclusion, social mobility, pro bono (within includes our Access to Justice scheme) and environmental initiatives.
Our global pro bono offering includes work ranging from helping out at legal clinics on various legal issues, to helping specific charities with whom we have a long-standing relationship with such as Macmillan or the British Red Cross. Whatever work you choose to do, it will fit within one of the firm’s four pro bono focus groups; animal welfare and environment; race and ethnicity; women and families and; LGBT+, or one of our two workstreams; business and human rights and; social impact investing.
One of our proudest achievements is our work in relation to Access to Justice, where we provide free legal advice to society’s most vulnerable. Through this scheme, we’ve helped migrant workers claim damages for injuries in Hong Kong and Singapore. We’ve helped 340 people in the UK with their disability benefit appeals. And we’ve set up the world’s first online toolkit for human rights defenders in Colombia. Lawyers at every stage of their careers can get involved in pro bono work. And there’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to get involved too.
We have been recognised as a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility four times and are committed to improving access to legal careers. Our newest initiative, Brampton Future Lawyers with Brampton Manor Academy Sixth Form in East Ham, London, aims to empower students who are striving for a career in commercial law to achieve that goal. Our carefully designed programme will support the students via work experience, mentoring and skill sessions over the course of two years, so that they can realise their ambitions of becoming a lawyer.
Our core social mobility initiative, the Young Talent Programme is designed to raise aspirations of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Developed in 2012, in partnership with Frederick Bremer School in Walthamstow, London, we support the students over the course of seven years, providing them with access to work experience, mentoring, skills workshops and the opportunity to apply for a university bursary from our charitable foundation.
We believe that taking part in these initiatives doesn’t just make the world a better place, it helps us become better lawyers.
