As I was in my role on a six-month contract, take my review with a grain of salt. My experience was that my colleagues were friendly and helpful, the office is well-appointed and in a central location (although I largely worked remotely), and staff are encouraged to keep sensible hours and make use of benefits.

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Great place to work that provides reasonable opportunities to move up.

Office Clerk (Former Employee) - Calgary, AB - 18 October 2022

I worked as an Office Services clerk in the Calgary firm for just over a year and a half. Although this may not be a very long time, I feel like I have known the people there for a decade. From coworkers to legal assistants and supervisors, there is collaboration and conversation that adds to the warmth of the work atmosphere. I can say that this job provided me with a multiplicity of work and life skills and the people were wonderful.

Pros

Ease in communication with upper management, great supervisors, great benefits, wonderful people, lots of opportunities to interact with professionals for career progression (networking events, holiday events, etc.)

Cons

Can be stressful at times but coworkers and supervisors are always there to help.

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Insights into Gowling WLG

Based on 14 survey responses

What people like

Clear sense of purpose
Ability to learn new things
Feeling of personal appreciation

Fast paced work enviornment/ IT general assistance.

Deskside Support Technician (Former Employee) - Calgary, AB - 22 September 2022

Fast paced work environment, possibly having to work on call. Typically spending most of your morning setting up meeting rooms. Rest of the day is spent doing general desk-side assistance.

Pros

Great benefits

Cons

IT office area has no windows/very enclosed feeling

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Excellent Culture and Leadeship

Supervisor (Current Employee) - Calgary, AB - 8 September 2022

A positive place to work. The people and culture is what makes the Calgary Office a great place to be employed at. The management team has done a great job during the pandemic and transitioning everyone back into the office, while doing so, we had a different treat waiting at our desk as a welcome back each day of the return to office week! We've also had a great work function in bringing everyone together with the common wealth games, having drinks and food during the afternoon.

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Great place to work

Not disclosed (Current Employee) - Calgary, AB - 7 September 2022

You can tell alot about a company based on how they work with their people during a pandemic. There has never been layoffs and it is clearly communicated that we will get through any challenge as a team. Great place to work.

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things have got to change

Legal Administrative Assistant (Current Employee) - Calgary, AB - 24 August 2022

I miss the collaborative community feel of the firm and the pleasant culture we had under the old human resources manager. The firm has changed over the last couple of years, and it is disheartening. Our Calgary location is a bit of an anomaly in my opinion…firm vision set by head office has been lost.

Pros

none anymore

Cons

management, pay, walking on eggshells

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Awful culture

Guest Services Agent (Former Employee) - Ottawa, ON - 3 June 2022

No communication, no clear hierarchy, great to gain experience and start your career, but not a place to spend your career at. Lots of turnover for that reason. It certainly was a great location and the benefits were great, but many public or private employers offer the same and with a much better work environment and culture.

Pros

Free lunches

Cons

Low pay, management

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Not the same place it was before

Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Calgary, AB - 14 May 2022

Culture has taken a nose dive in the last few years in the Calgary office. Ok place to get some experience but not for the long haul. Most of the people are great. Management, not so much.

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One of the best place i ever worked

Virtualization and Storage (Former Employee) - Toronto, ON - 28 January 2022

i realy like to back to gowlings wlg one day, I learn a lot at gowlingwlg Nice people very frindly HR, Profesisnal managen from top to buttom.if you saw senior manager very seriousask them to smile there are nice people.

Pros

All good and i miss My friend.

Cons

some of people difficult to work but it is not related company

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Positive Environment - Could Pay More

Legal Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Toronto, ON - 11 November 2021

Cons:- little room for advancement- management will hear concerns but nothing is done about it - gap between lawyers and support staff is too big. Management needs to work on demonstrating their appreciation of support staff and not only lawyers. - the process to move up a level is… well, there is none. And if there is, they don’t advise. Pros:- work culture is great. - staff are friendly - extended benefits are good

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Jobs at Gowling WLG

Poor Management

Office Services Clerk (Former Employee) - Hamilton, ON - 1 November 2021

The job itself is great and the supporting staff are amazing. The biggest issue personally for me was management. They would hold meetings about how important mental health is but when I expressed concerns about burn out/covid, management was quick to gaslight me and would leave me in tears over the phone. I’m still trying to recover from the burn out and trauma this job gave to me.

Pros

on occasions free lunches, good benefit program, great coworkers

Cons

poor management, overtime, terrible pay

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Great place to work with a really good office team. Great hours and benefits.

Facilities Coordinator (Current Employee) - Calgary, AB - 28 October 2021

I have worked at Gowling WLG for a few years and have found the office to be a great place to work with really good team members.Everyone is always happy to offer help if you are busy on a day to day basis.The work life balance is very good as well and the benefits are good as well. Management are always open to listening to new ideas and suggestions at meetings.

Pros

Social events. Very nice office to work in. Great downtown location. Great team members.

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Good place to work at

IT Deskside Technician (Current Employee) - Ottawa, ON - 23 August 2021

Amazing staff, and environment. Unfortunately management doesn't do a good job fighting for better compensation. Impossible to see a long future in IT

Pros

RRSP Matching Plan

Cons

Poor Pay, Poor Management, No advancement, Staff and Lawyers are absolutely not treated equally

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Ok poor HR and office service

Sales Associate (Former Employee) - Calgary, AB - 23 May 2021

Support staff and most lawyers and managing partner were wonderful but office service management and HR except one have a club like mentality and unless you play there game you feel subservient and beneath them and condescending unfortunately can’t hold staff like that.

Pros

Hours and holidays

Cons

Pay and management will

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Avoid.

Legal Administrative Assistant (Current Employee) - Calgary, AB - 3 April 2021

No overtime even if you work late into the night, lawyers are not taught how to nicely deal with support staff such as legal assistants, and it is just a depressing place to work at. There is limited help, especially if you're new. Lawyers will email others about their own assistants and mock them and no action will be taken against them. It was extremely disheartening to work here.

Cons

Extremely long hours, limited help

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Great team work experience

Law Clerk/Legal Assistant (Former Employee) - Ottawa, ON - 14 March 2021

Great culture. Feel like you are part of a team and valued. Professional very down to earth. Lots of like acknowledgments of appreciation throughout the year. Great benefits.

Pros

Gifts of appreciation

Cons

Work was not challenging that I was doing.

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Great place to work

Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Ottawa, ON - 1 December 2020

I enjoyed my time at Gowlings. Large office just in Ottawa between the people and floor space (3 1/2 floors at the time). I was very busy in a good way and it got chaotic at times.

Pros

Loved the Christmas party

Cons

Long days

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Great working environment

Legal Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Ottawa, ON - 24 March 2020

Good environment, friendly staff, nice culture, staff appreciation week. However, very low salary for legal administrative staff and lots of monotonius, routine work

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Great place to work

Legal Assistant (Current Employee) - Ontario - 29 February 2020

It is a busy environment and you work hard but you are compensated for that. I would like to work from home but not everyone in the company is able to. Good work/life balance. Lots of opportunities to learn and improve skills.

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Relaxing and modern

Adjoint juridique et administratif (Current Employee) - Montréal, QC - 11 December 2019

The office is a refurbished one, very spacious and well lighted. It's fun and the infrasctructures are modern. The working hours are flexible and people or many of them are friendly.

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Work hard play hard

Litigation Legal Assistant (Former Employee) - Toronto, ON - 9 December 2019

Culture of excellence, but that comes with pressure. Support seems to be available when asked for. Generally nice people and predictable work. Compensation is good. Nice parties and social events.

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