Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG Employee Reviews
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Good benefits shouldn't outweigh your dignity.
Law Clerk (Current Employee) – Hamilton, ON – 11 October 2018
Great place to work if you work with a nice lawyer who actually knows his/her stuff (of which there are few). If you don't, run. Fast. Good benefits shouldn't outweigh your dignity.
Pros
Benefits
Cons
Lawyers with God Complexes
Gowling's main concern is the betterment of their employees, whether it be inclusion, mental health, unconscious bias, etc.
Law Clerk (Current Employee) – Ottawa, ON – 31 January 2019
Other than the commute, I very much enjoy coming to work in the morning. I work with an amazing group of people and the chemistry of our team makes things happen. This firm has many programs for employees to better themselves and they encourage you to do so. They provide lunch and learns to assist you in areas where you might need a little encouragement. The hardest part of my job is the commute in and home, but that's my choice to live where I live.
Pros
A+ for employees
Cons
Located downtown
Interesting work
Legal Administrative Clerk/Mentorship (Former Employee) – Ottawa, ON – 29 January 2018
The work was very interested but it was very difficult to manage time between five very demanding professionals. They should have hired at least one more assistant for all the work that was needed to be done
Pros
Christmas Parties
Cons
Nosey coworkers
Administrative assistant
Legal Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 14 October 2017
Busy law firm. Assisted two lawyers. I needed to focus on time management meeting deadlines. Detail oriented in making revisions to documents and entering billing information to the system.
Nice place to work, focuses on employee retention
Legal Assistant (Former Employee) – Hamilton, ON – 18 January 2017
The staff were treated well all year round with staff lunches, birthday recognition, games and prizes. Having these activities helped with the stress of the job.
Most co-workers were friendly and willing to help training and answer questions.
Most co-workers were friendly and willing to help training and answer questions.
Pros
Great Staff Appreciation
Cons
Co-workers who didn't want to train you
Gowlings was probably one of the best largest corporations I have ever worked for!
Senior Legal Assistant, Resource Team (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 18 May 2016
I never thought that working for such a large firm could be as good as it was. If I never left Calgary/Canada to begin with, I would've never left the firm. They were so good to me there. As a result, I will always have my utmost respect and fondness. I miss working for them even up till now.
Pros
Excellent team of people!
Enjoyed working at this firm
Legal Assistant (Former Employee) – Vancouver, BC – 29 February 2016
During my almost five years with the firm, I can truly say that this is the best law firm I have worked for. To this day, I have maintained a good relationship with some partners, associates, legal assistants, accounting, and office services staff.
Pros
Relaxed environment
Cons
(Vancouver) A little bit behind on some office procedures and still keeping inefficient employees
Typical day
Executive Assistant to General Manager (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 6 October 2015
I organize meetings, internal events and day to day requirements for all executive. I manage the GM's calendar, expenses, speadsheets, town hall and a variety of odd end jobs.
Great workplace
Legal Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) – Ottawa, ON – 17 April 2015
Worked there for almost 13 years started right out of college. It was a great place to learn and I had a very nice boss. I worked in litigation, patents, trade-marks and designs.
Great organization & great place to gain knowledge and experience.
Administrative assistant (Former Employee) – Hamilton, ON – 16 October 2013
Great group of co-workers and professionals. If you worked hard you were shown appreciation and were always acknowledged for work well done. Each day was different but ran smoothly the majority of the time and when the work day was over you went home to your family and left work at work. I am forever thankful to be given the chance to gain experience and knowledge through Gowlings. Learning from scratch various programs, time management, client service and gaining responsibility along the way was beneficial for my career. There was always someone there to help you learn and understand whenever you needed it. I hope someone else gets the great experience I had and is appreciative of what it can do for you career.
Pros
Plenty of PERKS!
Good firm ... for Bay Street
Associate Lawyer, Commercial Real Estate (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 15 October 2013
Prides itself on saying it's a great place to work and consistently ranks in the top 100 or 50 companies in the country. The reality is, this applies more to the staff than to the lawyers. For them, it's business as usual, Bay Street-style.
This means high targets (but average for Bay Street), an informal emphasis on exceeding targets in order to stay employed (average for Bay Street), poor communications between partners and associates (average for Bay Street), almost no management to speak of (average for Bay Street), minimal mentorship (average for Bay Street).
The people in my department were really great, and if I could say one thing about this firm that was different from my other BigLaw experiences, it would have to be them.
But, it's a Bay Street law firm.
This means high targets (but average for Bay Street), an informal emphasis on exceeding targets in order to stay employed (average for Bay Street), poor communications between partners and associates (average for Bay Street), almost no management to speak of (average for Bay Street), minimal mentorship (average for Bay Street).
The people in my department were really great, and if I could say one thing about this firm that was different from my other BigLaw experiences, it would have to be them.
But, it's a Bay Street law firm.
Review
Floater (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 23 August 2013
Because I am a floater a typical day at work depends on where I am placed. This was my first job in the legal field and I have learned a lot in terms of how to open a file, how to do an expense reimbursement. I enjoyed getting to know my co workers here and everyone is really friendly and approachable. The hardest part of the job is the different personalities you might come in contact with (mostly having to do with the lawyers). The most enjoyable part is learning new things.
Pros
Different sessions that take place within the firm
Cons
Different personalities
They treat their employees very well and invest in them
Associate (Former Employee) – Toronto, Canada – 15 September 2012
Gowlings set the bar very high in terms of their professionalism in how they deal with employees. Before and after them I have not come across an employer that takes that much care of its employees, takes care to maintain links with them in the years after employment.
I learned as much as I wanted to. I was mentored by numerous senior lawyers in work as much as life. Their commitment and professionalism was very very high.
The management is in transition. They have grown by merger in the past and as they face new international markets to grow into, have been evaluating their options for a few years.
They are not at all insular. I was not a Canadian when I started working there and I never felt a dearth of opportunity in my time spent there. I was given as much exposure as they could give me.
I learned as much as I wanted to. I was mentored by numerous senior lawyers in work as much as life. Their commitment and professionalism was very very high.
The management is in transition. They have grown by merger in the past and as they face new international markets to grow into, have been evaluating their options for a few years.
They are not at all insular. I was not a Canadian when I started working there and I never felt a dearth of opportunity in my time spent there. I was given as much exposure as they could give me.
Pros
very progressive, inclusive work culture.
Cons
private practice in international firms is very stressful, there can often be an eat what you kill mentality, one has to be prepared to plan well to be able to cope with the standards and the stress.