Bates Wells

Bates Wells

Careers at Bates Wells

We’re Bates Wells, a City firm with a difference. We believe in making a positive impact, whether that’s achieving legislative and regulatory change or working on landmark cases with wide-ranging implications. We’re not afraid to challenge the status quo. Our clients are diverse – from global household names, to public bodies, to start-ups. We’re also the firm of choice for thousands of charities and social enterprises. As a values-driven firm we show commitment to our clients, our people, the environment and society. We were the first UK law firm to certify as a B Corp. We believe that the “classic” economic model – with businesses focusing solely on maximising profit while doing some good deeds on the side – isn’t sustainable. Corporate Social Responsibility is a start, but it’s only a start. Wanting to make a profit is core to all business but doing so while having a social purpose means an organisation can make wiser business decisions, assess the impact of these decisions on others, and protect its interests long-term. This is the impact economy and it’s how we run our business.

We want to have a positive impact on our people. We believe that having a happy and healthy team leads to high-quality work. We recognise that our people have important commitments outside of work. That’s why 25% of Bates Wells work fewer than five days a week, including 41% of our partners. We also encourage our people to enjoy their evenings, so you’ll rarely see the dull-blue glow of computer screens lighting our office after dark. So when our people are at work they’re fully motivated.Happy motivated people mean we can have a positive impact on our clients and communities. Some of this positive impact comes from the clients we work with: Over 50% of our clients are charities and social enterprises making a significant impact on other people’s lives. As well as advising our clients we also work to benefit the wider sector, for example collaborating with the government to create the Community Interest Company (CIC), a legal structure now used by over 14,000 organisations operating for the public good.We also play our part by offering thousands of hours of pro-bono work and our people hold over one hundred charity trusteeships. We are a commercial firm, yet we understand the purpose which drives not-for-profits.Annually, 1% of our profits are donated to address social issues in an effort to put our money where our mouth is when it comes to driving social impact.Profit driven organisations also drive positive change and we enjoy our work with commercial businesses, especially when they share our impact goals.It’s why we helped to launch B Corps in the UK – a movement that looks to use business as a force for good – and it’s also why we became the first UK-based, B Corp-certified law firm.

Being purposeful also means looking beyond the work we do for our clients to our everyday decisions and suppliers – from the soap we use to the food we order, to the paper we print on, we look for suppliers that have a social purpose and an environmental agenda.We’re taking our own small steps to address environmental challenges – we’ve reduced our carbon footprint by more than 33% since 2014, despite our business growing by 60% over the same period.We also now operate as a zero-waste-to-landfill office, with 100% of our waste composted, recycled, or turned into usable electricity and heat. We genuinely believe that growth doesn’t have to come with a high environmental cost and are trying to work as sustainably as we can. Creating a positive impact is a long-term goal and though we haven’t cracked every detail and there’s always more to do, we’re working on it.Click hereto read our Environmental Policy Statement.

Verified by Escape

Escape's take on Bates Wells

Bates Wells are a law firm that are doing things differently. As an accredited B Corporation, Bates Wells not only shares their values outwardly, but also live them every day within their organisation. They're a law firm for people creating positive impact, working with many purposeful organisations and helping to show that traditional industries can be disruptive and impactful with the right leaders at the helm. They received reviews from more than 90 of their employees, highlighting their commitment to the wellbeing of the team and their social impact above all else. They truly are an organisation that are far more concerned with making things better than simply making a profit. With raving reviews, a measurable commitment to social and environmental change, and ambitious growth plans, it's little wonder they ended up in the Escape 100 for a second year running. If you're looking to bring your skills to an organisation with ambitious and disruptive plans in the world, with the ability to make a huge impact, look no further.

Stats we are proud of

  • 4000

    Hours of probono work at the firm in 2018

  • 100

    More than 100 charity trusteeships

  • 200K

    Contributed by Bates Wells foundation in the last 3 years

  • 89%

    Carbon footprint reduced by 89% over the last 8 years

Behind the scenes

Team makeup

  • 239
    Employees
  • 82
    % Female
  • Part-remote

Benefits

  • Holiday

    25 days’ holiday a year, and we encourage you to use them all up! It's a marathon, not a sprint.

  • Holiday Buy

    Buy an additional 5 days holiday per year (pro-rated for part time working).

  • Pensions

    We match your contributions if you chose to put in 2.5% or 5%.

  • Firm Wide Profit Sharing Scheme

    Eligible staff will receive a share of a bonus pool linked to the LLP profit. When profit thresholds are achievement, an annual payment may be made.

  • Health Insurance

    Private health insurance, and paid sick leave (for both your physical and mental health).

  • Cashplan

    We offer employees a health cash plan from Medicash. The plan works to assist with contributing towards the cost of everyday healthcare costs such as dental and optical bills as well as physiotherapy for example.

  • Recognition Scheme

    We operate a recognition scheme where employees can be nominated for an award by individuals across the firm.

  • Permanent Health Insurance

    Eligible staff will have up to 75% of base salary protected in the event of long term sickness subject to scheme terms and conditions.

  • Life Assurance

    Employees will be covered under the firms’ scheme and for eligible staff this pays out four times your insured salary in the event of your death whilst working for us.

  • Flexible Working

    We have policies in place to encourage employees to work from home one day per week.

  • Gym Membership

    Part subsidised gym membership with a range of providers.

  • Dress Policy

    We encourage a relaxed dress code throughout the firm. You can therefore dress in a casual manner suited for a professional services firm if you are not planning on client contact.

  • Season Ticket Loan

    Interest free annual season ticket loan, repayable by monthly deductions over a period of 10 months.

  • Cycle-to-Work

    We are registered under the Cycle-to-Work scheme, so you can buy a bike and accessories tax-free.

  • Wellbeing Weeks

    Option to take part in wellbeing weeks which gives them the opportunity to have health MOT’s, taster therapies and various events.

  • Fresh Fruit

    Free fruit is available within the office.

  • Employee Assistance Programme

    As a responsible employer we recognise that life beyond work may on occasions create tensions and difficulties. Our confidential employee assistant programme provides 24 hours personal assistance to enable you to talk in confidence to a qualified advisor for free.

  • Access to Complementary Therapies

    Such as massages, facials and reflexology from within the office.

  • Early Finish

    Leave the office at 4.00pm on Fridays throughout the summer and on the last working day that falls before a bank holiday.

  • Volunteering Days

    Support employees who are undertaking community or charitable activities and all employees are granted two days (or 14 hours) paid leave per annum to assist with this.

  • Sabbatical Policy

    Up to three months sabbatical for staff with seven or more years’ service.

  • Discount Vouchers

    For a variety of activities such as cinemas, eating out and shopping.

  • Access to the Globe Theatre

    Access to the Globe Theatre via our Corporate Membership where you will be able to get reduced rate tickets.

  • Recruitment Introducer Scheme

    Paid on successful completion of the probationary period to the introducer. Payments vary from £1,000 to £5,000, dependent on the salary of the person introduced.

  • Client Introducer Scheme

    A % of the billing rendered and paid to BWB in the first 18 months is paid to staff; 5% for private clients and 10% for commercial clients

  • Payroll Giving Quality Mark

    We are proud to be accredited with the payroll giving quality mark and we operate a payroll giving service where you can donate an amount of money to charity of your choice via payroll.