VERY DODGY FIRM AND AUFUL MANAGERS - Legal Assistant / Paralegal MSR Solicitors Employee Review

Lovely colleagues, trauma bonding through adversity.

This was without question the worst workplace I have ever experienced. The firm presents itself as a professional law firm, but the reality behind the scenes is deeply concerning. Based on my time there, the company culture is entirely driven by money and billing, with no regard for staff wellbeing, ethics, or professional development. Billing targets are completely unrealistic, especially for junior staff. During probation, paralegals are given monthly targets that are disproportionate to their salary and role, and management relentlessly chases every pound. Failure to meet targets is met with constant harassment and threats of dismissal. The working environment is unsafe. Construction work was ongoing in the office, yet staff were still expected to attend work. During Health & Safety inspections, employees were instructed to hide or lie to inspectors and claim that no one was working in those conditions. This was extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate for any workplace, let alone a law firm. Management is unqualified and unregulated, yet they oversee qualified legal professionals and paralegals. Bullying and intimidation are common, particularly towards junior staff. Mental health and wellbeing are completely disregarded, and staff are spoken to in a degrading and aggressive manner. Paralegals are also pressured into doing sales and marketing work (including finding clients on Facebook), despite this not being part of their employment contract or role as legal professionals. There are serious concerns around honesty and transparency. The firm appears to post fake positive reviews online, which do not reflect the reality of working there. There are also misleading promises made during interviews, including assurances about signing off Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) for the SQE. These promises are later denied at the end of employment. Overall, this is a toxic, unsafe, and exploitative workplace. Legal professionals have no future here.

There are no pros in this workplace.

This was hands-down the worst workplace I have ever experienced. The company claims to care about staff well-being, but that is complete fiction they could not care less about their employees’ mental or physical health. Management is rude, bullying, and completely unprofessional. Paralegals are treated like disposable machines rather than people, forced to do work far beyond their role, including building clients, chasing Google reviews, and taking on tasks that should be done by solicitors none of whom exist in this firm. The pressure to hit billing targets is insane. You are expected to stay late every single day, often unpaid, and your lunch break is considered optional management will make you feel guilty even for taking five minutes to eat. Annual leave is a joke; requesting time off is treated like a massive inconvenience and is almost never approved. The workplace environment is unsafe. Construction work was happening while we were expected to work, and when health inspectors visited, we were forced to lie that nothing was going on. It’s shocking that this firm expects people to risk their health and safety just to keep up appearances. HR is completely useless. They do not support staff and turn a blind eye to bullying, intimidation, and harassment. Management thrives on fear and intimidation it’s a culture built on stress, exhaustion, and manipulation. In short: if you care about your mental health, work-life balance, or being treated with basic human decency, stay far away from this place. This firm is toxic from top to bottom, and no amount of “well-being initiatives” can cover up the abusive, exploitative, and unethical behavior that goes on every day.