Not the firm it once was - Patent Attorney HGF Employee Review

I worked at HGF for several years and experienced first-hand the shift in the firm following its acquisition by private equity. What was once a genuinely collegiate, professionally driven environment has been steadily eroded. The most noticeable change has been the increasing focus on financial performance at the expense of people. Utilisation targets have become more aggressive, workloads have increased, micromanagement of attorneys is rife, and there is far less tolerance for anything that does not directly contribute to short-term revenue. This has created a more pressured and, at times, transactional working environment and, in my experience, the level of client service the firm once prided itself on has declined noticeably. There is also a growing disconnect between leadership and those doing the day-to-day work. Decisions feel driven by short-term financial optics rather than long-term strategy or professional judgment, and communication around these changes has often been lacking. As a result, trust in management has largely evaporated. Morale across the firm is extremely low. Many experienced and capable colleagues have left, many more appear to be actively looking for a way out, and those remaining are often stretched thin. It is also difficult to reconcile this experience with the sudden influx of uniformly positive reviews from “talent attraction advisors.” Overall, this is no longer the firm it once was. Anyone considering joining, particularly as a fee earner, should look very carefully at whether the current direction and working conditions align with their aspirations.