Freshfields Reviews

routine work everyday, repetitive report preparation

The recent restructure of PAs has at best been unnecessary and unpleasant, but at worst demeaning, mismanaged and totally missold. Existing long standing PAs have been told they are "not of an EA standard" and given no justification for this other than "they didn't pass the in tray exercise" yet FF is employing Senior EAs and has no idea of how to utilise their skills or encourage inclusion within the firm. The Practice Group Managers seem to lead through fear, intimidation and constant criticism without any real evidence other than the comment that "it has been noted that....". Whilst the salary they offer for an EA role is at market rate, you are constantly told that "you are paid a lot of money so you had better just suck it up and get on with the job" and also that "you have X amount of time to turn things around" with the underlying message that if you don't you will be fired at the end of your probation. Absolutely no advice or support is given to help you achieve what is expected and I am sorry to say that whilst the secretarial teams are generally of a good standard and very supportive of each other, they are fearful of speaking out because of the recriminations that will quite definitely follow.