Case Study: Burness Paull LLP
Creating space for candid and open conversations in a leading commercial law firm
About Burness Paull
Burness Paull is a leading independent commercial law firm based in Scotland, with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Formed in 2012 through the merger of legacy firms Burness and Paull & Williamson, the firm has since grown into one of Scotland’s largest and most respected legal practices. With around 700 employees (including 95 Partners), Burness Paull advises clients across the UK and internationally, delivering high-quality legal expertise across areas such as corporate finance, energy, technology, real estate, and dispute resolution.
The Challenge
Creating and maintaining a healthy, open workplace culture has long been a priority for Burness Paull, and the firm was particularly keen to ensure employees had a clear and confidential route to raise concerns, ask questions, or simply seek advice, especially on sensitive matters.
They also recognised that an open culture is closely tied to employee wellbeing and mental health, which in turn affects employee motivation and engagement. At the same time, pressure from the regulator—the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)—made it clear that workplace culture was under increasing scrutiny. In its 2022 thematic review into law firm culture, the SRA highlighted that “a positive culture helps minimise risk and supports high standards of behaviour.”
The Solution
Burness Paull implemented the WorkInConfidence platform six years ago. The firm wanted to ensure that there was a trusted, confidential mechanism in place to promote employee voice, beyond the traditional channels.
The firm has received anonymous questions through the platform, giving them the opportunity to respond to concerns they might not otherwise have known about. These included queries from individuals who didn’t want to raise an issue formally or trigger alarms – but needed advice “what do I do about?….” and didn’t know who to go to. A common occurrence within a large firm.
The Benefits
1. Normalising candid communication
The platform has become part of the firm’s broader cultural messaging. For example, it is referenced during onboarding, and when training on topics such as preventing sexual harassment. This makes it clear that there is a route to speak up safely and remain anonymous, for as long as it is needed. Burness Paull also has Respect and Inclusion Champions and a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, so the WorkInConfidence: Anonymous Conversation facility complements their values and messaging around inclusion.
2. Boosting engagement at Town Halls
With offices across Scotland, Burness Paull runs quarterly Town Hall sessions between employees and senior leadership. Using WorkInConfidence, employees can submit questions anonymously ahead of these events. This helps avoid awkward silences in live sessions, and allows the leadership to prepare thoughtful, transparent responses – building trust and engagement.
3. Enabling targeted feedback through surveys
In addition to Anonymous Conversation, the firm uses focused WorkInConfidence surveys alongside their usual annual staff survey. These ad hoc targeted, confidential surveys have delivered extremely high response rates and valuable data to inform decision-making and policy development. The ease of use means they are planning to roll out similar focused surveys in the future. They feel that employees now trust the anonymous nature of the platform.
4. Supporting compliance and reducing risk
With WorkInConfidence in place, the firm can clearly demonstrate they have a confidential channel for employee voice. This is important not only for regulatory compliance, but also in conversations with insurers, as part of a broader strategy to reduce organisational risk.The Experience
Burness Paull described their experience of implementing WorkInConfidence as very positive. The onboarding process was smooth, the platform itself is easy to use, and the client support service has been fantastic. They highlighted that the WorkInConfidence team is responsive and helpful, making the entire experience straightforward and rewarding.
Conclusion
For Burness Paull, using the WorkInConfidence platform has been an important part of building and sustaining a genuinely open workplace culture. It gives employees the confidence to raise questions and speak up, helps leadership listen and respond more effectively, and demonstrates a visible commitment to employee wellbeing, inclusion, and good governance.
