Pros
The work-life balance can be great since I have seen them work with a few select people, but that often creates bitter relationships with those who are prohibited from enjoying similar schedule flexibilities including promises of telecommuting and working from home. Often the group of people tend to be clique which can be good, but becomes a disaster when they set up "work teams" pitting people against each other in dog-eat-dog mode. I felt especially bad for the satellite offices which often lacked support from the central office. The concept of bonuses and raises based on performance sounded good, but according to all who worked there that were not afraid to speak can't remember such bonuses being paid in recent memory. Work gets vigorously logged for time spent to bill on projects going from a conference call to client interaction, company meetings, and bathroom breaks as billing to overhead was cause for reprimand based on metrics. It's the perfect atmosphere for the aspiring attorney since no other industry focuses so much on client billing. The career opportunities are a dead-end, but it is a good place to start and really open up doors after six months (hence the 3 stars). Stay anything longer than a year and you might fall victim to complacency to old software and become non-hireable elsewhere.
Cons
Management has a holier than thou attitude when it comes to complying with Building Codes so it is not uncommon to find battles that have existed long before I got hired that were still being fought on new projects based on past experience. Health and 401k became a laugh and a joke when it increased to reflect the insured pool (more people out sick than working) and as such, already paltry benefits turned mediocre. Pay was one of the largest reasons for my departure. For being a seasoned veteran I sure was handed a compensation package that rivaled entry level with the promise of pay raises and bonuses to compensate the difference. See "Pros" above. Conversations in the office are recorded, giving the workplace a real throwback feel of the McCarthy era and the Nixon White House. With the constant reminder of metrics and using the dysfunctional automated software to finish commercial projects in six hours or less, people begin to feel less human and more of a number which often leads to push back from senior members for innovation as they fear becoming redundant in a company increasingly placing emphasis on automation.
