An Inside Look at the Skadden Annual Review Process

Today, we take an inside look at the annual review process for attorneys at Skadden Arps. In this special report, we'll provide general observations on the Skadden review process, highlight noteworthy comments from leaked attorney evaluations, and show you a few reviews in their entirety. If you're interested in learning more about performance reviews at one of the world's biggest and best law firms, please keep reading....

If you’re wondering what partners are looking for in associates and counsel, here are ten positive excerpts from the Skadden antitrust reviews:

  • “very reliable, works well in a team, is a hard worker and has exemplary research and writing skills”;
  • “she has learned a very complicated industry, and clients have come to rely on her for advice and to get things done the right way…. very good writing skills”;
  • “bright, has a great attitude and work ethic, and has loads of potential…. she is one of our best brief writers and analysts…. very smart, anticipates issues, sees the big picture and is utterly reliable”;
  • “has a can-do attitude and has demonstrated marked maturity in taking on more responsibility in deals…. has done more with less, and clients, particularly [client name redacted], have given us positive feedback on [his] performance”;
  • partners “commented very favorably on [his] ability to deal with complex economic analyses of markets and competition issues, and to work directly and effectively with retained economists”;
  • “she manages teams of junior associates well and does a good job working with corporate lawyers, [who] have begun to call her directly”;
  • “clients also have found her very reliable and have become very comfortable reaching our to her directly”;
  • “an excellent writer…. I can assign her a project — draft a brief, research a question, review co-counsel’s work project — and be absolutely confident that she will do a thorough job”;
  • “one of the best young associates I’ve worked with during my 29 years as a partner”; and
  • “always willing to help out, and knows without having to be told when to adjust his plans due to work commitments.”

That last comment, while positive, is a little depressing: “knows without having to be told when to adjust his plans due to work commitments.” In other words, don’t ask the partners whether you need to cancel that dinner reservation or skip your friend’s wedding; just do it.

So that’s what SASMF partners had to say about the counsel and associates they like working with. What about their views on lawyers who are less than fabulous?

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