Career Center

Career Center: Who Prioritizes Pro Bono?

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgWelcome to the next post in our series on the results of the 2010 ATL/Career Center Associate Satisfaction survey. We’ve used the survey results to revamp the Career Center, powered by Lateral Link, with completely updated profiles, and we are highlighting insider information that Members shared about their firms in the eight key areas of associate satisfaction covered by the Career Center.

Today, it’s about doing good for everyone: PRO BONO.

  • This firm’s significant commitment to pro bono includes its “rotation” or “loaned associate” program, which allows associates to spend six months working full time for a poverty law or public interest organization.   
  • An impressively high 97% of associates at this Chicago-based firm perform an average of 111 pro bono hours each annually. 
  • Pro bono work has grown along with headcount at this ever-expanding firm – headcount has increased from 225 lawyers in 1995 to approximately 1,100 attorneys today, and the firm’s pro bono hours per attorney have nearly doubled since 2003 to 74 hours annually per associate.
  • An "unlimited" number of pro bono hours are counted towards billable hours at this firm, and some Members reported billing as much as 400-500 pro bono hours in 2009.

Additional pro bono highlights, after the jump.

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Career Center: Can You Make It to the Top?

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgWelcome to the latest post in our series on the results of the 2010 ATL/Career Center Associate Satisfaction survey.  We’ve used the survey results to revamp the Career Center, powered by Lateral Link, with completely updated profiles and each week, we are highlighting insider information that Members shared about their firms in the eight key areas of associate satisfaction covered by the Career Center.

Today, see if you have what it takes to make it: Partnership Prospects.

  • At this "elite" California firm, which does not have non-equity partners, while “hours,” “work ethic,” and “client retention” are important factors in making partner, Members report that it ultimately comes down to being a “hellaciously good lawyer.”
  • At this firm, known for its high-tech and IP practices, there is one partnership track and no up-and-out policy: the firm does not consider a deferral in consideration unusual or a sign that the associate will not ultimately make partner.
  • This employment-law only firm bills at a lower rate than its Big Law counterparts, and in 2010, several partners defected from DLA Piper to the firm, in part because of this perceived competitive advantage.
  • This "smart and small" firm, with just two California offices, has no set time for when associates will be considered for partner, but generally considers associates for partnership after anywhere from four to seven years at the firm, a "refreshingly brief partnership period" compared to most Big Law firms.

Additional highlights, after the jump.

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Career Center: Show Me The Money

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgThe results of the 2010 ATL Career Center Associate Satisfaction survey are in, and they are part of the all new Career Center, powered by Lateral Link. Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting insider information shared by Career Center users.

Today, it’s all about the money — compensation. Tell us about the comp structure at your firm — click here to take our short survey.

  • This firm is known for its “entrepreneurial culture,” but is a follower when it comes to bonus amounts, with only a "few stars get[ting] . . . above-market" bonuses.
  • This "incredibly well managed law firm” has not jumped on the non-lockstep compensation bandwagon and still provides strictly lock-step salaries and bonuses.
  • This Texas-based firm has announced it will be moving to a hybrid-lockstep compensation system in 2010, but awarded "better-than-expected" bonuses in 2009.
  • This Washington, D.C.-based firm cut starting salaries to $135,000 in January 2010 but also unfroze previously frozen mid-and senior-level associate salaries.  
  • This firm unfroze salaries in January 2010, awarded year-end market bonuses, and made good on its earlier promise to repay lost 2009 salaries as additional year-end, make-whole bonuses.

Additional compensation highlights, which will interest readers who are either (1) researching firms to work for or (2) involved in setting comp at their own firms, appear after the jump.

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Career Center 2.0 (Beta) Is Now Live!

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgWe are pleased to announce the launch of our newly re-developed Career Center, featuring an enhanced design and completely updated firm profiles based on the results of the 2010 ATL / Lateral Link Career Center Associate Satisfaction survey.

Are you curious which firms are getting the most buzz? Which firms do people most want to work for? Want to compare firms on compensation, billable hours, partnership prospects, summer programs, maternity leave, etc.? Check out the revamped Career Center, powered by Lateral Link, for user generated insider information, and see how your colleagues and peers rank your firm and others. It’s like Yelp! for law firms!

On the updated Career Center, you will find out that this firm’s compensation includes a unique bonus program for associates who attract new business to the firm, this firm considers associates for partnership after a “refreshingly brief” four to seven years at the firm, and this firm’s unlimited pro bono policy results in its lawyers averaging over 160 pro bono hours annually.

We are still working out a couple bugs here and there so if you see any errors (in the site or the data), please email us.  As always, we encourage you to send information about your law firm experience by emailing us or by clicking the "Update Firm Data" button in each firm snapshot.

Career Center: When Do You Get a Raise? Survey Results

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgOur recent Career Center survey asked about starting salaries and annual salary increases at firms across the country.  Over 70% of respondents indicated that their firms increase salaries during the traditional month of January.  About 8% percent of respondents, including associates at this Midwestern firm, see their salary increase in February.  Another 9%, including associates at these two global firms, get raises in March.  The remaining 12% of respondents indicated that their annual raises come at some later point in the year.  

Check out the full survey results after the jump — and visit the Career Center, powered by Lateral Link , for more on changing compensation practices at firms across the country. If you are an employer seeking more detailed information on firm salary scales please contact T.J. Duane at tjduane@laterallink.com.

Full survey results, after the jump.

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Career Center: When Do You Get a Raise?

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgWith all the salary freezes, thaws and permanent meltdowns over the past year, it’s hard to keep track of what associates at law firms are actually making these days. And associates are learning that an annual lock-step raise is no longer a sure thing under new compensation systems at many firms.

This week our ATL / Lateral Link survey asks about starting salaries and annual salary increases at your firm. We’ll use the information to update the ATL Career Center and bring you the results next week.

If you have information about your firm that you want to share with other career center users, please email us at careercenter@abovethelaw.com.

Career Center: Compensation Updates

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgThe ATL Career Center, powered by Lateral Link, is constantly being updated with responses from users and the latest news from the legal markets.  While layoffs seem to have abated for the most part, many firms are now coping with the effects of the economic downturn by making major changes to compensation structures and partnership prospects.

  • Click here to find out what kind of salary increase associates at a certain Chicago-based firm can look forward to under the firm’s new compensation structure.
  • Click here to find out what associates at a certain "pedigreed" New York firm think about their chances for partnership under an increasingly "up and out" promotion system. 

Use the Career Center’s firm snapshots and comparison tool to find the most up-to-date information on compensation structures, benefit programs and layoffs at dozens of Big Law firms across the country.

As always, we encourage to send information about your law firm experience to careercenter@abovethelaw.com.

Career Center: Top 10 Tips for Junior Associate Success

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgWelcome to the next article in our Expert Insights series, brought to you by the ATL Career Center. This week, we spoke with Katy Lewis, Associate Director at Lateral Link, who works with associate candidates on law firm searches in Chicago and the Midwest, and with candidates seeking in-house positions. Katy has worked closely with associates, recruiting coordinators and hiring partners at many national firms, so we asked her to share her Top 10 list of what they want to see in junior associates. Whether you are a new associate or just considering a career move, the Top 10 list is useful checklist of what you can do to succeed at a firm.

As a reminder, all Career Development articles, as well as additional career coaching information, are available in the Resources section of the Career Center.

Top 10 Tips for Junior Associate Success

10. Take advantage of slow periods. Use the time to organize your office, attend a CLE, catch up on business/legal current events (WSJ, NY Times DealBook, AmLaw Daily, etc.).

9. Develop a good working relationship with your assistant and paralegals. The better your relationship with the staff, the easier your job will be.

8. Learn how to use technology.  Become proficient with firm software – learn to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Westlaw, Lexis, document compare software.  Understand how to use the telephone – learn to transfer, conference call, dial international, etc.  Nothing is below you as a junior associate.

The rest of the tips, after the jump.

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Career Center: Practice Area Survey Results

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgOur recent Career Center survey asked about how the economy has affected the practice area choices of associates and law students.  A large majority – 80% – of law firm respondents indicated that they have not had to work outside their chosen practice area to meet their hours.

Of the 20% of law firm respondents who have had to work in practice areas other than their own, more than two-thirds of them have picked up litigation work and almost half of them have billed hours to bankruptcy matters.  Almost half of law student respondents indicated that their practice area choices have been affected by market conditions, with litigation the new top choice among law students.

Check out the full survey results after the jump — and visit the Career Center, powered by Lateral Link for more on which firms are leaders in the practice areas you are interested in.

Full survey results, after the jump.

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Career Center: March Madness

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Career Center AboveTheLaw Lateral Link ATL.jpgMarch is all about the numbers: associates at some firms are finally learning what their 2009 bonus amounts are, while associates at other firms are learning more about what their 2010 salary will be. Check out the ATL Career Center, powered by Lateral Link, for the latest information on what the numbers are at firms around the country.

In the past few weeks, we have updated the firm snapshots for Paul Hastings, Gibson Dunn, Simpson Thacher, Knobbe Martens, Skadden Arps, Bingham McCutchen, Winston & Strawn, Holland & Knight, and Kaye Scholer. Use the Career Center’s firm snapshots and comparison tool to learn about other bonus news at firms around the country.

To go beyond the numbers game, join Lateral Link and Katten Muchin Rosenman on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 in Chicago, where a diverse panel of partners and corporate counsel from prestigious law firms and companies will discuss professional development considerations for mid-level associates in determining their long-term career paths. Panelists include Floyd Mandell of Katten Muchin Rosenman, Felicia Gerber Perlman of Skadden Arps, and Tom Kiser, GC at University Health System Consortium. Click here for more information.

And as always, we encourage you to send information about your law firm experience to careercenter@abovethelaw.com.

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