It’s not always sunny in Philadelphia, but the rays of good fortune certainly seem to catch this US heavyweight which has gone on to secure global prestige.
Philadelphia-headquartered Morgan Lewis has a broad footprint across 15 practice areas. In 2021, it made key hires in London, Frankfurt, New York and Philadelphia in life sciences, IP, and investment funds. The firm also established a new education team last year. The firm is ranked top nationally by Chambers USA for labor & employment, but that’s not all that’s on offer. It gets more top national rankings for capital markets securitization, corporate/M&A, employee benefits & executive compensation, nuclear regulatory & litigation, ERISA litigation, investor funds, projects, retail, and tax.
View the firm's Chambers USA rankings here>>
Why did you join Morgan Lewis?
“I saw the firm investing substantial resources in my practice area of interest and knew there would be opportunities for young associates to get good experience right away. Also had great culture both in the office and practice group of interest.”
“The firm's culture stood out among other firms as being more close-nit and not segregated by practice area.”
"The depth of its labor and employment practice group and the people."
"Easily the best firm in Philadelphia."
"Offered a good blend of top work and pay with an atmosphere of caring about associates."
Strategic recruitment focuses 2022
Antitrust, Corporate & Business Transactions, eData, Energy, Employee Benefits, Finance, Investment Management, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation, Private Client, Structure Transactions, Tax, Telecommunications, Media & Technology.
Antitrust careers
Antitrust clients: Pfizer, Comcast, BMW North America
Recent highlight: Defended Vyera Pharmaceuticals in a lawsuit filed by the FTC claiming that Vyera, its parent company, and two of its former officers and directors violated federal and state antitrust laws.
Corporate & Business transactions careers
Corporate clients: Stripes Group, Kain Capital, Smart Wires
Recent highlight: Represented Atlantic Broadband in its $1.1 billion acquisition of WideOpenWest's broadband systems in Ohio.
Energy careers
Energy clients: Exelon, Luminance, FirstEnergy
Recent highlight: Advised Pepco on a request for proposal and power purchase agreement for a pilot program to procure renewable energy for customers in DC.
Career development & the path to partnership
|
23 |
1.2 : 1 |
23% |
||
|
partners made in 2021 |
associate : partner gearing |
of junior associates intend to make partner |
||
|
74% |
76% |
77% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | strongly agreed the firm’s name adds value to their resume | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: At Morgan Lewis we are committed to providing our associates with the opportunities and tools they need to become accomplished, successful lawyers and to support their long-term career goals through one-on-one coaching, mentoring and formalized training. Training includes but is not limited to: new lawyer academy, midlevel associate and senior associate academies; Morgan Lewis Institute which provides ongoing professional skills training; and practice area specific training.
Hours & compensation
|
no requirement |
8 |
53 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
80% |
63% |
70% |
| felt that the bonus amount awarded is fair |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
Salaries
- 1st year: $205,000
- 2nd year: $215,000
- 3rd year: $240,000
- 4th year: $275,000
- 5th year: $305,000
- 6th year: $330,000
- 7th year: $350,000
- 8th year: $365,000
The view from the firm: Morgan Lewis encourages its associates to be fully engaged in the practice of law, with our clients, and with the firm. This includes both billable and non-billable contributions such as unlimited pro bono hours.
Is Morgan Lewis the right firm for you?
|
95% |
89% |
87% |
|
said they’d chosen the right firm |
were happy in their current role |
felt comfortable being themselves |
The view from the firm: People know us for our uniquely collaborative work environment, for colleagues who truly care about one another, and for the powerful, innovative solutions we create for our clients. We believe that Morgan Lewis is an exceptional place to work, and we are looking for exceptional people to join us.
What stands out about the firm's culture?
“Many people in my practice group, including associates, had been at the firm for a long time.”
"The office has a laid back personality despite most people taking their work extremely seriously. Great balance there."
"Everyone was extremely kind, and associates I spoke to at every level had families that they prioritized."
Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing
|
80% |
77% |
28% |
30% |
||
|
reported strong performance in inclusivity training |
agreed that the firm strives to retain and promote diverse lawyers |
of partners are women |
identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: At Morgan Lewis our diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts include four components that impact every aspect of our culture: active leadership involvement, targeted recruiting and outreach, client and community engagement and career development. Our firm has a number of internal lawyer networks as a resource for our diverse lawyers. We launched a sponsorship program for Black & Hispanic associates designed to aid and sustain career progression. Lastly, we centralized firm resources and personnel for our Mobilizing for Equality task force.
Pro bono
|
79.5 |
94% |
|
average pro bono |
found the pro bono |
The view from the firm: Morgan Lewis has a strong commitment to pro bono work and expects all attorneys to record at least 20 pro bono hours per fiscal year but in practice most contribute more. In fiscal year 2021 100% of our lawyers met this standard in total contributing more than 122,000 hours to 2,264 pro bono matters.
Sustainability and CSR
The view from the firm: We are a dedicated member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network (LFSN) and earned a Silver Badge this year for completing their firmwide sustainability assessment using the American Legal Industry Sustainability Standard tool. We encourage an ecologically friendly workforce from piloting work-from-home programs pre-pandemic, providing incentives for mass transit, and by concerted efforts promote energy conservation through office designs and incorporating energy efficient best practices into day-to-day operations. Furthermore, our Sustainability Working Group, made up of more than 90 global representatives, meets regularly to assess local internal sustainability practices, exchange knowledge, innovate ways to engage in environmentally friendly practices, institute accountability, and propel our campaigns forward.
Contact
See opportunities at the firm here>>
Recruitment contacts here>>
Visit the firm's website here>>