Akin - The Inside View

It’s easy to get caught up in the trials and tribulations of thinking about stepping into BigLaw. But while the need for high grades and an impressive CV is only going to help, associates reassured us that it isn’t everything. For instance, “Akin hires on whether or not you’re a good fit just as much as it does on credentials,” one associate explained. “I had some friends at Akin,” they added, “and they kept talking about how great the culture was.” The “first thought is, wow, a great culture in BigLaw?” but “it's so possible!” Perhaps then what you’re looking for is something ‘akin’ to “kinder, nicer” BigLaw. Pun intended.

“…the existence of a strong pro bono program shows the potential friendliness of the firm.”

An extension of the clearly attractive culture that also tickled our associates’ fancy was Akin’s very strong focus on pro bono. “The uncapped nature of pro bono work was a major pull for me,” one source explained, “The existence of a strong pro bono program shows the potential friendliness of the firm.”That’s because “if pro bono is something that’s culturally encouraged, it displays that the firm cares about people, which also reveals how it treats its employees.” With an “attainable” path to partnership too, many of our interviewees felt at home within the Akin confines. Except, nobody’s confined at all really. The Akin Jump program – where associates can go and spend several weeks in another office – allows associates to connect and network with those from different offices, on top of enhancing their understanding of the law and their practice.

Location diversity aplenty, cities such as Dallas, DC, and New York house the bulk of the associates, while the firm also hosts major offices in the likes of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Houston. Oh, and we should probably mention the client work too, but here you needn’t worry. Akin receives elite nationwide Chambers USA rankings in bankruptcy/restructuring, government relations, healthcare, international trade,and privacy & data security, on top of niche practice areas such as Native American law.

Strategy & Future

Coming soon...

The Work

The bulk of associates we spoke to explained that newbies typically rank their top three practice area preferences at the end of the summer program to determine their desired course. While choices are typically respected, sources did caveat that “sometimes they hire deliberately and make clear that it’s ideal if you do litigation or corporate – depending on which class needs balancing out.” But “it’s not super restricting,” one associate re-assured us, “we also have plenty of people who started as associates in one group and later switched to another.”

In fact, “Akin’s really good with the summer program in that you can really try out what you want,” said an interviewee, “they really encourage you to try a lot of things.” All the better as the firm boasts a vast array of practice areas. Corporate, general litigation, and investment funds tend to be the predominant groups, though associates are also able to join tax, financial restructuring, and international trade. What’s more, practice groups at Akin each have assigning partners, but there’s also a free-market staffing approach leaving associates free to find work through the relationships they’ve built.

“…the ones you see on the news!”

Associates in the firm’s litigation group explained that they engage in a “really broad range of matters,” including business disputes, internal investigations, and administrative proceedings. Sources mentioned this work touched on areas such as immigration, employment, data privacy, and financial restructuring – with the latter “a big sub-section of the group.” For instance, “I’ve worked on some big name bankruptcies,” one source enthused, “The ones you see on the news!” Working typically on the creditor side, clients included institutions such as hedge funds and capital management companies. In terms of responsibility afforded to juniors, “The really cool thing about Akin,” one source began, is that “while I’ve had my fair share of first-year doc review, I’ve also been given tasks that juniors wouldn’t usually do.” This included looking at legal case theories, drafting complaints, and writing interlocutory motions to dismiss. “They also let associates be client facing earlier than I anticipated,” one source added.

Litigation clients: NBCUniversal, Hudson Bay Capital Management, Celsius Network. Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Purdue Pharma in relation to their alleged roles in fuelling the opioid crisis.

Described as having “a million sub specialties,” it will come as no surprise to learn that Akin’s corporate group also covers an interesting range of topics. While we must say that it doesn’t literally have a million different sub specialties – we’re sure you’d agree that’d be difficult to achieve, even for BigLaw’s standards! – corporate work consisted of private equity M&A, public M&A, fund finance, and investment funds, in addition to “hyper technical groups” such as special situations, private capital, and private credit. The whole time “you’re doing substantive things,” one interviewee explained – ancillary documents, due diligence, and preparing checklists, on top of “a good amount of subject matter-related things.” For instance, one noted, “I’m now starting to be a lead on the credit agreements.” To summarize, as one associate highlighted, “You’re really viewed as an integral member of the team.”

Corporate clients: Cineworld Parent Limited, Mubadala Capital, 7-Eleven. Advised Baker Brothers Investments in relation to Pfizer’s $43 billion acquisition of Seagen.

Career Development

Associates reveled in the huge formal training infrastructure available at Akin. “Your entire first year is made up of practice-specific training,” one associate explained. Comprised of a “multi-day welcome to the firm, where you’re also introduced to the culture and other fundamentals,” sources reported on a solid onboarding program, skills and deposition training, in addition to a variety of recurring CLEs. While associates are assigned ambassadors, a partner, and a mid-level associate as part of the firm’s formal mentorship program, interviewees noted the level of informal mentorship on offer too, as one associate explained, “Everybody has been really good with checking in and making sure I’m understanding everything and that I’m learning and growing.”

On top of opportunities “to discuss any questions and career goals” you may have, our sources highlighted a number of social events within the realm of career development. For example, “We do bi- or tri-annual retreats – firstly as a junior, mid-level, then counsel,” highlighted one interviewee. A colleague added, “We actually had an event last night about business and client development targeted at juniors and mid-levels.” With a career counsellor at the firm too, Akin runs its very own feedback program called Akin Thrive where “you can request feedback from anybody, whereby the seniors you work with can provide feedback through that mechanism.”

Culture

Associates reveled in how Akin encourages newbies to “take ownership and prioritize relationships either with colleagues, mentors, or clients,” leaving another to conclude that Akin’s cultural offering is ultimately “a really well thought-out framework.” Referring to a great sense of community internally, sources noted, “People are understanding and acknowledge that we ideally have lives outside of work,” too. “I’m a person they actually keep up with which is just really lovely,” one associate praised, before adding that “it makes everything about this job better because I know the person I’m working with is genuinely invested in my mental health and wellbeing.”

One interviewee expressed, “I feel very comfortable knocking on a counsel’s door to ask them about anything.” Blended with a healthy dose of social interaction, one source explained, “We have lunch together in the café – people will email to say that they’ll be heading down there and will ask if anyone wants to join.” Sounding a little too good to be true within the scary world of BigLaw? “It’s hard work of course!” one quipped, “But there’s no micromanaging! Nobody’s looking over your shoulder.”

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: 1,850 target

Akin has staggered hours goals: 1,850 hours is the general target, while 1,950 hours is required for bonus eligibility. Sources also noted a potential extra bonus upon hitting a grand sum of 2,300 hours. With an overall target described as realistic to achieve, associates explained that the total number can consist of uncapped pro bono, 75 hours’ worth of client development, up to 100 firm citizenship hours (which includes participation in the summer program), and unlimited general counsel hours. The goal is “definitely achievable,” one associated noted, as “there are many resources available to utilize in order to make the hours.”

“…respecting weekends and vacations.”

Hours ultimately depend on practice area, though fairly long hours were a general theme at the firm. “My hours can be extremely high,” admitted one source, “I routinely work ten-to-twelve-hour days.” Though some joked of “war room scenarios” amidst late nights, it must be said that “Akin also does a good job of respecting weekends and vacations,” once source added. Akin’s got a flexible working policy too, whereby the expectation is to be in the office Tuesday to Thursday, with Mondays and Fridays remote.

Pro Bono

Interviewees explained that associates at Akin are expected to complete at least 20 hours of pro bono, upon which “there’s a certain prize they send you – and if you hit 70, you’re a designated pro bono ‘hero’!” a source quipped. Associates felt it was “a pretty generous policy,” pro bono can also be “a good way to fill time with the natural ebbs and flows of the year,” particularly when a client case just wraps up. With a dedicated pro bono partner on hand, “you can email them your availability” and “they’ll then set you up on something.” 

Pro bono hours

• For all US attorneys: undisclosed
• Average per US attorney: undisclosed

Inclusion

Sources were enthusiastic when it came to matters of inclusion at the firm, with one associate noting, “I know Akin is very committed to making space for people to be their authentic selves.” Akin also hosts its very own firm-wide resource groups (FRGs) which left one associate quipping that “there are so many affinity groups it’s hard to keep track of them!” Covering social groups such as Asian Pacific Islander, Asian, Hispanic, Black, and LGBTQ+, such groups help foster “a sense of community.”

Impressive on the gender front, one source explained that “one of the reasons I came to Akin was because there were so many corporate counsel partner positions comprised of women with children; seeing that was a great sign.” But “it’s a really supportive culture” in all, one associate explained, with colleagues adding that “I feel supported and empowered as someone from an ethnic minority background.”

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus  

OCI applicants interviewed (2024): 16 

Interviewees outside OCI (2024): 191

Akin encourages students to apply directly to its recruiting programs on the firm website.  

Akin attorneys screening interviews will typically be a partner or senior associate who may be a member of the firm’s hiring committees. “At this point in the process, we are asking questions about the candidates’ experiences, assessing their skills, and explaining what sets our firm apart from others,” Lauren Leyden, former hiring partner, says. Questions are aimed at evaluating whether the candidate exhibits Akin’s core values: future-focused, diversity-minded, dedicated to excellence, service-oriented and collaborative.   

Top tips for this stage: 

“Even if someone is ridiculously qualified, it’s taken very seriously if they wouldn’t work well with others and fit the culture of the firm.” – a third-year associate 

Callbacks 

Applicants invited to second stage interview (2024): 207 

During callbacks, candidates typically meet four to five attorneys for one-to-one interviews lasting around 30 minutes each. Lauren tells us: “We strive to include attorneys from various levels of experience and practice groups on the callback interview schedule in order to provide the candidate with as many perspectives on the firm as possible.” She adds that interviewers “often look for more information regarding the candidate’s interest in a particular practice and for more information regarding their interest in the firm.” 

Top tips for this stage: 

“Take time to do your research and get to the know firm and its practice areas before your callback interview.” – a second-year associate   

Summer program   

Offers (2024): 55 

Acceptances (2024): 29   

During Akin’s ten-week summer program, summer associates work on an assortment of projects. Attorneys in the office manage assignments by identifying projects for each summer associate based on available assignments and their practice areas of interest. Summers are assigned two to three mentors who provide informal feedback and get formal feedback via a mid-summer and end-of-summer meeting. There are also training and networking events throughout the program.   

The firm discusses summer associates’ interests and preferences for practice areas and makes final assignments before the summers return as first-year associates based on that discussion and the needs of the firm. The majority of our first-year associate classes are comprised of former summer associates.

Top tips for this stage: 

“Equally important with work is getting to know people so you have relationships in place; they organize a lot of events structured around introducing you to the firm’s attorneys.” – a second-year associate   

“We want our summer associates to get to know us, as lawyers and people.  Asking us about our practices, what we do on the weekends, and how we feel about Akin will help summer associates understand why this firm is special.” – former hiring partner Lauren Leyden 

And finally…  

Associates say that when it comes to hiring at Akin, everyone’s opinion matters: “Obviously partners have more authority but there needs to be buy-in from the associates as well as the recruiting team. I’ve been in meetings where people are discussing candidates, and even if all the partners like someone and they have great grades, that person won’t get an offer if very few associates and recruiting does not agree.”