Not to labor on the point, but Chicago-born Seyfarth knows a thing or two about employment law, balancing a global network with a “sense of community.”
Seyfarth Shaw Lateral Profile 2024
If you love a main character with an interesting backstory, let us introduce you to Seyfarth. Once a labor & employment specialist in Chicago, the firm now has expanded far beyond the Midwest, with 13 offices around the country, four in the Asia-Pacific region and one across the pond in London. The firm made its start in 1945 after working with the National War Labor Board during World War II and has largely stuck to these roots 80 years on. Nowadays, it boasts a full-service offering but is still known as a powerhouse in anything to do with employment law.
View the firm’s Chambers USA rankings
Read the firm’s Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did you join your firm? Associates say…
“Everyone was truly down to earth and fairly easy-going. They understood that I had a life outside of the office and respected that.”
“The office had a very small firm feel for being a firm of its size and encouraged self-starter initiatives to help improve workflow and client experiences.”
“They were vocal about having a work-life balance while working at a firm.”
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
18 |
0.5 : 1 |
85% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
75% |
73% |
73% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: We have a Lawyer Development Committee that supports all of our associates. Every associate is assigned a partner mentor as well as an associate Buddy when they start at the firm. We offer many mentoring opportunities including our Coaching program, TRIAD program, Associate retreats and Affinity Groups.
Hours & Compensation
|
1,950 |
9.1 |
48.9 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
59% |
56% |
33% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
Salaries
1st year: $210,000
2nd year: $220,000
3rd year: $240,000
4th year: $275,000
5th year: $300,000
6th year: $310,000
7th year: $320,000
8th year: $330,000
Is Seyfarth Shaw the right firm for you?
|
76% |
86% |
78% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“The culture is, and always has been, very collaborative.”
“Everyone is friendly and works hard.”
“Team members act, and treat others, like real people.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
55% |
32% |
33.5% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: As the world’s demographics continue to shift and grow, so does the makeup of our organization. In lockstep with that growth, we regularly review and assess the needs of our people to ensure a sense of belonging. For example, in 2023, we laid the groundwork to establish three additional affinity groups:
- First generation professionals.
- Veterans and family members of veterans.
- Southwest Asian and North African descent (SWANA)
Pro Bono
|
20.8 |
83% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: Seyfarth was part of a coalition of law firms working to assist Afghan journalists and other employees of The New York Times who were evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021; Transgender Name Change Clinic (In 2023, Seyfarth partnered with Legal Services NYC and a corporate client to host a clinic that helped low-income transgender and gender nonconforming clients secure legal name changes); Driver’s License Restoration Clinic; Racial Justice Research (in 2023, Seyfarth participated in two different racial justice research projects with Lawyers for Good Government); Employment law 101 presentation to non-profits working to reduce violence in the community.
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: In conjunction with our 2022 internal review of our social impact footprint with an outside consultant, we conducted a materiality assessment. Through that assessment we developed an action plan for improvement in several areas of our firm’s impact footprint, one of which focuses on our firm’s sustainability practices. As a step towards continued growth in this area, the firm recently appointed Ameena Majid as Impact & Sustainability Partner. In this role, Ameena will first assemble a “green team” within Seyfarth focused on our firm’s environmental footprint. The initial focus will be improving the sustainability of our day-to-day efforts with medium and long-term focuses on emissions reporting and working with our landlords. Further, we are part of the Law Firm Sustainability Network, a group of law firms who meet regularly to learn from one another, share best practices, and exchange ideas about how to improve sustainability programs.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Katie Beach, National Director of Legal Recruiting, kbeach@seyfarth.com