Arnold & Porter - The Inside View

If one thing stands out from our conversations with Arnold & Porter’s new recruits, it’s that the firm’s reputation precedes it. “I had known about the firm for many years,” one interviewee told us, while another described finding out in law school about itswork on “incredible” historic cases such as the Buffalo Creek Flood class action. Indeed, given A&P’s record of landmark wins stretching back to Gideon v. Wainwright in the early 60s, it’s no wonder associates have been impressed by its “reputation in the market as a firm that fought the good fight.”

However, this isn’t a firm that’s just living off old glories. If anyone doubts that A&P still has plenty of fight in it today, just take a look at its wealth of Chambers USA rankings. It’s rated in more practice areas than we could reasonably include here, so we’ll stick to some highlights at the national level, where it sits in the top band for antitrust, bankruptcy/restructuring, false claims act work, government contracts, healthcare, life sciences, privacy & data security and product liability.

“I was looking for a firm that had a great reputation but handled work I really cared about.”

A&P thus offers both a storied past and plenty of opportunities to transform the present, and it’s this mix that seems to really resonate with aspiring lawyers. “I was looking for a firm that had a great reputation but handled work I really cared about,” one junior explained, adding that “I felt like I connected with the people here the most.” Other strengths of the firm that really appealed to associates include its pro bono offering (more on that later), its close connections to D.C. politics, and its ongoing commitment to inclusion.

The overarching context for all this is an environment where our sources had real faith that they could thrive long-term. “It felt like it would be this really safe place to learn and grow as an attorney,” one told us, describing their confidence “that the people would be there to make sure you got relevant work and opportunities, but also be a safety net to support you and help you grow.”

Arnold & Porter is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Junior Satisfaction and a Strong Performer for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Strategy & Future

One of the firm’s major initiatives is “strategic expansion on the West Coast,” managing committee member Arthur Luk tells us, and the launch of its new Seattle office forms a “very exciting” part of this. Currently, this office has corporate & finance, labor & employment, litigation and real estate practices, but it may expand further. The firm is also growing out its other regional offices, such as those in Boston, Chicago, and LA.

“Part of our Arnold & Porter brand is government service and having former government practitioners join our firm,” Luk adds. In the past year, the firm has added multiple partners with government experience to its ranks, including former US ambassador Barbara Leaf, who has joined the legislative and public policy practice.

A&P recently changed its partnership system by adding a non-equity tier. While feelings were mixed over the change, our sources appreciated how leadership “had a lot of feedback sessions and people took them up on it,” giving those affected a chance to talk through any concerns. “When the management has come to a decision,” one interviewee told us, “they like to tell associates as soon as possible, and that’s as much as we can ask for.”

Read more from Arthur Luk under the ‘Get Hired’ tab.

Arnold & Porter is recognized as a Strong Performer for AI Integration in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Summer Program

All summer associates spend the first week of their ten-week program in D.C. and the final week in New York. Summers arrive unassigned to any particular group and can try out work from a range of departments to explore where they would like to specialize long-term. Project and case assignment is through a centralized system to keep the process as smooth and stress-free as possible, though “if you’re interested in a particular area, they try to assign you to that area.” Typically, each summer associate will also have a pro bono project.

There is also a big emphasis on getting to know your cohort socially. Recent group activities were described as “amazing,” and range from Alicia Keys concerts to pizza-making sessions. The small intake also meant that participants felt they were “not lost in a sea of names.”

The Work

Arnold & Porter’s D.C. HQ takes new associates each year, as do the New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Denver, Boston, and Seattle offices.

Each department has attorney practice managers who assign work, which associates liked because there are “people making sure you have good and interesting work.” Seniors can submit requests for particular juniors to assist on their projects. Matters are generally staffed with cross-office teams, based on availability and prior experience.

Arnold & Porter is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Work Allocation & Autonomy in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

The general litigation group covers a range of areas, such as product liability, employment, white collar, environment, complex commercial litigation and appellate. This means “you can get a good diversity of experience right off the bat if that’s what you want. It feels like a good, healthy mix.” Juniors draft, research, review documents, sit in on client meetings and sometimes go to client dinners. They’re also encouraged to shadow their seniors in court.

“You don’t have to specialize for a couple of years, and I liked the idea that it was much more flexible,” one associate shared with us, adding that “a colleague I knew from the start liked white collar and got to focus on that, whereas I’ve had opportunities to do different types of work.” The nature of the work available can vary substantially from office to office, but partner contacts in other cities can help add extra variety to associates’ workloads.

For many, entering the BigLaw world can feel intimidating. However, one junior recalled how their very first assignment “felt like a safe learning opportunity” because there are “plenty of guardrails and people there to support you.” Early on, juniors tend to do quite a lot of research tasks to support their seniors. Nonetheless, opportunities for taking on additional challenges exist, and one source reported their work being “more substantive than I expected.”

Litigation clients: AT&T, 7-Eleven, Visa. A&P is lead counsel for BP in dozens of climate change lawsuits filed by state and local governments across the US.

“I don’t feel like I’m doing random, silly signature pages, I feel like part of the deal team.”

The corporate & finance department is similarly broad, covering M&A, tech transactions, life sciences transactions, capital markets, venture capital & emerging companies, private equity, securities and funds. In capital markets, the firm does a lot of work with sovereigns on financial matters. Associates can try “everything under the sun” before they declare their “major” at the end of their third year. Juniors work on purchase agreements and ancillary documents, manage checklists and due diligence processes and sit in on negotiations. As they move up the years, they progress to handling more significant documents in deals and have more autonomy when running closings. Across all areas, a source reports that there is “a good amount of junior work that’s advancing as I am. I don’t feel like I’m doing random, silly signature pages; I feel like part of the deal team.”

Corporate & finance clients: DC Capital Partners, Adobe, The Wine Group. Advised long-term client Las Vegas Raiders and owner Mark Davis concerning investments into the team by Tom Brady and Richard Seymour.

The intellectual property& technology department handles transactional and litigious matters in this space. As such, attorneys work on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and patent litigation. A&P has both medium-sized and large IP clients, so juniors have opportunities to get involved in large-scale patent litigation as well as to gain “more substantive experience” on leanly staffed teams for medium-sized clients. On larger matters, it’s “great to have the experience watching really seasoned partners think through issues.” With opportunities to draft, counsel clients, work on doc review and review plaintiffs, “there is no day to day, and that’s one of the strengths.” Most of the patent prosecution sub team is based in the D.C. office.

Intellectual property clients: Crocs, Samsung, Pfizer. Representing Nike in patent litigations against Lululemon where Nike asserts that a Lululemon technology infringes several of its patents.

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: 2,000 hours

200 hours of business development, recruiting, DEI activities and pro bono can count towards the overall target of 2,000 billable hours per year. Hitting this target unlocks bonuses. Thankfully, the consensus among interviewees was that there’s “plenty of work to go around,” so the target is generally achievable. When market conditions have affected workflow, seniors “have been really understanding of it” in the review process.

Associates are expected to spend 60% of their workdays in the office, with Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday as the firm's anchor days. They liked this face time for providing informal mentorship opportunities, ranging from sitting in on calls to just enjoying a “chit chat” with coworkers.

And fitting in a life outside of work? “My work/life balance is very manageable,” one junior reassured us, noting that they had plenty of time to see family and friends.Add to that the market-rate compensation (“I’m definitely satisfied with that amount; it’s a lot of money!”) and associates reckoned they had a pretty sweet deal.

Arnold & Porter is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Career Development

Our sources were full of praise for the partners and senior associates who took them under their wing. For instance, one reported that “the associates have been amazing in really showing you the ropes and take the time to give you a redline back and explain why they’ve made this change.” On a more formal basis, juniors have “mentor pods” for their first two years which meet every other month and are a space to ask for advice.

As they become more senior, litigators take part in intensive deposition training and mock trial programs. More broadly, associates receive weekly emails with info on training opportunities available that week. Most sessions take place via Zoom, but some are in person in certain, larger offices. The firm also has its own app called 'Arnold & Porter University', which allows attorneys to access training that their practice group has flagged as important for their development, such as AI training.

There are dedicated attorney development personnel who act as a confidential professional development resource and help juniors obtain secondments and clerkships or go in-house. “They’re an excellent team who represent a lot of the firm culture overall,” one junior shared with us. “They really care about your development as a person, not just your output and what you’re bringing to the firm.” Even the most junior juniors are invited to the all-firm Zoom calls which lay out the requirements for partnership, and one enthused that “it’s really great to have that from so early on in my career.”

Arnold & Porter is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Career Development in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

Sometimes it can be hard to talk about a firm’s culture when that firm has offices across the country, as naturally each office will have a slightly different vibe. But while A&P has offices on the East Coast, the West Coast and many locations in between, some real consistencies in culture shone through in our interviews.

“When they say their doors are open, they really are.”

“Everyone is very happy to help out and share their knowledge and collaborate, and no one is too busy to step in and help out should the need arise,” something which associates across the US really appreciated. When juniors have questions or need a hand, “there’s never a shortage of people that are willing to talk to you and help you. When they say their doors are open, they really are.”

Interviewees also felt their personal lives outside of work were respected. “Everyone here does account for the fact that you’re working big law hours but you’re still human, and people are apologetic when you’re working weekend hours,” said one associate. “I’ve taken a couple of vacations and haven’t had to work on either of those.”

Arnold & Porter is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Culture in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Inclusion

“The firm has really stayed true to wanting to do excellent work and wanting their people to feel part of a community that’s able to do that,” reckoned one insider. “It has continued to uphold the values it has always had.” Arnold & Porter’s affinity groups remain active, including WISE (Women’s Initiative for Success and Empowerment) and groups for queer and Jewish lawyers. Mentorship opportunities are also available through these groups.

A&P has various other resources to support their attorneys. For instance, the firm offers counselling services and on-site therapists, plus there’s an emergency childcare service available for parents when their usual plans fall through. “I’ve been really appreciative that the firm has been really unwavering in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said one attorney. “I think their position has been meaningful to a lot of folks.”

Pro Bono

For those looking to pitch in on pro bono projects, an associate reported that “there are just so many that you can choose from; sometimes it’s honestly a little overwhelming!” Regular email blasts with opportunities make it “very easy to get involved and assist on a pro bono matter right from the start.”

“There are just so many that you can choose from, sometimes it’s honestly a little overwhelming!”

Associates are expected to do at least 20 hours of pro bono per year, though we heard that many exceed this. On the litigation side, juniors can get involved in immigration, criminal appeals, civil rights litigation and family and children’s rights cases, among other things.

Outside of litigation, they can help out at legal clinics for small businesses, family law or immigration. Some A&P attorneys staffed an election protection hotline during last year’s elections, with one reporting that it “was a really cool experience to be involved in, and I anticipate we’ll be doing it again next year.” Veteran discharge updates are “another popular thing the firm does.”

Our sources loved getting involved and felt it really added to their job satisfaction. For example, one told us: “I’ve worked past midnight for billable clients before and I haven’t felt as good about the work I’m doing as when I’m working on someone's death row’s petition which might be their last chance.”This sense of pride is also echoed at more senior levels. Arthur Luk confirms that commitment to pro bono is one of the three key pillars of the firm’s identity, describing it as a “core value” and “a strong reason why I think attorneys come to join Arnold & Porter.”

Pro bono hours

• For all US attorneys: 106,243
• Average per US attorney: undisclosed

Arnold & Porter is recognized as The Elite for Pro Bono in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Get Hired

The First Stage: Recruitment Process

Arnold & Porter began accepting applicants for the 2027 recruiting process in late 2025, but the timing of this process continues to evolve with the market landscape. For the 2027 recruiting process, direct applications made up most of the applications, but for a limited number of interview programs the firm is accepting some attorney referrals.

How interviews are conducted:

The interview process is made up of two stages: first, applicants go through initial screening interviews; then they are invited to a callback interview, after which successful applicants will have offer extended to them. Successful applicants are also given the opportunity to visit the office before starting the summer program.

Co-chair of the National Hiring Committee, Cate Brandon notes that interviewees will be assessed on a combination of communication, analytical, and interpersonal skills, and on their ability to take initiative. To help inform their applications students are encouraged to leverage networking and alumni contacts and schedule informational meetings with attorneys to learn about the firm and its practices.

Top tips for this stage:

“Even if students are unsure of their practice area interest, they should craft a strategic cover letter that mentions specific interest in Arnold & Porter and connects their experience and background to the firm.” – Cate Brandon, co-chair of the National Hiring Committee.

Callbacks

At callback, applicants meet with around five attorneys – typically consisting of both partners and associates – over the course of two and a half hours. These are usually conducted virtually but this can vary by office. Alongside the aforementioned analysis of a candidates’ communication skills, analytical abilities, interpersonal skills, and initiative, interviewees are also tested on their interest in Arnold and Porter specifically.

Top Tips for this stage:

“Prepare for interviews by reviewing online resources and reflecting on prior interactions with the firm or its attorneys, including the interviewer’s website profile.” - Cate Brandon, co-chair of the National Hiring Committee.

Summer Program

Summer associates at Arnold & Porter can take on work across the firm’s practices where teams have work availability. The Practice Management teams help ensure summer associates are staffed on both commercial and pro bono matters – these, alongside firmwide trainings, practice group presentations, orientation in Washington DC, the Summer Associate Training Forum in New York, and a variety of social programming make up the summer experience. Summers are also paired with attorney mentors to help navigate the program.

For summer associates to succeed there is the expectation that they engage throughout the program, taking advantage of everything from work assignments to mentorship, training sessions, practice group presentations, and summer social events. The majority of 2L summers rejoin the firm as juniors, with considerations for their starting practice determined by the associates’ stated interests during 3L and the business needs of the practice groups and wider firm.

For those interested in joining Arnold & Porter, Brandon stresses that holding the firms’ core values of “excellence in the practice of law; adherence to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism; appreciation and respect for diversity among our colleagues; and a deep commitment to public service and pro bono,” will serve applicants well.

Interview with Arthur Luk, managing committee member

Commercial strategy, market position and trends

Chambers Associate: How would you define your firm’s current position and identity in the legal market? What differentiates your firm from your peer firms in the market?

Arthur Luk: First, excellence in the practice of law and in the marketplace. We are a results-oriented firm and have achieved excellent results for our clients. We have 166 attorneys ranked in Chambers as well as practices in antitrust, bankruptcy, corporate & M&A, environmental, false claims act, government contracts, healthcare, life sciences, privacy & data security, product liability, commercial litigation and real estate. So, a very broad practice and a very strong practice in that regard.

A second point I can mention is our deep expertise in key industries. We have industry focused services and we are quite strong in life sciences, financial institutions, consumer products, national security, technology, and industry, among others.

The last thing I’ll mention to get started is our longstanding commitment to pro bono. We represented Clarence Gideon in the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright, which extended the right to counsel for any defendant to state court criminal proceedings. One hallmark of our pro bono practices is that we have more than 100,000 pro bono hours by our attorneys in 2024. It’s a strong reason why I think attorneys come to join Arnold & Porter. It’s something that is a core value of ours.

CA: Have there been any developments at the firm over the past year that you’d like law students to know about?

Luk: We are very proud to have opened a new office in Seattle in the past year which is very exciting. It has grown to about 25 attorneys, and it’s part of our strategic expansion on the West Coast. It is a very rapidly growing market. We have there corporate & finance, labor & employment, litigation, and real estate. It looks like the market will continue to expand.

Part of our Arnold & Porter brand is government service and having former government practitioners join our firm. In the past year, we’ve added multiple partners with valuable government experience, including from the Department of Justice, HHS, and former US ambassador Barbara Leaf joined our legislative and public policy practice.

We’re also expanding some of our regional offices in Boston, Chicago, Houston, and LA, among others. It’s been an exciting year for us in that regard.

CA: Are there any domestic or international events/trendsthat are affecting any of the firm’s practices at the moment? Are there any trends that you think are affecting the business of law firms more generally, and how is that playing out with your firm?

Luk: You’re probably going to be tired of hearing about this – it’s AI that we’re thinking about. We’re at the forefront of AI, both in terms of serving clients with AI-related issues and also using AI to help serve our clients. We represented Anthropic, which is an AI developer, in a landmark litigation this past year. We also represent significant technology clients in that space, including Samsung and Intel, as well as startups that are growing into it, including ElevenLabs.

In terms of how we’re integrating AI into our practice, in 2025 we created the role of chief practice innovation officer, overseeing our strategic implementation of emerging technologies, including generative AI. We are integrating all the various AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Anthropic, Claude and Microsoft Copilot, as well as Lexus and Westwell products, into our ability to serve our clients.

We talked a little bit about some of the hiring coming from government and we’re certainly working through issues relating to US domestic policy and some of the changes there. For example, tariffs. We’re helping our clients navigate that.

CA: What is your firm’s commercial strategy focusing on, and how do you expect the next year to unfold?

Luk: We are very busy across all of our commercial platforms. I mentioned our industry focus, including life sciences. It’s an industry-based approach; it’s not just the regulatory aspect of it. We do a lot of transactional work. We do a lot of litigation that arises out of that, so it really is a deep, industry-based focus and not just the regulatory piece that may come to mind.

That’s just one example. There’s also a lot of change in financial institutions, national security, and technology. We take a similar approach that’s industry focused but across different practice groups.

CA: Last year, we wrote about your firm’s commitment to pro bono and Arnold & Porter also won an award in our satisfaction survey for pro bono. Could you tell me a bit more about the firm’s approach to pro bono and how junior associates can get involved?

Luk: It is a core value of our firm. Even back in the founding days of the firm, in that Gideon v. Wainwright decision, it’s something that our lawyers have believed in. It’s not just something that’s important for professional development but also to vindicating the rule of law and ensuring we’re contributing in a positive way in that regard.

Junior associates are able to begin working on pro bono cases from day one. I know that a lot of attorneys who join us have particular pro bono interests. They want to work on reproductive rights or LGBTQ issues. Voting rights is going to be a big one in the next couple of years. They’re welcome to express their interest in those things.

Inside the Firm

CA: How is the firm evolving to accommodate the needs/expectations of the next generation of lawyers?

Luk: We have a three day in office policy. A lot of firms have moved to four, but we’ve intentionally reserved that flexibility because we understand that the needs of attorneys may change while balancing the importance of joining colleagues and having that collaboration. We think we’ve struck a good balance in that regard.

We have a fantastic wellbeing committee. They just put out some programming recently about work/life balance and making sure that people are maintaining a good balance. We are keyed in on both of those things and we are trying to make sure that we strike the right balance that meets our colleagues where they’re at.

The Legal Profession

CA: How do you predict the legal profession will change in the next five years? Are there any particular challenges the industry is facing?

Luk: AI is the one that people are thinking about the most. The hybrid work environment is another one. I think people have realized that we are a little bit more nimble, and that we are able to work collaboratively without being tied to a desk as much as we have been. But on the flip side of that, there’s also quite a lot of benefit to collaboration, so having our three day policy strikes the right balance for us.

The Fun Bit

CA: Throwing it back to law school: it's been a long day of classes and studying. What's your go-to easy meal to have before you crash?

Luk: It used to be bagels. I went to law school in New York City and there was a very good bagel shop right down the street. I would get either cinnamon raisin or sesame or some sort of flavored bagel. I was not splurging at the time.

CA: What was the first concert you attended?

Luk: Dave Matthews band. I am dating myself; they are not the hippest and youngest band!

CA: Thinking about the ways in which the legal profession is developing, what is the one skill you have learnt in your career that you think is key for young attorneys to learn?

Luk: It’s still developing relationships with people, so I don’t think that is changing and I hope people remember that. One of the ways in which I learned to practice law was really talking to the attorneys I was working with. It could be at the airport waiting for our plane that got delayed for an hour, or in a taxicab going to a meeting, just asking those questions: “why did you do this? What was your thinking behind doing this as opposed to that?” And having those interpersonal relationships.

The same thing applies to developing relationships with clients: getting to know them and understanding what their problems are, not just with a particular assignment but what’s really bothering them as a company and how can we help longer term.