A highflier across corporate and disputes practices alike, Alston & Bird’s name is spreading as the crow flies…
Alston & Bird Lateral Profile 2025
With a legacy dating back well over 100 years in Atlanta, it should come as no surprise that “when you talk with people in the city and mention Alston & Bird, most people have heard of the firm.” Fast forward 132 years and, while Atlanta remains Alston & Bird’s largest office hosting the majority of associates, the firm’s reach now spans both coasts and (almost) everything in between, with bases in New York, Charlotte, Raleigh, DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Century City, Chicago, and Dallas. The firm’s network also branches outside the states, with two overseas offices in London and Brussels.
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…
“I chose my firm because of their depth and breadth of experience in the different facets of Healthcare Law. I wanted stellar training, and their culture seemed more down to earth than other firms that I had encountered.”
“A highly talented firm with great core values and friendly atmosphere.”
“Alston & Bird checked every box for what I was looking for in a firm: they strive to work ethically; had a reputation for doing excellent work; place a premium on associate training and well-being/work-life balance; and had a reputation for hiring smart, sociable attorneys. Everything and everyone I saw of and at the firm during my summer internship matched those preconceived expectations I brought in with me (and everything I've seen since starting as an associate have continued to reaffirm those original expectations).”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2025
Capital markets / M&A careers
The view from the firm: The firm’s attorneys have extensive experience with complex mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, going-private transactions, joint ventures and similar transactions for clients in a broad range of industries, representing bidders, target companies, stockholders, boards of directors and financial advisors. Alston & Bird lawyers have been involved in all aspects of leveraged buyouts and distressed sales and can handle the acquisition and financing of public and non-public companies of any size.
M&A clients: Unifeye Vision Partners, US Foods, Sage Software.
Recent highlight: Represented Veritiv, a leading provider of packaging, in its $2.6 billion take private acquisition by an affiliate of private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
Finance careers
The view from the firm: Alston & Bird has one of the leading structured finance and securitization practices in the country. It represents many of the most active issuers, originators, master servicers, servicers, trustees, fund managers, investors, domestic and foreign financial institutions, rating agencies and insurers in a variety of debt financings. The practice puts its deep bench in several leading US financial centers and in London into play to lead transactions in virtually every asset class of the structured finance and securitization markets.
Finance clients: Bank of America, Capital One, The Home Depot.
Recent highlight: Represented Americold Realty Trust on its first public offering of debt securities, valued at $500 million.
Healthcare careers
The view from the firm: The firm is home to one of the most extensive, full-service healthcare practices in the United States, with demonstrated transactional, regulatory, public policy, government investigations and litigation expertise, including former senior health policy and enforcement officials from the US Congress and executive branch departments and agencies, including the White House, Departments of Justice and Health & Human Services, and Food and Drug Administration.
Intellectual property careers
The view from the firm: Alston & Bird’s IP practice is one of the largest and most highly regarded of any general practice firm in the United States. The group provides a full range of intellectual property services, including patentability and prosecution, litigation, post-grant review proceeding expertise and services, patent maintenance, counseling regarding infringement avoidance and validity and infringement studies and opinions.
IP clients: Chick-fil-A, Verizon, Rockwell Automation.
Recent highlight: Defended Nokia against Smart Path Connections who accuses infringement of four patents related to router technology.
Litigation careers
The view from the firm: Alston & Bird’s attorneys have litigated in virtually every major industrialized jurisdiction around the world. The firm’s litigation experience includes antitrust, bankruptcy, construction, environmental and land development, ERISA, international trade and regulatory, labor and employment, securities, products liability and class actions.
Litigation clients: Checkpoint Therapeutics, Mercato Partners, Clear Street.
Recent highlight: Represented publicly traded Packaging Corporation of America in a product liability lawsuit filed against engineering firm Lundberg relating to the design and installation of a proprietary flame arrester that PCA contented was not effective and failed to perform as a safety device in pulp and paper mill systems.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
20 |
1.05 : 1 |
82% |
||
|
partners made in 2024 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
78% |
69% |
88% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with childcare/caregiver responsibilities | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: Our one-on-one mentoring program for junior lawyers is designed to guide associates through their first few years of practice. Our A&BCD Initiative focuses on group coaching and is designed to support Senior Associates in the development of the skills, knowledge and relationships necessary to succeed. Additionally, we have practice-specific skills checklists for use as a benchmarking guide through each level of development. We provide our own internal course offerings through Alston & Bird University. Our Business Development training curriculum is offered to all lawyers and our experienced Marketing Specialists are available to assist with individual business development needs and plans.
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
13 |
46.4 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
79% |
88% |
67% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
felt like they could take vacation/annual leave on their own terms |
found the firm's claims around bonus allocation to be authentic |
Salaries
1st year: $225,000
*The firm did not disclose its salaries beyond this point.
The view from the firm: We provide competitive compensation and a merit bonus program with 150 hours non-billable hours, including pro bono and approved diversity & inclusion activities, counted toward hours-based bonus qualification. The Firm’s Flexible Time Off Policy permits all salaried attorneys to take time away from work with pay for rest and relaxation at their discretion. Our wide range of benefits, work life balance programs, and alternative work arrangements and career options are designed to address the challenges of balancing the demands of family and career and provide the support and resources our attorneys need to successfully integrate their work and personal lives at every stage of development.
Is Alston & Bird the right firm for you?
|
85% |
81% |
91% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work the received was of the right quality |
felt that they chose the right firm |
The view from the firm: Lateral hiring is critical to Alston & Bird's overall talent strategy and long-term commitment to our clients. We highly value the experience and expertise our lateral attorneys bring to the firm, and we integrate them fully as future partners and leaders. We seek highly motivated attorneys who are committed to their practice, are intellectually curious, and who celebrate a diverse and inclusive work environment. Our website job board contains current opportunities available throughout the firm and is updated in real time.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“Very personable and friendly people while still paying top of the market. I've found partners here to be very down-to-earth and approachable while still maintaining high expectations. Fantastic work environment.”
“Every person I have met is kind and eager to help you learn as a new associate. Everyone works really hard but understands the importance of mental health and work life balance.”
“Our firm culture is uniquely positive, supportive, and responsive. BigLaw can often be heartless to clients and attorneys, but it never is at Alston & Bird.”
Pro Bono
|
61 |
86% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm puts effort towards its commitment to pro bono and social impact activity |
Pro bono highlights: Providing legal services to nonprofits, NGOs, and small businesses; ACLU of Louisiana’s Justice Lab (fighting injustice in the criminal legal system); Immigration & asylum; Veterans’ matters; Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and the PATENTS program (building up underserved artistic communities).
Sustainability and CSR
The view from the firm: The firm played a leadership role in legal industry sustainability by helping found the Law Firm Sustainability Network, now known as the Legal Sustainability Network (LSN), sharing its vision with other green law firms to improve the entire industry's sustainable practices. Our firm is American Legal Industry Sustainability Standards (ALISS) Gold certified, a sustainability self-assessment program started by LSN. From comprehensive recycling programs to composting services, to waste reduction and reuse initiatives, we do all that we can to make efficient use of our limited resources. We purchase renewable energy credits to help offset a percentage of the firm's annual electricity usage, making us members of the EPA's Green Power Leadership Club since 2014. We reside in LEED-certified buildings, like the Platinum Certified 2Cal building in Los Angeles, and our Gold Certified office in Atlanta.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
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