Chi-town’s Mayer Brown is the best around, boasting gold-star corporate, finance, and litigation practices.
Mayer Brown Lateral Profile 2025
The name ‘Mayer Brown’ echoes a whole lot louder than a whisper in the Windy City. For example, nationwide, the firm attracts top accolades for capital markets: securitization and structured products, financial services regulation, outsourcing, product liability, projects, and tax. in Chambers USA. Additionally, the firm’s capital markets, outsourcing, and projects work is also commended by Chambers Global.The people at Mayer Brown are a big part of the draw: “There’s a certain caliber of warmth and personality among Mayer Brown associates. It was important for me to pick a place I want to stay, and this is it.” For some of our sources, the entrepreneurial vibe of the firm was the sticking point: “If you want to learn early on about how the business of BigLaw works, then Mayer Brown is a great platform to learn and do those things. I feel very supported in that way.”
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 was very impressed during the interview process with the attorneys at Mayer Brown – both for their personal character and friendliness, and their clear intelligence and passion for the law. I felt that the partners at the firm took a genuine interest in me and my professional development, and I found Mayer Brown afforded me the ability to develop my skills widely, not only as a transactional attorney, but as a litigator and regulatory attorney as well.”
“It has an international client base, and there were many partners and associates who had been with the firm since the start of their careers.”
“The people at Mayer Brown were interested in me as an individual, an asset and future leader of their team, rather than only churning out hours.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2025
Accelerated growth areas careers
The view from the firm: These include Insurance; Lending, Leveraged Finance & Private Credit; Projects & Infrastructure; Global Energy; White Collar Investigations & Enforcement.
Disputes careers
The view from the firm: These include Antitrust, Cybersecurity and data privacy, Industry-focused high-stakes commercial litigation, International arbitration, International Trade (including sanctions), Mass torts, Product liability, Regulatory policy and government affairs, Supreme Court and Appellate, White-Collar enforcement, investigations and tax controversy.
Litigation clients: Google, Yale University, Tiktok.
Recent work highlights: Represented X (formerly Twitter) in the Supreme Court relating to a decision rejecting X’s First Amendment challenge to the Government’s censorship of its transparency report.
Capital markets careers
The view from the firm: Capital markets with an emphasis on industry-focused DCM and ECM, and complex specialized capital markets products.
Financial services careers
The view from the firm: Focused on the following products: Fintech, Financial services M&A, Regulatory Policy, Government affairs, Fund finance, Global trade finance, leveraged finance, Real estate finance, Structured finance, Private credit, High-stakes commercial litigation for financial services companies and Derivatives.
M&A careers
The view from the firm: M&A in targeted industries such as financial services, infrastructure, energy, insurance and tech, and private equity; Funds and Asset Management.
Corporate clients: National Bank of Canada, CEMEX, Nestlé Health Science.
Recent work highlight: Represented Angel Studios, a movie and television producer, in the $1.5 billion business combination with Southport Acquisition Corp.
International & Secondment Opportunities
Common secondment destinations: London
Overseas career development opportunities (view from the firm): Short Term Secondments: Short Term Secondees (STS) are seconded to one of the firm’s overseas offices or to a client in a country other than their home country for a specific period of time to conduct business on behalf of the firm, with the intention of returning to their home country upon completion of that secondment. This program will usually be applied to lawyers and staff.
Long Term Secondments: Long Term Secondees (LTS) are seconded to one of the firm’s overseas offices or to a client in a country other than their home country for a specific period of time to conduct business on behalf of the firm, with the intention of returning to their home country upon completion of that secondment.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
30 |
1.2 : 1 |
72% |
||
|
partners made |
associate : partner |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
74% |
68% |
83% |
||
| 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: Mayer Brown delivers three associate development centers for Junior, Mid-Level, and Senior Associates. The agendas for each development center focuses on communication, relationship building, and management skills targeted at appropriate levels under the firm’s global associate competencies.
Six complimentary sessions of career development coaching per year is available to all US associates with one of our external professional coaching providers. The external coaches are particularly suitable for those seeking further career development support and/or on a partnership track.
Group Coaching for Mid-Level & Junior Associates provides career development support and the opportunity to connect with peers across offices and practice groups. Participants set the topics each session to ensure the most valuable and relevant coaching experience.
1:1 coaching is offered for US counsel and associates internally from our Career Development Advisor. Common topics include firm integration and advancement, career transitions, internal and external networking, and business development.
Mayer Brown uses CE Manager to track US lawyers' continuing legal education (CLE) credits for the states where we have offices: California, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia & Washington, DC. The CLE team provides administrative support for tracking CLE compliance status and notifying lawyers of upcoming deadlines for these jurisdictions only. As a provider of CLE, the firm accredits courses in those states only.
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
13 |
50.3 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
74% |
79% |
75% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
felt that they could take vacation/annual leave on their own terms |
found the firm's claims around bonus allocation authentic |
Salaries
1st year: $225,000
2nd year: $235,000
3rd year: $265,000
4th year: $310,000
5th year: $365,000
6th year: $390,000
7th year: $420,000
8th year: $435,000
The view from the firm: Compensation is paid based on class year. The firm has a long-standing initiative to have every lawyer perform at least 20 hours of pro bono. The firm’s alternative work schedule policy is designed to strike an appropriate balance between the needs of our attorneys and the business and economic needs of the firm, while ensuring that the firm continues to meet the demands and expectations of our clients. Compensation for associates and counsel working on alternative schedules will be established in the same manner as that for attorneys working a traditional full-time schedule but will be adjusted on a pro rata basis to reflect the percentage of hours agreed upon for the alternative work schedule in the upcoming year. The firm offers a flexible work schedule with a 3:2 approach taken for most US offices.
Is Mayer Brown the right firm for you?
|
90% |
88% |
90% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work they received was of the right quality |
felt that they chose the right firm |
The view from the firm: Mayer Brown hires experienced lawyers to meet the needs of individual offices and practice areas. Our lawyers bring a wide variety of personal histories, and experiences, contributing to a dynamic, energizing and inclusive environment in which to practice law. Because we are a large and growing global firm, you'll find expanding local and international opportunities to advise the world’s leading companies and financial institutions on their most complex deals and disputes.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“The people are so genuine; they care about each other's lives outside of work and respect that time. Everyone is so kind.”
“The firm does a great job of giving junior associates early training and experience that I would not get elsewhere. As a junior, I have been given more substantive work and had more interaction with clients than my peers at other BigLaw firms.”
“The people I work with are beyond lovely and have shown me nothing but heart. I didn't think this existed in BigLaw, and yet I've found it for myself.”
Pro Bono
|
47 |
94% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm puts effort towards its commitment to pro bono and social impact activity |
Pro bono highlights: Anti-Defamation League (fighting against antisemitic harassment, bullying, and discrimination); City Bar Justice Center (preserving intergenerational homeownership among low-income New Yorkers).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: We have adopted an internal Environmental Policy with which all our offices are expected to comply, while recognizing the flexibility required by the individual circumstances of each office. With the aid of a highly regarded outside consultant, we have established internal Near Term science-based emissions reduction targets consistent with the latest environmental sustainability principles, including through improved use of energy and resources.
We will continue emphasizing the use of buildings that, through their design, construction or operation, reduce or eliminate the negative impacts on our climate and natural environment. These include, for example, LEED-certified buildings in the US. More than 80% of Mayer Brown lawyers and staff work in such environmentally accredited buildings including our teams in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC.
We will continue to evaluate our supply chain and prioritize relationships with organizations within our supply chain that have adopted a similar commitment to sustainability and resilience. All suppliers are required to comply with our Code of Conduct.
We will ensure that we are mindful of all the resources we consume in our business and will prioritize the use of sustainable products and remain fully committed to participating in recycling programs in the cities in which we operate. Mayer Brown is a Member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network and works with peer industry groups to build and share best practice.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Brooke Ross, Student Recruitment
bross@mayerbrown.com
Ashley Hamilton, Associate & Staff Attorney Hires
ahamilton@mayerbrown.com
Nancy Gray, Partner Hires
gray@mayerbrown.com