If it’s true breadth you’re looking for, look no further than this Southeastern native with a reach across all corners of the nation and a range of expertise to boot.
Nelson Mullins Lateral Profile 2024
It’s a well-known fact that once you hit your 20s, growth tends to screech to a halt. That’s certainly not the case for Southeastern juggernaut Nelson Mullins; 127 years on, and the firm’s still on a growth spurt. Today, Nelson Mullins boasts a network of 36 offices nationwide, spanning cities from East to West, with a total headcount of almost 1,000 attorneys.If it’s not yet clear, one thing the firm’s certainly got is breadth. For our associate interviewees, this meant the ability to “sample different areas and have lots of options for where to end up.” Indeed, the firm’s main practices include corporate, litigation, intellectual property, and government relations, with further specialisms including real estate, private equity, automotive litigation, healthcare, and product liability.
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…
“The amount of freedom you have in when you work and what kind of work that you do.”
“Diversity of backgrounds among team members.”
“They allow associates to get more experience than a typical BigLaw firm.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2024
Careers at Nelson Mullins
The view from the firm: Nelson Mullins provides advice and counsel in litigation, corporate, economic development, securities, finance, intellectual property, government relations, regulatory, and other needs of clients ranging from private individuals to large businesses, including many publicly held companies. We are committed to recruiting attorneys who help us strengthen and broaden our services.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
36 |
0.56 : 1 |
89% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
47% |
76% |
69% |
||
| 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: Our Mentorship Subcommittee diligently pairs each Associate with both a professional development mentor and a mentor focused on fostering firm culture. This personalized approach ensures tailored guidance for navigating the workplace and crafting a trajectory for long-term career advancement. The structured Associates Training Program features courses hosted by Partners and Senior Associates for which associates receive billable credit for participating. CLE credit is provided where approved. Associates receive billable credit for Real World Opportunities, where they gain invaluable experience through experience exposure.
Regarding business development, our Associates are empowered to drive their marketing efforts with access to funds through the Associates Marketing Fund. Our Wellness Subcommittee offers a range of programs and resources, including monthly correspondences, speaker series, and access to mindfulness apps.
The Associates Committee further fosters a culture of collaboration and support through initiatives like the Associate Ambassador program, wherein an appointed ambassador hosts monthly forums for peer mentoring and constructive discussions.
Hours & Compensation
|
1,900 |
9.6 |
47.9 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
50% |
40% |
64% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
Salaries
*The firm did not disclose its salaries.
The view from the firm: Our firm sets a billable requirement of 1,900 hours, supplemented by a pro bono commitment of 50 hours. We recognize the value of non-billable contributions by providing billable hour credit for training, pro bono work, firm service, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Associate bonuses are determined on a merit basis and are awarded at the conclusion of their first full fiscal year. Our salary structure adheres to the lockstep model.
To promote work-life balance, we offer various flexible arrangements for location and workload, tailored to individual needs. Eligibility for these arrangements is assessed by the associate's team leader in consultation with the Associates and Executive Committees.
Is Nelson Mullins the right firm for you?
|
84% |
92% |
71% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
The view from the firm: Nelson Mullins is looking for lateral associates with relevant experience and excellent skills, with a desire for intellectually engaging work in a collegial, team-oriented environment. The firm’s goal is to advance our clients’ business goals through flexibility, business sense, and tireless advocacy based on a deep understanding of their business worlds.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“There’s an open-door policy in my office, associates who work and hang out together, and partners who do not take themselves too seriously.”
“The partners that I work under care about me as a person., and I feel like everyone at the firm is a family.”
“There’s a lot of camaraderie, a community feel, and the people here have a lot of drive.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
33% |
26.1% |
27.8% |
|
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
|
The view from the firm: In January of 2023, Nelson Mullins launched a new initiative, We are NM, an extension of Nelson Mullins’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This campaign provided profiles of diverse attorneys and policy advisors from various backgrounds and experience on the firm’s website and our NMConnect intranet throughout 2023. Our purpose was to elevate and raise awareness of the exceptional talent within our diversified law firm of more than 1,000 attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals across 31 offices serving clients in more than 100 practice areas.
In May 2023, Nelson Mullins created a newsletter dedicated to providing attorneys, policy advisors, and professional staff with information on the latest Nelson Mullins DEI initiatives, events, and resources named Diversity Connection. The newsletter features contributions from firm DEI Committee members, DEI practitioners, attorneys, professional staff, and individuals who've made significant contributions to advancing DEI within Nelson Mullins. We highlight topics such as intersectionality, allyship, Mansfield Certification, access and opportunities, equity and inclusion focused programs, and the importance of inclusive language and action.
Nelson Mullins earned Mansfield Certification from Diversity Lab, an organization which aims to increase and sustain diversity in law firm leadership.
Pro Bono
|
44 |
88% |
|
average pro bono |
found the pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: Voting Rights (election protection research); daily review and updates of reproductive rights legislation, articles, and cases in six states for Lawyers for Good Government; Hague Child Abduction Program (international litigation); Segregation of Students with Disabilities (education advocacy).
Sustainability and CSR
The view from the firm: Our energy initiatives include electronic record-keeping, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and eco-friendly offices. Our Pittsburgh office for example, opened in 2023, is in an Energy Star certified building with high efficiency lighting and HVAC systems, water conserving fixtures, and recycling, among other green practices. The firm recycles all IT equipment using a sustainability-focused vendor.
Collaborating with clients and organizations, we tackle environmental challenges, notably in renewable energy development and greenhouse gas reduction. We have a large renewable energy practice, representing clients in every aspect of locating, permitting, and operating renewable energy resources. Notable climate commitment initiatives include our work with a large manufacturing client to develop one of the first major and successful landfill gas projects in the Southeast, that took the landfill gas that would have been emitted as a greenhouse gas, and instead used it as a fuel. We've partnered with manufacturing clients and recycling-based companies to preserve environmental resources by developing new ways to reuse existing resources. We've represented companies in their development of ESG policies and our attorneys have served in leadership capacities within the American Bar Association and other organizations dedicated to climate-conscious law practices. The firm's robust pro bono work includes supporting clients on climate and environmental matters.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Emily Martin, Legal Recruiting & Development Manager // emily.martin@nelsonmullins.com