This Cali celeb showcases its finance, tech, and energy expertise in a mete-Orrick fashion.
Orrick Lateral Profile 2025
If you’re looking to kickstart your career in sunny California – or simply bask in the warmth “of a firm that feels truly Californian” even on the chilly East Coast – then Orrick shines bright. It does for many things, especially its culture “where lawyers are intelligent, but their egos humble” – a big draw for our interviewees. Associates recalled leaving interviews with Orrick thinking: “I just met the nicest group of lawyers who were honest about their experiences.” A determining criterion, one told us, was that: “I felt like I could be friends with them.” That’s not all, though; the reputation for keeping to its Cali roots and embracing innovation was paramount. Breaking new ground, managing partner Jessica Perry details, “We’ve developed our own internal generative AI assistant called Orrick.ai, and 75% of our associates use that tool.” Our ambitious sources chimed: “Orrick is always at the forefront of technology; that’s very important to me.”
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 really enjoyed the partners and associates I worked with. I was drawn to the strong and growing data privacy and cybersecurity group.”
“It was a combination of strength in my interested practice area, and the firm's reputation for having a strong culture of mentorship, collaboration, and innovation.”
“Orrick's friendly West Coast culture, increasing presence in life science patent litigation, and representation of large clients with high-stakes litigation matters.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2025
Energy & infrastructure careers
The view from the firm: Orrick's global energy and infrastructure team provides a comprehensive platform for a sector undergoing tremendous change and facing heightened global attention. Our 150+ E&I transactional, litigation and regulatory lawyers advise on revolutionary projects in energy transition and energy technology and guide clients in the development of some of the most important infrastructure modernization projects that propel communities across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Long a leading firm in the renewables sector with a deep international bench, we advise investors, developers and sponsors on all aspects of alternative energy projects and help drive innovations in battery storage, carbon capture and hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Energy & infrastructure clients:Microsoft, TotalEnergies, Chevron.
Recent work highlight: Advised Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on its acquisition of Liberty Renewables, a New York-based company with a focus on reducing dependence on carbon-intensive energy sources.
Intellectual property careers
The view from the firm: The most innovative companies in the world call on us to protect their intellectual property and defend their brands. We’ve won some of the highest-impact IP cases of recent years, at trial and on appeal. Like our clients, we’ve succeeded by breaking the mold – in the way we’ve framed the issues, in our trial tactics, and in the graphics and other techniques we’ve used to make complex points clear.
IP clients: Netflix, Meta, Panasonic.
Recent work highlight: Represented Sonos in an infringement lawsuit against Google over its smart speaker technology.
Litigation careers
The view from the firm: Combining trial and appellate prowess with deep subject matter knowledge in IP, cybersecurity, white collar, employment law, securities, mass torts, antitrust and other areas, our powerhouse litigation teams fight with cutting-edge legal strategy and tactics, backed by a state-of-the-art trial platform – and our opponents know that we come ready for trial.
Whether defending our results on appeal or reversing losses to continue a fair fight, we have repeatedly delivered in appellate courts around the country and at the Supreme Court. We also embed our appellate lawyers on trial-level matters to set up success at every phase of the battle.
Our extensive bench includes nationally recognized courtroom veterans, former prosecutors, and litigation’s rising stars, supported by our award-winning analytics, trial support, and case management teams.
Litigation clients: Johnson & Johnson, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs.
Recent work highlight: Achieved a nine-figure win on behalf of UBS Asset Management against energy tycoon Charif Souki over defaulted loans.
Finance careers
The view from the firm: For over a century, we've acted for global banks, funds and leading financial institutions at the forefront of innovation in the private and public sectors – from creating new financial products to resolving high-stakes litigation, enforcement and compliance matters. Harnessing the talents of our diverse finance, restructuring, securitization, real estate, M&A, capital markets and tax lawyers, we partner with our clients to develop strategies for bespoke challenges and opportunities in today's fast-paced financial markets. We combine our market knowledge with a deep bench of leading trial, appellate, regulatory and compliance lawyers to help financial institutions navigate complex litigation and enforcement matters.
Corporate clients: Squarespace, Workday, SAP SE.
Recent work highlight: Represents Citigroup in public and private offerings of CMBS, closing eight transactions totaling $8 billion in the first half of 2024.
Cyber, privacy & data innovation careers
The view from the firm: We have a portfolio approach to mitigating risk and supporting a crisis in any jurisdiction or time zone. Our suite of forward-thinking cybersecurity and privacy solutions helps to manage global data compliance risks, protect employee and consumer data, conduct risk assessments, implement incident preparedness and response programs and defend against high-stakes litigation and regulatory enforcement actions.
International & Secondment Opportunities
Common secondment destinations: In 2024, our US secondments were all at the client location in the US or done remotely.
Client secondment examples: Goldman Sachs, Meta Platforms, Inc., Atalaya Capital Management LP, Antin Infrastructure Partners, Nuveen Administration Ltd., Tiktok/ByteDance, Inc.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
20 |
0.3 : 1 |
67% |
||
|
partners made in 2024 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
71% |
58% |
71% |
||
| 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: Associates receive formal training through our Associate Academies aligned with our criteria for advancement, as well as comprehensive practice-group specific training programs aligned with our benchmarks. Our criteria for advancement is a framework of three core competencies that describe expectations for the development of core skills at promotion points. Our performance benchmarks outline the practice-group specific knowledge, technical skills, and work experiences lawyers can focus on for each role within the talent model. We also provide access to online programs and tools as well as industry-leading, public continuing education programs. Finally, a core part of our lawyer development efforts is one-on-one career coaching and mentoring. Associates also develop mentoring relationships through our inclusion networks and practice group work relationships.
Hours & Compensation
|
1,950 |
14 |
51 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
59% |
72% |
71%
|
| 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
2nd year: $235,000
3rd year: $260,000
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: Our firm’s associate bonus policy is merit based and takes into account the quality and scope of an associate’s total contribution. To be in the best position to receive a merit bonus, associates are encouraged to have 1,950 bonus eligible billable hours of which at least 1,800 are revenue generating hours (bonus eligible hours include all pro bono time, 100 creditable hours for business development, training and other firm contribution activities, and up to 40 hours of unplug vacation time). We pay our strongest contributors above market bonuses. We also award Wellness Dollars to team members who work 250+ billable hours in a month to invest in unplugging and wellness activities. Additional bonuses are awarded for good time entry habits. We also offer generous agile working options, including reduced schedules and fully-remote work.
Is Orrick the right firm for you?
|
76% |
90% |
85% |
|
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: We’re looking for candidates who are excited about working in teams to help our clients adapt to a rapidly changing market. Candidates whose life experiences have enabled you to develop grit and empathy, practice teamwork and innovate. And we’re looking for future leaders — as an Orrick partner, at one of the great companies we advise, or to use your legal training to make an impact in new ways.
Laterals who join Orrick tell us they’re inspired by the opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and to do meaningful work on impactful engagements. They value our culture. And they appreciate our transparency about the path to partnership – and great role models among our junior partners.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“Partners care about their teams and the peer attorneys and staff are down to earth and kind people.”
“Everyone is so welcoming, and there are many so opportunities for mentorship. I feel a genuine desire from coworkers to teach and develop young lawyers.”
“The firm has a friendly culture, access to professional development resources, attorney support and emphasis on pro bono work.”
Pro Bono
|
68 |
76% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm puts effort towards its commitment to pro bono and social impact activity |
Pro bono highlights: Acumen Fund; Watch Duty; Center for Reproductive Rights; Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Kids in Need of Defense and Wells Fargo.
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: Please visit Orrick’s environmental sustainability webpage here to learn more.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Caitlin Gramlich
Senior U.S. Manager of Lateral Associate Recruiting
cgramlich@orrick.com