If you’re looking for a specialist in M&A and white-collar crime, who you gonna call? Paul, Weiss!
Paul, Weiss Lateral Profile 2024
“If you’re interested in BigLaw, you’ll know the names - Paul, Weiss is one of them,” began one junior. Indeed, in New York, a city brimming with top US attorneys, Paul, Weiss is something of a local legend. Our sister guide Chambers USA can vouch for this, with top marks awarded to the firm’s white collar, bankruptcy/restructuring, and litigation work, with additional strength in corporate/M&A and private equity matters. But Paul, Weiss isn’t just a name you hear around the Big Apple. The firm boasts offices in DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Wilmington. Overseas, you can find the firm in cities like London, Tokyo, and Beijing too.
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…
“All attorneys, from partners to junior associates, are extremely kind, team-oriented, and focused on putting out the best work-product possible for clients and associate development. It’s not individualistic or cut-throat.”
“The commitment to pro bono.”
“Associates generally seemed to have a reasonable workload, which contributed to positive attitudes with respect to the firm's work and culture. I was told that expectations were high, but not to an unhealthy degree.”
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
12 |
3.2 : 1 |
67% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
62% |
38% |
79% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
Hours & Compensation
|
no requirement |
11 |
51 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
39% |
86% |
84% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
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
Is Paul, Weiss the right firm for you?
|
83% |
91% |
90% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“Everyone is extremely smart and hardworking. They are also genuinely nice people.”
“Paul, Weiss is full of friendly people. Everyone is kind and willing to work with you as you learn. People here are willing to work with you so long as you are communicative, and, in my experience, everyone has been kind even when they are stressed.”
“There’s a progressive culture; it’s open and very social, with lots of camaraderie among the associates and great mentors at every level.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
75% |
27% |
35% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: Paul, Weiss’s robust pipeline initiatives continue to engage and compel future lawyers and future law students with important opportunities to explore the practice of law. In 2023, the firm partnered with Harvard Law School to develop the Future Leaders in Law Fellowship, a new program for high-achieving students — primarily individuals from first-generation and less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds — interested in attending law school and pursuing careers at the highest levels of the legal profession. Last summer the program began with a week-long residency for the 35 inaugural Fellows, including a day of in-person programming at our New York office, and has continued throughout the year with programming, LSAT tutoring, career coaching and more.
Pro Bono
|
73.41 |
92% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: ACLU, Disability Rights New York, Volunteers for Legal Services, Innocence Project, The Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, Start Small Think Big, HIAS, Robin Hood Foundation, Abortion Defense Network, Sanctuary for Families, the Brennan Center for Justice (civil rights, criminal justice, domestic violence, economic empowerment, immigration, nonprofit counselling, reproductive rights, voting rights); Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, ADL, States United Democracy Center (civil rights); The Legal Aid Society, Coalition for the Homeless, NYC Mayor’s Office, SeaChange Capital (homelessness and immigration).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: As a leading law firm, Paul, Weiss recognizes the importance of sustainability and its impact on the environment. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and minimizing our impact on the planet. We approach sustainability as a continuous improvement process that requires ongoing evaluation and adaptation.
Through our Sustainability Operations Program, Paul, Weiss has created a strategic roadmap, ensuring sustainability is a priority in the ongoing and future initiatives at the firm. Since 2009, our Green Initiatives program (https://www.paulweiss.com/about-the-firm/community) oversaw the implementation of environmentally friendly solutions in our operations. Also, since 2009, Paul, Weiss has been an active participant in the NYC Carbon Challenge, committed to reducing our scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in 10 years. As of 2019, our New York office has seen a reduction of 48.5%.
In 2022, Paul, Weiss launched the Sustainable Operations Program, which expands on the Green Initiatives efforts to incorporate risk management, supply chain, policies and procedures, and climate-related compliance efforts across the firm. Paul, Weiss procured a partnership with Persefoni, one of the leading carbon accounting software tools in the industry to effectively track, monitor and report emissions, thereby integrating sustainability into our everyday operations. Other pillars of focus within the Sustainable Operations Program include:
- Client engagement,
- Water and Waste Management,
- Compliance & Governance,
- Sustainable Procurement, and
- Employee Engagement