Tech expertise, big clients and a welcoming culture are just some of the many Perk(in)s of life at this Seattle-born firm.
Perkins Coie Lateral Profile 2024
If you’re at all familiar with the Seattle legal market, Perkins Coie is certainly a name you would have come across. It’s been around for more than 100 years, and while it now boasts a collection of offices across the nation (and a sizeable presence in Asia), it still remains one of the biggest names in the Pacific Northwest. According to managing partner Bill Malley, Perkins has made a name for itself by being “a go-to firm for the technology sector.” Though the sector is constantly evolving, Malley highlights how the firm is committed to keeping up this reputation: “We see ourselves at another inflection point, where emerging technologies will create the new industries and companies of tomorrow. We’re working to seize this moment in helping these companies navigate the technological and economic disruptions of our era.”
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…
“West coast vibes: people were happy and talked about personal lives outside of work.”
“People were genuinely interested in the summers and our development. Colleagues seemed to like each other and know about each other’s lives outside of work.”
“It was very welcoming; partners are respectful and treat associates as equals on team. The firm also offers an interesting and broad client base.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2024
Emerging companies & venture capital careers
Emerging companies & venture capital clients: Highspot; Hinge Health; Wyze Labs.
Recent work highlight: Represented Hinge Health, a digital MSK clinic, in its $300 million Series D round.
Technology transactions & privacy careers
Technology transactions & privacy clients: Confidential
Recent work highlight: Represented YouTube in its acquisition of exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket.
Privacy & date security careers
Privacy & data security clients: Amazon; Google; Meta.
Recent work highlight: Successfully defended an auto manufacturer in a case that alleged violations of the Washington Privacy Act for alleged unlawful interception and recording of texts when a cell phone is connected to a client's entertainment systems. The court granted the motion with leave to amend. The plaintiff accepted the judgment and has appealed to the Ninth Circuit.
M&A careers
M&A clients: CROCS; Microsoft; Zillow Group.
Recent work highlight: Represented Crocs in $2.5 Billion acquisition of HEYDUDE.
IP/patent litigation careers
IP/patent litigation clients: Adobe; Google; Viatris.
Recent work highlight: Among many significant wins for clients, we achieved three consecutive patent jury trial wins for Impinj in the Western District of Washington, Northern District of California, and Western District of Texas this past year.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
22 |
1.08 : 1 |
78% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
63% |
61% |
66% |
||
| 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: New Associates are supported through a New Associate Academy, Practice Group Overviews, and practice area Foundations series. Our Essentials program for associates and counsel includes key professional development topics like AI, legal writing, time management, ethics, communication skills, and the business of law. Our integration program connects laterals to essential firm resources, people, and opportunities across the firm. All attorneys have access to substantive law and practice skills training through internal programs as well as on-demand and self-paced learning CLE resources. Live, experiential learning opportunities for business development coaching, NITA deposition and trial advocacy, and leadership training are available to augment growth. In addition to firmwide offerings, local offices host engagement and training opportunities for their attorneys through a collaboration with local Attorney Development Committees.
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
10.8 |
50.2 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
40% |
66% |
58% |
| 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: $155,000 - $225,000
2nd year: $160,000 - $235,000
3rd year: $185,000 - $260,000
4th year: $210,000 - $310,000
5th year: $240,000 - $365,000
6th year: $245,000 - $390,000
7th year: $250,000 - $420,000
8th year: $255,000 - $420,000
The view from the firm: Associate and counsel compensation includes a base salary and an annual bonus for meeting hours thresholds. The hours expectation for associates and counsel is 2,000. For bonus purposes, for third-year and more senior associates and counsel those hours must include a minimum of 1,850 client billable hours.
Is Perkins Coie the right firm for you?
|
70% |
85% |
83% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work was interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
The view from the firm: Perkins Coie regularly hires lateral associates for opportunities across the firm. We are seeking experienced attorneys who are self-starters eager to grow their practice and gain new experience in their chosen area of expertise. We are a collaborative team of lawyers with a passion for technology, problem-solving, and cutting-edge issues. We work with the largest, most sophisticated companies and the most innovative start-ups in technology, media, retail, and other sectors. While we work hard to meet our clients’ needs, we also value critical thinking, collegiality, mentorship, and life outside of work.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“Extremely kind people as a whole. The legal field is normally full of irritated humans (even though they’re smart), and this firm has many very smart and very kind people.”
“People are very low ego here. They consider themselves part of a team and are not focused exclusively on their independent reputation or status.”
“It’s not like other BigLaw firms. It’s super supportive and work-life balance is important.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
75% |
33% |
39% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: At Perkins Coie, we work across multiple fronts to ensure steady progress in our ability to hire, retain, develop and advance all those from historically underrepresented groups. Below are some or our ongoing and recent initiatives:
A notable update was made to our Gender Transition Guide. The gender transition practice at the firm is centered on the individual who is transitioning—they decide what information to share, with whom, and when.
Billable Hours for D&I Contributions: We further expanded our policy providing partnership-track attorneys billable-equivalent credit for time spent participating in qualifying D&I-related work. The program was expanded to consider more D&I activities, as well as contributions to knowledge management, and participation in business development work. Our lawyers logged 1,000 more D&I-focused hours in 2023 than the previous year.
Early Intervention Process: We created an early intervention program to support our attorneys. When we notice an individual’s production shifting, we reach out to understand the barriers that might be affecting them and to offer support and resources. We make clear that the program is not punitive—it is a true opportunity to support associates’ growth and development.
Diverse Attorney Hotline: We are continuing to administer and promote our Diverse Attorney Hotline, first launched in 2021. The hotline, which provides diverse attorneys with a safe place to provide feedback, voice concerns, and elevate any challenges they experience as barriers to their career advancement, has led to concrete changes and new initiatives.
D&I Fellow: The D&I Fellowship fosters a diverse and inclusive community where opportunities to succeed are available to all. Participants in our D&I Fellowship receive a summer associate position and generous stipends to help offset law school debt. Applicants focus their personal statements on three specific themes: resilience - challenges and obstacles they’ve faced; perspective - life experiences that have shaped their worldview; and, most significantly, DEI leadership - examples of how they have engaged in inclusive leadership within their community.
Speaker Series. We held nine conversations/presentations as part of our D&I Speaker Series. The series aims to elevate voices and perspectives often underrepresented in the legal industry.
Racial Equality Commitment: In 2020, we made a series of commitments toward ending racism and creating a more just, equal society:
Racial Equality Grants Program: In 2023 we disbursed grants to twelve organizations, totaling $500,000 to community-led local and national organizations promoting racial equality through legal representation, public advocacy, and community-based activities.
Racial Justice Fellowship: This program provides first-year associates the unique opportunity to spend one year doing legal work in a civil rights or criminal justice organization, or other association promoting racial equity/equality. In 2023, we welcomed our first Fellows back to the firm (both spent a year working at the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) and began the fellowships of two new associates.
Pro Bono
|
53.1 |
78% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: National Immigrant Justice Center/ACLU of Southern California/Public Counsel (humanitarian parole for deported veterans); Bethany Al-Haidari (international child custody proceedings); Southern Poverty Law Center (protection of detained immigrants); The Seattle Clemency Project (petitions for clemency and pardons); The Access Project (RAP sheet analysis workshop to clear criminal records of soon-to-be college students).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: We have not yet established a formal emissions target, but we are working to formalize a target and are on track to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 from our 2019 baseline use. We have made reductions (~10) over the past year through various energy efficient related standards.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Jean Hadley, JHadley@perkinscoie.com