This Midwestern mega-star has been making money moves by mastering associate mentorship and its signature mix of litigation, transactional, and regulatory practices.
Sidley Austin Lateral Profile 2024
‘And when we’re back in Chicago, we feel it! An international powerhouse named Sidley!’ (Sorry, we can’t get the song out of our heads either.) Whether it’s Frank Sinatra or Michael Jackson’s eponymous songs about the city, Syd and Carmy from The Bear or deep-dish pizza, the Windy City’s got a little something for everyone. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Sidley Austin is no different. As one associate put it: “Sidley has a large presence – it’s top of the market in pretty much everything and has a wide array of practices.”Don’t just take this insider’s word for it either: Chambers USA ranks Sidley Austin amongst the best in the country for its work in areas like appellate law, capital markets RMBS securitization, energy transition, financial services regulation, hedge funds, international trade (customs), trade remedies & trade policy, life sciences regulation and rail transportation. That’s not to mention top tier banking & finance, corporate/M&A & private equity, pharmaceutical products, insurance, IP and litigation rankings in the firm’s home state of Illinois.
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…
“Respect. Never been litigious for the sake of argument. Understanding that being fair inside and outside of the courtroom highlights legal arguments and adds to one's position instead of detracting from it.”
“Sidley attorneys talked at length and favorably about the mentoring and development they received as associates from partners and other associates.”
“The amount of women in leadership positions, the firm's general culture of supporting working parents and the importance of having interests and a life outside of work.”
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
26 |
1.9 : 1 |
0% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
76% |
0% |
87% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
10.4 |
47.3 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
66% |
77% |
72% |
| 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: $390,000
6th year: $420,000
7th year: $435,000
8th year: $445,000
The view from the firm: Market-matching salary based on class year; Policy permitting associates to work reduced work schedules, in appropriate circumstances, with proportional compensation; Associates are encouraged to seek out pro bono opportunities, and if they meet their billable hours threshold, all pro bono hours will be treated the same as billable time for bonus purposes. Benefits supporting reproductive and family health and those promoting work-life balance including subsidized back-up child and elder care, an employee assistance program, and healthcare advocacy and wellness services.
Is Sidley Austin the right firm for you?
|
92% |
93% |
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...
“My colleagues at Sidley are 100% real people and it has been wonderful to get to know them as individuals in addition to their professional accomplishments. The culture here is very friendly and caring. I am challenged professionally, and the partners/senior associates push me to do my best; at the same time, everyone I work with has my back and takes extra time to explain concepts and provide helpful feedback on my work product.”
“Kindness, patience, and a commitment to diversity. I felt I could have my preferred lifestyle and be myself at work, rather than having to conform to the typical Corporate Lawyer stereotype.”
“Most people genuinely care about getting to know me. We enjoy each other's company and have fun together. Liking the people I work with is a priority to me, so I'm really happy about this element of my firm.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
76% |
30% |
33% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: Read more about the firm’s diversity initiatives here
Pro Bono
|
82.61 |
89% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: Not Beyond Redemption (free legal advice to mothers in prison); FAMM and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (free legal advice to win compassionate release of a terminally ill inmate to spend time with family); National Immigrant Justice Center (ensuring the US government upholds due process and human rights for the women, men, children and families who flee to the US seeking safety and security); Veteran with PTSD (represented US Army veteran who has struggled for decades with undiagnosed PTSD from her experiences while serving); Capital Litigation Project with the Equal Justice Initiative (working on behalf of death row inmates).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: We are committed to doing our part to ensure a sustainable future by conducting business in a responsible and mindful way that creates long-term value for our various internal and external stakeholders. Our ambition is to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our operations and services by 2050, with a short-term goal to reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions by 55% or more by 2030. By the end of 2022, we were almost halfway to our 2030 goal compared to our 2019 baseline year. And, in 2022, we achieved carbon neutrality in our direct operations by using renewable energy sources to power our data centers and, increasingly, our offices; leveraging renewable energy credits for energy usage in our other leased spaces; and by purchasing high-quality, REDD+ carbon credits equivalent to our Scope 1 emissions.
We calculate our carbon footprint and report annually to CDP. CDP is a nonprofit global organization that helps companies track and manage their environmental impact. We strive to be a reliable partner by supporting our clients’ own efforts to calculate their environmental performance and working closely with them to achieve their sustainability objectives.
In addition, we regularly provide advocacy and thought leadership in matters pertaining to environmental, social, and governance (ESG), climate change, environmental justice, and renewable energy — with extensive experience spanning a number of industries, including aviation and airlines and transportation.
Further details on our efforts can be found in our sustainability report, available at https://www.sidley.com/en/sustainability
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