WilmerHale to the chief: Meet the top litigation outfit offering a clear pipeline into government (from WH to the WH).
WilmerHale Lateral Profile 2024
Having ex-government officials knocking around in the office next door isn’t a guarantee at a DC law firm, but spend any time at WilmerHale’s DC HQ and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was: “It’s a bit of a revolving door at WH,” one associate told us, “one where associates often join the government in some capacity and then return to the firm later on.” While DC is the biggest of the firm’s US offices, WilmerHale’s HQ is actually split between the Capital and Boston. However, associates were pleased to tell us that “NY has become equivalently important. It’s growing and it’s up there with the firm headquarters in terms of star power and market share.” This development also comes in a season of change for the firm, with a new office building in DC complete with “lots of high-tech resources that we were lacking before.”
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Read the firm’s Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did you join your firm? Associates say…
“How collaborative it is from the partner level all the way down to junior associates. I can email the firm partner expert on any topic and get an answer quickly that will meaningfully impact the quality of advice/work we can provide to clients.”
“People at Wilmer sincerely care about one another and are wildly talented while not taking themselves too seriously. It is an authentically nerdy place.”
“The people, it's a supportive community. Work is hard sometimes, but there's always someone who has your back.”
Strategic Recruitment Focuses 2024
Corporate careers
The view from the firm: Our premier corporate practice provides practical, solutions-oriented advice on the most important issues faced by fast-growing companies in technology, life sciences and regulated industries. Leveraging our experience in the areas of emerging companies, venture capital, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and strategic alliances, we help our clients achieve strategic advantage, navigate complex legal and business issues, and realize their long-term business objectives. We represent more than 100 public companies and 1,000 private companies, investment banks, venture capital and growth equity firms, and individual entrepreneurs. Associates in the corporate group draft and negotiate numerous types of agreements, as well as play critical roles in the planning, structuring, negotiating and closing processes. They also advise on day to day matters directly with our clients, including corporate formation, commercial contracts, financings and strategic transactions, as well as securities, disclosure and corporate governance matters.
Corporate clients: Akamai, Blue Apron Holdings, Discovery, General Catalyst, Robinhood Financial and State Street Corporation.
Government and regulatory litigation careers
The view from the firm: WilmerHale’s Government and Regulatory Litigation Group combines the firm’s substantive regulatory capabilities and its familiarity with litigation involving the government and regulatory organizations to handle disputes in which clients’ interests intersect with government, regulatory and public policy issues. Associates in this group research legal issues, draft and file pleadings, and engage in fact and expert discovery while working with senior lawyers to craft case strategy.
Government and regulatory litigation clients: American Council of Life Insurers, Amtrak, the US Conference of Mayors and Innocence Project.
Trial careers
The view from the firm: WilmerHale’s Trial Practice, with more than 300 lawyers and support professionals across the US and Europe, has a legendary history of trial victories stretching back many decades. Our Trial Practice has tried 175 cases and arbitration merit hearings in the past 10 years alone. We have more than 40 lawyers with first-chair trial and arbitration experience and seven fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers. This group cuts across our firm’s regulatory, commercial, intellectual property, criminal, antitrust, international arbitration and securities teams. This allows us to assemble trial teams that marry top-tier trial expertise with whatever substantive knowledge is necessary for the particular case. Associates in this group research legal issues, draft and file pleadings, and engage in fact and expert discovery while working with senior lawyers to craft case strategy.
Trial clients: The Boeing Company, Comcast Corporation, Deutsche Telekom AG, Harvard University and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
IP litigation and appellate careers
The view from the firm: With more than 200 general IP, IP litigation and appellate lawyers, we offer clients a deep pool of experience across all issues related to their intellectual property. Our lawyers have prevailed in notable disputes for many of today’s most significant companies in technology, pharmaceuticals and other industries. Areas of focus include: patent litigation; intellectual property appeals; post-grant proceedings; Hatch-Waxman and biologics litigation; international trade commission; intersection of antitrust and IP; trade secrets; copyright, trademark and trade secrets litigation; IP in international markets; and cases in front of the Unified Patent Court and in the Western District of Texas. In addition to litigation-based projects, attorneys in this group advise and counsel clients on various IP matters involving copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets as well as draft, file and prosecute patent applications before the USPTO and foreign counterparts.
IP litigation and appellate clients: Intel, Apple, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Becton Dickinson.
International & Secondment Opportunities
Overseas career development opportunities (view from the firm): WilmerHale's International Arbitration Practice Group provides a unique opportunity for lawyers from across the globe to experience the realities of a busy international arbitration practice and to learn from colleagues who are leaders in their field. Attorneys in this practice are exposed to a wide range of international commercial disputes and take on factual and legal assignments stemming from current cases.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
13 |
2.6 : 1 |
59% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
53% |
28% |
77% |
||
| 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: Diversity, equity and inclusion are guiding principles of WilmerHale and key drivers of the value we provide our clients. The Executive Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) represents the establishment of a chain of accountability that starts at the top and sets goals that extend throughout our firm, covering objectives relating to recruiting, developing and retaining historically underrepresented lawyers; strengthening our culture of inclusion; tying partner compensation to demonstrated diversity efforts; revisiting evaluation, mentoring and benchmarking programs; and revamping work assignment process. The EDIC is chaired by the firm’s managing partner, Anjan Sahni, and includes department chairs, practice group leaders and works with our DEI professionals and regional Diversity Committee Chairs to implement DEI programs.
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
12.8 |
48.7 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
61% |
55% |
86% |
| 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
7th year: $420,000
8th year: $435,000
The view from the firm: WilmerHale has a lockstep compensation system. Associate and Counsel salaries are based purely on their seniority level within the organization. The firm has part-time and flex-time policies and considers all requests for alternative workload arrangements to address family, personal, or professional circumstances or goals. In addition, in the wake of the pandemic, we have adopted a hybrid work model wherein attorneys are only required to be in the office three days per week. Finally, WilmerHale has recently moved to allow our DEI efforts to count for billable hours, outside of pro-bono work.
Is WilmerHale the right firm for you?
|
82% |
92% |
81% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
The view from the firm: WilmerHale seeks to hire students from a diverse array of backgrounds whose academic and personal record of achievement demonstrates a commitment to excellence and are at or near the top of their class. In addition, we are looking for individuals whose character, intelligence, judgment, and training will inspire confidence their colleagues and clients. We focus on six competencies when selecting and evaluating candidates: commitment, confidence, oral communication, problem solving, teamwork and writing. Successful laterals are also lawyers that flourish in a collegial environment that emphasizes teamwork, collaboration and the spirited exchange of ideas in the pursuit of excellence.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“People truly respect each other's lives outside of the firm. It is a given that our roles require us to work around the clock--it is expected--but leadership understands that we have personal commitments and lives outside of the office. Vacations and holidays are, for the most part, respected. In my personal experience, I've had people reach out to me to make sure that I'm not burning out and to push me to take time off.”
“Everyone is kind and collaborative. Not a lot of big egos, and no one is competing with anyone else.”
“WilmerHale fosters a community culture of smart, talented, driven individuals who both work hard for clients and on pro bono matters. There is a real focus on ensuring that lawyers have a personal and family life outside of work.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
73% |
30% |
37% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
of associates identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: We committed to participating in Diversity Lab’s “Ally Action Pledge” which asks partners in 3 selected practice groups to sign and agree to advocate for and champion at least one diverse associate or junior partner by: (a) actively managing their workloads to ensure they receive career-enhancing and skill-building work that will help them advance; (b) introducing them to at least 3 partners who will help them expand their client relationships and/or work opportunities; and (c) introducing them to at least 3 client contacts who will support their efforts to gain career-enhancing work, and/or business generation and credit.
Consistent with our long-standing commitment to public service and organizations addressing social justice, we launched our inaugural 1L Diversity Public Interest Fellowship Program for first-year law students. The recipients were awarded a $10,000 stipend for the 2022 summer to work in a public interest legal position or a judicial internship. Additionally, in July 2022, we launched our 2L Diversity Scholarship Program in which recipients are awarded a stipend while spending their 2L summer at our firm and participating in diversity related work and/or programming while summer associates.
In addition, we partner with various external organizations to provide development and leadership opportunities. The firm’s partnerships include the National Bar Association’s (NBA) Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s (MCCA) Sources of Success Program, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows and Pathfinder Programs and the Black In-House Counsel Network's ""Think Like a GC"" Program. As part of our participation in the LCLD, the firm recently partnered with a client member of LCLD to host WilmerHale’s 1L LCLD scholar for two weeks of the summer associate program, providing students joint summer experiences and enhanced professional development opportunities.
Pro Bono
|
125 |
98% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: Georgia Redistricting Litigation and Georgia Senate Bill 202 Litigation (racial justice & voting rights); Fighting to Remove North Carolina Confederate Monuments (racial justice); Challenging the City of Boston’s Discriminatory ‘Hair Test’ (racial justice); Class Action Victory for Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Prisoners (disability justice and prisoners’ rights).
Sustainability & CSR
The view from the firm: WilmerHale is actively developing its global sustainability program with the help of an international sustainability consultant who has been engaged to evaluate the firm's carbon emissions and provide recommendations to reduce them. Our sustainability program has been taking shape through extensive information gathering and benchmarking. Now in our fourth year of measuring firm wide emissions, WilmerHale has achieved a 28% reduction of scope 1 and scope 2 emissions towards its SBTi aligned goal of 46.2% by 2030. Additionally, we are currently exploring viable options to setting long-term science-based targets on our Scope 3 value chain emissions alongside our current Scope 1 & 2 targets.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Please visit WilmerHale's website at https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/careers/lawyers/how-to-apply