Clifford Chance LLP - The Inside View

Americans and Brits sharing stereotypical views about each other is a tale as old as time. But, if we’re talking about the legal world, you might picture a British lawyer as a kind of aristocratic figure, perhaps dressed in robes and a wig like some sort of Harry Potter extra. Throw BigLaw into the mix, with its own share of Victorian origins and outdated stereotypes, and you might end up with a pretty bleak idea of what a British-born BigLaw firm looks like. Clifford Chance may well be the exception, however, as it was only founded in 1987. This means that, despite its comparatively late arrival to the legal scene, CC has managed to achieve global superstar status while avoiding any old-school British stuffiness. 

Regional managing partner Sharis Pozen is all too aware of this reputation: “People might see us as an old, stodgy British firm, but we’re not – we’re young, hip and bold!” As proof of this, Pozen explains how “we’ll be 40 years old in 2027, so we’ve launched a global strategy called CC@40 which includes significant growth in the US.” This strategy is already underway, and Pozen notes that “we’ve grown by 40 to 50% in the US over the past three years” thanks to a new Houston office, a growing DC base and a New York office refresh. 

“… you’re allowed to be human and it’s not a crime!” 

Even with such grand plans, interviewees were still drawn to the more personal aspects of life at CC. “It’s a British firm for a start,” a source noted in a discussion on the firm’s culture, “which means that you’re allowed to be human and it’s not a crime!” they joked. But in all seriousness, sources described CC as “nicer BigLaw,” and many felt this from the get-go: “All the attorneys I interviewed with wanted to get to know me beyond my resume. They were trying to see whether my personality matched theirs, and whether they could imagine working with me until 2am in the morning.” CC’s international prestige was also alluring to our interviewees and is Chambers Global-approved, earning hundreds of rankings across six continents. On home turf, Chambers USA recognizes the firm’s work in corporate crime and investigations, aviation finance, international trade and projects-related agency financing. 

Clifford Chance is recognized as The Elite for Associate Satisfaction and Quality of Life in our 2025 survey.

Strategy & Future 

When it comes to future growth, Pozen explains that: “we have a sector strategy. We’re particularly focused on healthcare and life sciences, energy and infrastructure, and technology. But, while we’re executing our strategy in those areas, we’ve also seen significant growth in our finance sector, too.” Pozen is also keen to highlight how she and the firm take pride in the CC’s summer program. The scheme comes with international travel opportunities, but associates also get the chance to spend time in one of CC’s global offices, typically London. After all, “it’s people who are interested in joining a global community who want to be part of Clifford Chance,” Pozen explains: “I’ve spent time at other US firms with international offices and while they’re fabulous, they’re only small international offices. We’re the real deal!” 

The Work 

Though associates at many firms start their legal career through a specific practice area, quite the opposite rings true for many at CC. Transactional associates here are entered into a pool system and work with a variety of teams, dipping their feet into as many kinds of deals as they like. After their first 18 months, juniors are then invited to choose the group they’d like to join. The system was very fittingly described as a “chance to see different things, which is great if you don’t know what you want to do. Law school is so focused on litigation after all.” The pool also acts as an opportunity to meet new people since, as insiders put it, “your network significantly expands.” However, newbies aren’t expected to rely on networking to get work as assignment coordinators are always on hand. So, CC keeps things stable with a centralized staffing system during their first year, after which juniors are encouraged to make the most of free-market work assignment as they gain experience.  

“You get a lot of experience really fast.” 

CC’s transactional pool spans multiple practice groups, including corporate, real estate and global financial markets. As such, associates in the pool can try out a range of M&A, capital markets, banking, insurance and digital assets matters. A number of niche specialisms are nestled within these areas of work, such as aviation finance and energy and infrastructure. It will likely come as no surprise then that the overarching group boasts a jam-packed client list, including capital stacks, private institutions, sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, banks and government agencies – just to name a few! This means that available matters include “lots of joint venture work, acquisitions and dispositions, which often go hand-in-hand with financings.” Juniors can be responsible for a vast range of work, especially for those who “show some competence and willingness. There’s a lot you can handle, and they’ll give it to you!” For example, typical tasks include signature pages, due diligence, client communication, drafting ancillary documents, negotiating with other parties and coordinating closings. Long story short, “you get a lot of experience really fast, so you definitely won’t be shielded from the client at all.” 

Transactional clients: US Bank, Goldman Sachs, BofA Securities. Helped the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Finance raise $750 million on the international capital market. 

Rookie litigators, on the other hand, get to try out the likes of dispute resolution, general commercial litigation, securities, civil litigation, white-collar investigations, arbitration and a sprinkling of crypto work. It’s a broad group, and juniors get plenty of involvement in their matters. According to one source, “the level of trust some partners have in first-years has to be mentioned,” as newbies get a healthy mix of classic junior tasks and high-level responsibility. Aside from a high level of autonomy, insiders enjoyed the fact that “we have a very small group with quite a few juniors. It makes it more fun and we can start drafting from a pretty early stage!” Otherwise, juniors typically try out standard tasks such as doc review, managing exhibits and filings, and many also get to attend trials. For example, one associate fondly recalled an early moment in their career at CC where “we were getting prepared for a trial, so we were in the federal court every day for three or four months.” 

Litigation clients: Morgan Stanley, Government of Sri Lanka, Mike Lynch. Represented the Kingdom of Belgium in multiple US lawsuits to recover more than €120 million in tax. 

Pro Bono 

“You get to help a real person.” 

Pro bono at CC is both billable and uncapped, and interviewees told us that the firm encourages them to undertake at least 50 hours a year. Associates can use an online system, Paladin, to find matters, but are reportedly “also encouraged to find deals of our own if there’s something that we’re really passionate about. It’s great having that internal support.” Aside from this sense of freedom, juniors particularly enjoyed pro bono as “you get to help a real person, which makes you feel like you’re doing something good!” Interviewees also explained that the firm lets associates run with pro bono, which has led to an interesting mix of matters, including immigration, wills and estates, election integrity, criminal appeals and cybersecurity. Many can also use pro bono as a way to connect with the firm’s HQ, as there are plenty of opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in the London office. 

Pro bono hours: 

• For all (US) attorneys: undisclosed 
• Average per (US) attorney: undisclosed 

Career Development 

Guidance at CC kicks off with mentoring, as all incoming associates are assigned a partner and associate mentor. As one source explained, “my partner mentor always sits with me. They make expectations clear and we have multiple conversations throughout the year.” More formally, “we have a CC academy with lots of training on topics like resilience and self-confidence,” an interviewee added, noting additional general legal training and important regulatory updates. Insiders felt that the process could benefit from a little more structure, but recognized that the firm “regularly runs CLEs and information sessions,” nonetheless. Many also praised CC for “frequently trying to improve training by making it more practical.” 

Views on the path to partnership were mixed, with sources offering contrasting opinions on the exact steps needed to get there. Those who were interested in embarking on the journey had initiated conversations with the right people, and felt that the process seemed pretty clear. Regardless of their stance, interviewees appreciated the support on hand. Whether it’s career guidance, mentoring or even navigating life as a new, working parent, associates made sure to tell us that the firm is quick to offer support. 

Clifford Chance is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Career Development and two other categories in our 2025 survey.

Hours & Compensation 

Billable hours: no requirement 

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a firm of Clifford Chance’s size and stature would impose strict hours requirements on its fledglings – it’s a common feature of the BigLaw experience after all – but interviewees assured us that this is far from the case. In fact, there’s no requirement for the first two years so that newbies can find their feet while completing the appropriate training. This means that bonuses are protected during this time, but an interviewee pointed out, “I’d still feel a bit embarrassed if I only hit around 500 hours.” From year three onwards, associates are expected to hit 2,000 billable hours, which includes time dedicated to pro bono and other professional development programs. Individualized bonuses kick in at this stage, and Pozen explains, “we’re no longer lockstep. We’ve moved away from that as a firm.” As you’d expect from a law firm, associates work hard, and interviewees found themselves working anywhere between ten and twelve hours a day.  

Culture 

“… the people here are kind, genuine, and actually care about each other.” 

“I really love the people I work with!” an associate raved, “It’s easy to think lawyers can be challenging, but the people here are kind, genuine and actually care about each other.” Another adjective that popped up in our research was “friendly,” with insiders explaining how CC is “as nice a workplace that you could find. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how people are willing to help and chat.” This culture is supported by the firm’s focus on interconnectivity across teams and offices, meaning that associate sources enjoyed working in an environment where communications is “all very much intertwined.” What’s more, the fact that “everyone is very warm, smiley and happy to help” undoubtedly contributed to a thriving social scene. The New York office recently moved to Hudson Yards so, aside from plenty of client and internal events on the calendar, insiders raved about the “gorgeous space – it makes the office feel so fun!”  

Inclusion 

Clifford Chance's efforts on inclusion received resounding praise from interviewees, particularly when it came to the representation of women. We heard that the women’s committee is especially popular, and is “a nice space where members can have candid conversations about their experiences.” So, while representation of women and the LGBTQ+ community were highlighted as strengths, an associate added, “I do think there’s a bit of a gap when it comes to racial and ethnic diversity.” It’s often the case in BigLaw but, nonetheless, plenty noticed the firm’s “very visible” efforts to promote inclusivity in junior recruitment.  

Anyone in the firm can join one of CC’s many affinity groups, and associates explained how “the firm is very supportive of group meetings, and they get budgets for activities that engage with their communities.” More specifically, insiders were keen to discuss the firm’s Black History Month events, highlighting it as an example of CC’s push to promote awareness and participation, regardless of their identification or affiliation. Pozen confirms that this is indeed “top of the mind for the firm,” explaining how “it’s all about making sure we have an inclusive workplace. People are more comfortable when they feel like they belong, and that’s when they can do their best work.” It may well come as no surprise then that CC earned its eighth Mansfield certification in 2024.

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

OCI applicants interviewed: 391

Interviewees outside OCI: 195

Clifford Chance currently recruits at 27 law schools and typically meets between 500 and 600 students on campus each season.

The interviews are largely conducted by partners and senior associates on the hiring committee, which also include “a group of active partners who are extremely committed to recruiting at their alma maters year after year," says Sarah Posner, the firm’s Head of Legal Recruiting in the US. "Screening rounds are fast; the students that are able to make the most of those twenty minutes by bringing their resume to life and showing us what interests them (both inside and outside the law) will stand out," explains Posner.

Callbacks

Applicants invited to second stage interview: 221

Second round interviews consist of four 30-minute interviews with two partners and two associates. At this stage, the questions are “more substantive," says Posner. There are also some specific questions that interviewers ask each interviewee to standardize the process. “In addition to that, questions that let us know what has brought a candidate to Clifford Chance over another firm are very telling,” says Posner.

Top tips for this stage:

"Don't get caught up in researching every aspect of your interviewer's career. It is much more important to have a basic understanding of the work we do (not specific to that attorney) and be able to show a genuine interest in why you want to join us,” says Posner.

Summer program

Offers: 88

Acceptances:  54

Clifford Chance’s summer program lasts for ten weeks and is designed to give summer law clerks a true picture of what it will be like to join as an associate. “We hire between 40-50 law clerks in the US each summer,” says Posner. Because of the size of the program “it allows us to really tailor the experience; we're able to involve our clerks in specific areas of our practice and with specific attorneys,” says Posner. "I always tell my summer classes: 'by the end of these ten weeks, you really will get to know everyone in the office.' I've never broken that promise."

Top tips for this stage:

“Be responsive and engage. We don’t expect our summers to know it all, but we do expect them to be enthusiastic and show us just why they want to be here,” says Posner.