Greenberg Traurig, LLP - The Inside View

I see palm trees of Green, 15 overseas offices too. Greenberg Traurig has brought a little bit of the magic city with it worldwide.

On its website, the firm has a bit of fun with its own initials, playfully reframing ‘GT’ as standing for ‘go-to.’ It’s a neat summary of the brand: unmistakably BigLaw, but with personality. As one associate put it, “culturally it’s not what you’d expect at a Big Law firm.” Despite its size and international reach, insiders described Greenberg Traurig as having a small firm feel, with each office feeling very different from the next, and we heard junior associates are often granted more autonomy than you might expect. With roughly 3,100 attorneys across 51 offices worldwide, GT’s largest offices remain in the US, particularly in Miami (where it all began), New York and Chicago.

“It’s a good place for people who want to take their career by the reigns.”

The firm prides itself on its entrepreneurial flair and takes a modern approach to business and “on-the-ground” decision-making. Partners are referred to as ‘shareholders’ – a subtle nod towards how the firm thinks about each lawyer’s place in the firm’s management and direction. At the associate level, insiders explained that this translates into a high level of partner interaction and real client exposure: “Matters tend to be staffed quite leanly in my practice,” one junior litigation associate explained, leading to “a lot of great experience early on. I’ve attended strategy meetings and done a lot of client-facing work on some matters that are really important.” As another neatly summarized: “With GT you can make of it what you want. It’s a good place for people who want to take their career by the reigns.”

Real estate is something of a speciality at Greenberg Traurig, with top Chambers USA rankings in Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Texas and nationwide. There are further top-tier nods in areas like government contracts, leisure and hospitality, and retail US-wide, alongside praise for the firm’s work in sectors such as energy, healthcare, space, transportation and public finance. Chambers Global flags its cross-border reach in both transactional and disputes practices. For juniors eyeing a global platform with fewer layers and a smaller firm feel, GT aims to be exactly what its nickname suggests: a go-to.

Strategy & Future

Greenberg Traurig has positioned itself to keep pace with rapid technological change, and that message doesn’t seem to just be marketing gloss. While the firm’s ‘Adapt. Act. Advance.’ mantra is front and center on its website, associates say it rings true internally. One junior associate told us that the firm “places a lot of emphasis on embracing AI” by “being ahead of the curve and at the cutting edge of new developments.” This translated to a lot of AI training sessions, and we heard that 25 hours of AI training count towards associates’ billable hours target. 

“We’re encouraged to go out and network and brand ourselves as the next generation of specialists in the legal industry…”

At the associate level, juniors are also encouraged to think beyond their immediate workload. Interviewees spoke about being brought into business development early, with a focus on networking and personal branding: “We’re encouraged to go out and network and brand ourselves as the next generation of specialists in the legal industry,” one associate explained. While shareholders still lead client development, the general consensus was that juniors are given a front–row seat to how the firm grows, and how they might contribute to that growth over time.

Summer Program

The summer program at GT provides summer associates with an introduction to the firm’s tech and file management systems, “it meant that when I joined as an associate there was less to figure out on the spot under pressure. I felt less intimidated when I started a year later because I’d done a lot of the things already and it felt more familiar.” The firm puts on a number of social events from ping-pong tournaments to cooking classes, sporting events and a boat tour: “I’d say make the most of everything that’s offered, both the work and the social side,” one associate told us, “they’re a great way to build relationships and feel part of the firm early on.”

The Work

A significant portion of junior associates are concentrated in the firm’s areas of strength - practices like real estate, corporate and litigation. Work allocation varies by team, but most juniors reported receiving work directly from partners rather than through a formal staffing system. Several saw this as a plus. One noted the benefits of partner-led staffing: “A centralized system can’t always see the stage you’re at with work.” As a result, proactive associates tend to thrive, as “you’re definitely encouraged to reach out to people for work.”

“Being proactive is a good trait to have...”

Real estate was described by sources as a “cornerstone” of the firm. Being a junior associate in Greenberg Traurig’s real estate practice provides exposure across the full spectrum of the real estate deal cycle, from purchases and sales to loan agreements and large portfolio deals: “We have some larger deals of 100-200 different properties. It’s great to see the different moving parts that go into a transaction like that that you don’t see on a loan or smaller deals.” As one associate noted, “there is a consistent stream of work in my office, and if the work is ever a little slow, you can reach out to other offices. Being proactive is a good trait to have because you can reach out and get work.” Juniors were quick to highlight that they had been assigned tasks such as investment, financing and licensing documents and purchase and sale agreements.

Real estate clients: CBRE Investment Management, Starwood Capital Gorup, Swire Properties. Represented PIMCO in acquiring a portion of a $27 billion private bond package to finance Meta’s Hyperion data center campus in Louisiana.

Life as a corporate junior associate, we heard, is split “50/50 between M&A deals and venture capital investments.” M&A matters have a longer arc, with deals lasting “a bit longer, maybe a few months,” which lets juniors see a transaction evolve from start to finish. Venture capital deals move at a faster pace, creating a lively mix of quick turnarounds and exposure to early–stage companies. Together, the balance keeps the work dynamic, and many juniors enjoy the breadth that comes with it. As one associate put it: “Being a corporate generalist allows me to sharpen my skills.” Good traits to have include “being responsive – so when a partner gives you an assignment, keeping them updated to clarify deadlines – and being proactive,” along with “being organized when balancing a few different matters.” Typical junior associate tasks include the likes of due diligence and document review, with more established client contact and a first crack at contracts an option as juniors progress.

Corporate clients: Namib Minerals, Alani Nutrition, UniVista Insurance, Acuren Corporation. Represented Spring Valley Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company, in its merger with Eagle Energy Metals.

“Not only do I get to work with great people, I also have some really juicy cases to get into.”

“The cases that I’m on are really fascinating. Not only do I get to work with great people, I also have some really juicy cases to get into,” one litigation associate explained. We heard the experience varies by location: “It’s really office dependent. Different offices and different teams have their own expectations. I’m the only associate on pretty much half of my matters. It’s just me and the partner, so I’ve got a lot of great experience.” This experience included tasks such as coordinating assignments, attending strategy meetings and client-facing work: “I’ve had really incredible mentorship in the first six months and I’ve learned a lot from the partners here. They’re very strategic and creative. You can really feel like you’re contributing.” The work itself spans “broker–dealer securities litigation, customer complaints, employment matters, complex commercial cases and financial reporting arbitration,” one told us. Juniors appreciate the range: “They put the junior associates onto every type of matter, and I stay with the same case instead of getting pulled on and off.”

Litigation clients: Bloomberg, CrossFit, Goldman Sachs. Represented Samsung in multiple putative class actions alleging false advertising and product defects.

Career Development

Associates at GT described a career development system that combines formal training with learning through day-to-day work. Junior associates are paired with mid-level or senior mentors, and most interviewees said that while the structure is helpful, much of their development still comes from asking questions and seeking guidance as needed: “People are open to helping you if you ask for more guidance,” one associate noted, adding that the steady level of support has the result that: “the day-to-day feels very consistent and very good for long-term growth,” especially for those who appreciate a steady development path rather than being “thrown in the deep end.”

“…the day–to–day feels very consistent and very good for long–term growth…”

Training programs received broadly positive feedback. “I’ve been really impressed by the training,” one associate remarked. A lateral associate pointed to early participation in a litigation skills academy where partners were directly involved in coaching. Others mentioned business-development sessions that provided pragmatic tips on building a practice. These more formal components sit alongside significant early exposure to client work: we heard that juniors often attend strategy discussions and are entrusted with responsibilities that give them insight into how matters progress.

Associates noted that progression at the firm is fairly transparent. The path to partnership is competitive at any law firm, but some associates told us that GT discusses it during firmwide calls. As one corporate junior explained: “There’s no guide that they send you, but you can really piece it together through talking to people.” Others highlighted that the firm “tries to make it as straightforward as possible,” with mentorship systems and opportunities to demonstrate growth. Longevity among senior lawyers also stood out to some associates. One noted that the partner they worked with has been at the firm for three decades, and their predecessor for just as long.

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: varies by office

From what we gathered in interviews, Greenberg Traurig expects associates to step up during busy transactional periods or litigation cycles. That said, associates consistently pointed to a degree of flexibility around how those hours are worked. “There is a general expectation to be in the office, but there’s a lot of flexibility if you need to leave early or come in late,” one junior explained. Generally speaking, associates described hours similar to “9am to 6 or 7ish,” with an hour or so added on to the end of the day during busier periods.

We heard the exact pay structure varies from office to office, but “they are up front about compensation and what it takes to be elevated. They go through it on firmwide calls.”

Pro Bono

Juniors are encouraged to get stuck in to pro bono matters early at GT. There is a 25 hour requirement and up to 100 hours can be included as billables. As one associate told us: “You’re definitely encouraged to do pro bono work. We constantly have people reach out to us, and the shareholders are connected to non-profits.” While pro bono opportunities are widely available, associates also have the freedom to shape their own experience, where being proactive and taking initiative comes in handy. Assignments are “up to the associate,” and the group “would be happy for you to take something on your own initiative but you do have to seek that out for yourself.”

“You’re definitely encouraged to do pro bono work. We constantly have people reach out to us, and the shareholders are connected to non-profits.”

That said, prospective associates never have to worry about being left entirely to their own devices: “You go to a supervising shareholder,” one associate explained, “which is nice because they provide a mechanism to get involved.”

Pro bono hours

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

Culture

As anyone only half listening in a Zoom meeting will tell you, it’s all about balance: “Everyone’s really friendly and ambitious, and it’s a good balance of the two,” one associate explained, “it’s definitely not like the horror stories you hear about at other big firms.” In fact, associates relayed that colleagues at the firm enjoy spending time together.

“I wish I’d had the opportunity to do this as a 1L!”

As you might expect from a firm of its size, we heard that the exact culture at GT can be very office specific: “Every office is its own firm in a way,”one associate explained, “because there are so many offices and they let each office determine what is best for itself.” Some associates described being expected to be in the office five days a week, while some reported more flexible hybrid working policies. People all had very positive things to say about the culture though. One associate, when asked if it was easy to make friends at the firm, said “definitely 100%. It’s the most wonderful place I’ve ever worked.” Many described busy social calendars, with associate happy hours, Thanksgiving lunches, ugly sweater contests, and regular outreach events, including initiatives aimed at connecting with law students across the firm. As one lateral put it, “I wish I’d had the opportunity to do this as a 1L!”

Inclusion

As one associate put it: “It does feel like a culturally diverse workplace which is important.” The firm’s survey data provides some context, with a significant percentage of lateral hires from the last five years being women or diverse attorneys. The firm also has several affinity groups which are open to all lawyers at the firm.

Get Hired

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

OCI applicants interviewed: 646

Greenberg Traurig interviews at schools that are nationally ranked or well represented with alumni in the current attorney population. It also attends job fairs and hires judicial clerks. In 2025 it interviewed students across 55 law schools. 

If students do not make the interview schedule because their school uses a random lottery system, “we encourage students to contact the recruiting manager for the office in which they are interested,” says Senior Chairman and Global Chair of Professional Development and Integration Brad D. Kaufman. OCIs are conducted by shareholders (this is what Greenberg calls attorneys at a level similar to partner) and sometimes another attorney. Interviewers look for top academic performance, and a balance of interests in and out of law school. Kaufman adds: “We look at why the candidate is interested in our firm and ask them about practice area interests, because that will determine who the candidate should meet if there is a callback interview.” 

Top tips for this stage: 

“Share something you’re passionate about, whether that’s at law school or an extracurricular activity. We really want to find that extra interesting reason for what drives someone.” – a first-year junior associate 

“It is critical that they show that they know the firm, the local office and the attorneys who are interviewing them. Today, this is easier than ever.” – Senior Chairman and Global Chair of Professional Development and Integration Brad D. Kaufman

Callbacks

Candidates meet shareholders and associates throughout the callback. Each interview is 20 to 30 minutes long. Kaufman tells us: “We focus on whether the candidate can thrive in our firm culture,” so candidates should expect questions about working in smaller teams and showing initiative. 

Top tips for this stage: 

“People who do well are people who are comfortable and capable of cracking a joke.” – a first-year junior associate 

“Make sure to read the biographies of the attorneys who will be interviewing you and try and show genuine interest in their practice.” – Senior Chairman and Global Chair of Professional Development and Integration Brad D. Kaufman 

Summer program

Offers: N/A

Summer associates’ projects are usually assigned by an associate or shareholder. These projects are based on the firm’s needs, so summers will likely get exposure to different areas of law. The exception is IP as the firm often hires summers directly into this group. Kaufman says: “You should have a few projects on your plate at any given time, but do not volunteer for every project so it spreads you thin and affects the quality of your work.” Associates are given a shareholder and an associate mentor to help navigate the program. 

“They do the great activities – baseball games, cocktail events – where you meet all the practice groups,” a first-year associate recalled. “That’s really fun and can be just as grueling as the work!” 

Top tips for this stage: 

“Take the time to learn from key professional staff, including legal assistants/secretaries, as they are often critical to the workflows of the practices.” – Senior Chairman and Global Chair of Professional Development and Integration Brad D. Kaufman

And finally…. 

Kaufman adds: “We value diversity and individuality, so be yourself!” 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Main areas of work
Banking and financial services; blockchain; corporate; cybersecurity and privacy; digital infrastructure; emerging technology; energy and natural resources; entertainment and media; environmental; food, beverage and agribusiness; franchise and distribution; gaming; government contracts; government law and policy; health care and FDA practice; hospitality; immigration and compliance; infrastructure; insurance; intellectual property and technology; international trade; labor and employment; Latin American practice; life sciences and medical technology; litigation; marketing, advertising, sweepstakes and promotions law; pharmaceutical, medical device and health care; private wealth services; public finance; real estate; regulatory and compliance; restructuring and bankruptcy; retail; tax; technology, telecommunications; transportation and automotive.

Firm profile
Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 3,000 attorneys across 51 locations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm’s broad geographic and practice range enables the delivery of innovative and strategic legal services across borders and industries. Recognized as a 2025 BTI “Best of the Best Recommended Law Firm” by general counsel for trust and relationship management, Greenberg Traurig is consistently ranked among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100, NLJ 500, and Law360 400. Greenberg Traurig is also known for its philanthropic giving, culture, innovation, and pro bono work. Web: www.gtlaw.com

Recruitment
HISTORIC LIST OF OCI Law Schools: Law schools and programs at: Boston College; Boston U.; Brooklyn Law School; Chicago-Kent College of Law; Columbia Law School; Cornell Law School; Duke Law School; Emory Law School; Florida International University College of Law; Fordham Law School; George Washington University Law School; Georgetown University Law Center; Harvard Law School; Howard University; Indiana University Walkaround Program; Loyola Law School, Los Angeles; New York University School of Law; Northeastern University; Northwestern University Law School; Notre Dame Law School; Stanford; University of California, Davis School of Law; University of California, Los Angeles - School of Law; University of Chicago Law School; University of Florida - Levin College of Law; University of Georgia; University of Miami School of Law; University of Michigan Law School; University of Pacific, McGeorge; University of Pennsylvania Law School; University of Southern California - Gould School of Law; University of Virginia; Vanderbilt Law School Walkaround Program; Yale Law School

HISTORIC LIST OF Recruitment outside OCIs: Job Fairs: Boston Lawyers Group (BLG); Boston Fair for Law Students of Color”; Cook County Minority Job Fair; IP Job Fair; Lavender Law Fair; Midwest-California Consortium; SELSC; Northeast BLSA
Resume Collects: Law schools and programs at: Cornell; Duke; Emory; Florida International University; Fordham; Florida State University; George Washington University; Georgetown University; Harvard; New York University; Northwestern University; Pepperdine; St. Thomas; Stanford; Stetson; Thurgood Marshall; University of California, Berkeley; University of Chicago; University of Florida; University of Miami; University of Michigan; University of Pennsylvania; University of Texas; University of Virginia; Yale

Summer associate program profile:
Greenberg Traurig (GT) provides summer associates with a wide-range of professional opportunities to learn about our clients, our attorneys, our staff, our firm and our culture. We offer practical experience to help our summer associates gain an accurate view of what the practice will be like as an associate within the firm. Summer associates are assigned a variety of legal work to understand the options of the type of law they plan to practice. In each office, Shareholders are designated to assist the incomers in navigating the process, learning about legal work at a law firm and exploring what is offered. Summer associates are encouraged to ask attorneys questions because intellectual curiosity is highly valued at GT.

The firm’s Professional Development department organizes additional firmwide learning opportunities that enhance the learning experience for the summer associates. The topics include timekeeping and billing, legal research and innovative, research, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and pro bono. There are also opportunities to speak with firm leadership and practice group leaders to provide a review of some of what the summers may be seeing in their work assignments and an understanding of the law firm culture. In addition to providing summer associates a realistic glimpse of their future as attorneys, we also offer variety of dynamic networking events and community outreach programs. The goal for summer associates is to make their experience at GT a successful one.

An important goal of the program is to help summer associates with the transition from law student to practicing lawyers and future leaders by including them on client matters. We look for attorneys who have an entrepreneurial spirit, initiative, willingness to assume responsibility, and leadership skills. Components of the program include: corporate deal simulation; exposure to innovative technology; conflict resolution training; litigation training, such as oral advocacy presentation; visit to appeals court and Q&A session with a judge; and firsthand exposure to in-house counsel and their interaction with law firms. We are proud that several firm leaders started their careers as a summer associate at the firm.

Social media:
Recruitment website: www.gtlaw.com/careers/
LinkedIn: greenberg-traurig-llp
Instagram: @gt_law
Twitter: @GT_Law
Facebook: GreenbergTraurigLLP

This Firm's Rankings in
USA Guide, 2025

Ranked Departments

    • Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 3)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 4)
    • Real Estate (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 2)
    • Labor & Employment: The Elite (Band 4)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Private Equity: Buyouts (Band 5)
    • Tax: State & Local (Band 2)
    • Tax (Band 4)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 3)
    • Real Estate (Band 3)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 4)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 2)
    • Environment (Band 3)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
    • Real Estate (Band 2)
    • Immigration (Band 1)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 5)
    • Banking & Finance (Band 1)
    • Construction (Band 2)
    • Environment (Band 2)
    • Healthcare (Band 4)
    • Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory (Band 1)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 3)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 2)
    • Litigation: Appellate (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite (Band 1)
    • Litigation: Product Liability (Band 2)
    • Litigation: Securities (Band 1)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 1)
    • Public Finance (Band 1)
    • Tax (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Band 1)
    • Banking & Finance (Band 2)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 2)
    • Construction (Band 4)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 3)
    • Immigration (Band 2)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 3)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 4)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
    • Litigation: Product Liability (Band 1)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 2)
    • Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 2)
    • Litigation: Product Liability (Band 1)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 4)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 4)
    • Energy & Natural Resources (Band 1)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 4)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 3)
    • Life Sciences (Band 2)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 4)
    • Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment (Band 3)
    • Public Finance (Band 2)
    • Real Estate (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 2)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 2)
    • Corporate/Commercial (Band 1)
    • Gaming & Licensing (Band 2)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 3)
    • Construction (Band 1)
    • Environment (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 2)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 2)
    • Life Sciences (Band 2)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 3)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market (Band 3)
    • Environment (Band 2)
    • Healthcare (Band 2)
    • Immigration (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property: Patent (Band 5)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded (Band 3)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: Highly Regarded (Band 3)
    • Real Estate: Mainly Corporate & Finance (Band 4)
    • Real Estate: Mainly Dirt (Band 1)
    • Environment (Band 3)
    • Environment (Band 2)
    • Immigration (Band 1)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 4)
    • Public Finance (Band 2)
    • Real Estate: Finance (Band 2)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 4)
    • Real Estate (Band 3)
    • Banking & Finance (Band 4)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 5)
    • Corporate/M&A: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Healthcare (Band 3)
    • Insurance: Regulatory (Band 1)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 6)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 4)
    • Litigation: Appellate (Band 3)
    • Public Finance (Band 2)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 5)
    • Banking & Finance (Band 5)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring: The Elite (Band 4)
    • Construction (Band 3)
    • Corporate Crime & Investigations: Highly Regarded (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A: Highly Regarded (Band 4)
    • Energy Transition (Band 2)
    • Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) (Band 4)
    • Environment (Band 3)
    • Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation (Band 3)
    • Franchising (Band 2)
    • Gaming & Licensing (Band 2)
    • Government Contracts: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Healthcare: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Immigration (Band 2)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 5)
    • Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets (Band 3)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 3)
    • Leisure & Hospitality (Band 1)
    • Life Sciences (Band 5)
    • Native American Law (Band 2)
    • Privacy & Data Security: Litigation (Band 3)
    • Privacy & Data Security: The Elite (Band 4)
    • Private Equity: Fund Formation (Band 4)
    • Product Liability & Mass Torts: The Elite (Band 3)
    • Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional (Band 3)
    • Public Finance (Band 2)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • REITs (Band 4)
    • Retail (Band 1)
    • Space (Band 2)
    • Sports Law (Band 4)
    • Startups & Emerging Companies (Band 5)
    • Transportation: Aviation: Transactional (Band 2)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 4)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 3)