Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP - The Inside View

With humble origins in downtown Los Angeles amid the backdrop of lawyers fighting for the truth, entrepreneurial powerhouse Sheppard Mullin has since spread its wings without having forgotten its distinct Californian roots. Retaining bases in LA, San Francisco, Century City, and Del Mar, it was also the “healthcare expertise and regulatory hub” of DC that sold the firm to some of our sources. Even the New Yorkers could sense the Cali culture. While an associate explained that the firm’s Rockefeller Plaza abode “feels more like a real law firm where everyone is friends rather than a bleak corporate environment."

“It was the open culture that drew me in.”

It was indeed the firm’s culture that proved the ultimate attraction for many: “I really liked the more laid-back nature of the firm,” one interviewee contemplated. A colleague agreed that “it was the open culture that drew me in” because, “as a Californian firm,” they continued, “it’s probably not as uptight as other firms might be!” Even during the initial stages of Sheppard’s application process, one associate reminisced: “I started talking to people and kept hearing that the people here were amazing. At first, I thought – why wouldn’t they say that? But when I started the process, people were genuinely nice!” That’s not to say things are too relaxed, as “the work is really hard!” one junior emphasized. At the end of the day, this is still a BigLaw firm we’re talking about!

Packing a mighty practice area punch, Chambers USA awards Sheppard the highest of honors in its home state of California (where most of our sources were based) for its work in energy, corporate/M&A, insurance, and commercial litigation, while also recognizing its nationwide prowess in government contracts, healthcare, and Native American law. It was exactly “this multifaceted approach that was appealing to me,” stressed an insider, as associates can regularly “draw from multiple types of practices.” As Sheppard Mullin chair, Lucantonio Salvi elaborates: “We have a broad practice mix which helps us to navigate, pivot, and adjust to what’s going on in the market and the economy,” which he describes as “a real strength for us.”

Sheppard Mullin is recognized as The Elite for Associate Satisfaction and Associate Retention in our 2025 survey.

Strategy & Future

Salvi, details how culture remains at the forefront of the firm’s strategic thinking. “Sheppard Mullin is a transparent and consensus-driven firm,” he elucidates, before adding: “In addition to spending a lot of time listening, we openly communicate our expectations.” This is because “we want to be fair; we want to be equitable and provide the necessary support to our people for advancement.” As a result, “I think we at Sheppard Mullin really distinguish ourselves by also focusing deliberately on our culture, our people, our clients, and on giving back.”

Salvi clarifies, in other words, that “we have a cause and a purpose that’s bigger than any one lawyer, team, office or group.” He continues: “Our gold standard is our consistent, focused, strategic growth.” Impressively, 2024 “was our 33rd consecutive year of growth and profitability – without exception,” he adds. But how does the firm seek to sustain this? “We are very focused strategically on practices where we see additional opportunities for us to grow and become even more of a destination practice,” Salvi affirms. For instance, “we continue to invest in our healthcare practice, energy and renewables, life sciences, private equity, entertainment, and fiduciary litigation, to name a few.”

Read more from Lucantonio Salvi under the ‘Get Hired’ tab.

The Work

During Sheppard Mullin’s summer program, associates are assigned to a particular group upon arrival based on experience and background, but we heard that the firm is “able to tailor things depending on how specific you’d like your practice to be.” For instance, several sources highlighted their backgrounds in sectors like healthcare and told us they made their interest there clear, which the firm recognized and subsequently aligned them with. Newbies can shift around the groups to gain exposure to a variety of them before being asked to select which group they’d like to remain in going forward; Sheppard does “remain open” to anyone wishing to change groups too. Interviewees reveled in the free-market nature of the staffing system. With no central staffer on hand to dole things out, “you need to be vocal about what you want to do and go after those projects,” one associate advised, but “we can choose which partners we work with and single out those we’re interested in working with.” Indeed, as one interviewee marveled, “it’s empowering to get to choose who you work with.”

“I started directly liaising with clients just before the first-year mark.”

In Sheppard’s corporate group, juniors traditionally get their hands on lots of transactional work comprised of M&A, joint ventures, private equity, and capital markets. Covering a multitude of interesting industries like media & entertainment, technology, lumber, biotech, and life sciences, sources also noted the healthcare focus of the group, concentrating on large hospital systems and healthcare aid companies in addition to healthcare regulatory work. We were told that the group offers a nice blend of corporate and regulatory work, and one rookie clarified that “while they start us out in corporate, you can shift over to governmental practices if you really enjoy the regulatory side.” Typical deal work like due diligence, contract review, and drafting formed the bulk of daily tasks according to interviewees, though “I started directly liaising with clients just before the first-year mark.” The nitty-gritty of the group involves deep diving into data rooms, purchase agreements, and merger agreements, on top of preparing memorandums and analyzing material contracts.

Corporate clients: Lionsgate Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Special Aerospace Services. Advised AMN Healthcare in its $300 million acquisition of Medical Search International and DRW Healthcare Staffing.

Interviewees in Sheppard’s labor & employment group were quick to mention that although “the group doesn’t sound sexy,” it’s “actually a really interesting practice!” They continued: “It’s really interesting because you get to do different types of work.” For instance, juniors can sink their teeth into a range of litigation – defending employees over cases of harassment, discrimination, and other employee-employer affairs. “There’s also a huge advice and counsel part” of the group, one insider detailed, “advising counsel on things like how to not get sued!” Even on the more transactional side, the group was described as a “diverse” practice, as “you don’t get bored doing any one thing!” Day-to-day responsibilities consist of “mostly research and writing” on top of the classic stuff like discovery, doc review, and writing motions to dismiss.

Labor & employment clients: American Express, Burberry, Major League Soccer. Secured a victory for vehicle hire company Lyft in the California Court of Appeal against a driver’s claims that the company was negligent for not performing background checks on passengers.

Career Development

Interviewees delighted at the firm’s investment in developing its associates through training, mentorship, and discussions about the partner track. With practice-specific retreats and academies mentioned, one source recalled sessions on deposition prep and drafting motions for summary judgments. Associates were also pleased with the relationships they developed with their associate and partner mentors. For instance, “that relationship has been really great for me,” noted one source, “because she can dictate the work I get, and I can dictate the skills I want to learn.” As such, “they really have your best interests at heart.” Academies for each associate level build up to ‘partnership college’ in associates’ final two years “where they guide you through and prepare you to make partner.” Partnership was described as “attainable,” and juniors felt that progression through the ranks was entirely realistic at the firm.

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

Culture

“I couldn’t imagine a better set up than what we have here in terms of culture.”

Rave reviews were abundant when speaking to associates about Sheppard’s cultural offering. “The culture is great!” one insider enthused, adding that they felt the firm has done “a great job of hiring the right people.” A colleague agreed: “I couldn’t imagine a better set up than what we have here in terms of culture.” In fact, “it was definitely one of the reasons I picked the firm,” they said. Given the size of the firm, one associate explained, “you have a lot of say in which people you spend time with.” They continued: “If you’re genuinely having issues, they’re good at finding you someone else to work with,” but “everyone I’ve interacted with – both within the firm and at external events – have been so supportive and collaborative.” There’s “no sense of a closed door, heads down” kind of approach, with people instead enjoying “lots of good relationships with folks beyond work.” Social events include Thanksgiving celebrations, dinners, lunches, and happy hours; “we have cool perks like a barista on hand every day,” gushed an insider, as well as more formal benefits like freely available therapy sessions and healthcare cover.

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: 1,950 target

Associates at Sheppard are expected to bill at least 1,950 hours annually, with newbies sharing that they typically bill anywhere from 1,850 to 2,000 hours. Required to hit the same amount to become eligible, the requirement was ultimately described as “on the lower end as far as BigLaw goes” and “not crazy” to achieve. Additionally – once they hit 1,750 billable hours – associates unlock 75 hours of “credited administrative work” for things like firm training and career development, and the firm recently introduced an allotted 40 hours of unplug and recharge time for associates to take off as wellness hours. Working hours ebbed and flowed day-to-day, but survey respondents reported working an average of 48.7 hours a week – right on the money with the market average, which an associate described as “a very reasonable amount of time to work.” Weekend work is a rare occurrence according to our insiders, but associates are nonetheless expected to be in the office at least three days a week.

Pro Bono

“They’ve been extremely flexible if you want to bring in pro bono clients from organizations you like working with.”

Interviewees described pro bono hours at Sheppard as “unlimited,” but sources importantly noted that they’re only able to credit all their work once the target of 1,750 client billables has been surpassed. A few mentioned that associates are encouraged to fit in at least 20 hours of pro bono per year, as “partners look very favorably towards the hours being reflected in your total.” So, several partners and a pro bono coordinator are on hand to share opportunities each week. Associates also “don’t have to stick with what they do in their day to day” practice, with one source saying that “it’s nice to do something different.” In fact, “one of the reasons I chose the firm in the first place is that they have a really supportive pro bono policy,” one junior declared, and we heard of insiders working on asylum, immigration, housing and veterans’ rights. “The projects are really up to you!” one interviewee enthused, and “they’ve been extremely flexible if you want to bring in pro bono clients from organizations you like working with.”

Pro bono hours 

• For all US attorneys: 38,730
• Average per US attorney: 36

Inclusion

Sources felt the firm is doing a good job when it comes to inclusion. With several affinity groups as part of the wider Diversity & Inclusion Attorney Network (DIAN) to foster a sense of community, interviewees noted these included a Latin American, Asian Lawyer, Caregivers, Black Lawyer Network, “a women’s group that meets monthly,” on top of an LGBTQ+ network called Out at Sheppard. Each group also hosts an annual or biannual retreat with fellow members and allies, and sources explained that there are additional inclusion events such as casual breakfast and lunch activities to supplement that.

Get Hired 

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus  

Screening Interviews: 737  

Sheppard Mullin invites students to apply directly to the firm or participate in early resume collect programs as the firm no longer participates in OCI programs. UCLA and USC are typically top feeder schools due to the firm’s large presence in Southern California. Screening interviews are conducted by a mix of partners and associates. Hiring sources at the firm tell us interviewers are evaluating candidates “on key characteristics such as communication, preparedness, academic credentials, prior work experience, technical skills, interest in our firm, interest in the law, leadership skills and drive.”  

Top tips: “Do your homework to find out what practice areas are hiring and explain why you want to practice in those specific areas.” – hiring sources at the firm  

Callbacks  

At the callback stage, candidates meet with four to six attorneys – again, a mix of both partners and associates. Most offices conduct virtual callbacks but once a candidate receives an offer, we encourage them to tour the office, and meet more attorneys over coffee or lunch if desired. “We use behavioral interview questions during our callback process,” hiring sources at the firm tell us. “The questions are aimed at distilling the candidate’s skills, client service and value, self-awareness, communication and critical thinking skills, as well as their ability to work in a team and self-manage.”  

Top tips: “I would encourage you to find someone you can call in advance and talk to. If you’ve spoken to people at different offices, the firm thinks you’re really working for this.” – a junior associate  

“Read up on different interviewing techniques and styles, attorney bios, practice areas, and firm clients in advance.” – hiring sources at the firm   

Summer program  

Offers: 53  

Sheppard Mullin’s ten-week summer program starts off with a reception and two-day summer associate academy in LA. The firm tells us the program is “designed to acquaint students with the firm’s practice through hands-on work experience and lawyers through a variety of social activities and work assignments.” Each office has a work assignment coordinator to distribute assignments to the summers. Assigning attorneys review the work and then deliver feedback at mid-summer and end-of-summer reviews. Sheppard Mullin also understands the importance of socializing and networking: “The summer is a time for you to get to know the firm and the firm to get to know you! Attend the events and lunches, build relationships, go to court or client meetings, and have fun.”  

Top tips: “You need to be independent because you need to go out and get work via our free market system.” – a junior associate  

“Demonstrate your ownership and ability to work hard – if you make a mistake, own up to it immediately and propose a solution.” – hiring sources at the firm  

Associates advised candidates to “keep in mind that we hire summers by practice area, specifically for corporate, labor & employment, business trial and healthcare, as opposed to hiring you as a general summer associate.”  

And finally….  

“There are no rainmakers here who play golf all week!” one junior associate told us. “Work is very important; the firm expects talented attorneys.”

Interview with Lucantonio Salvi, firm chair

Commercial strategy, market position and trends

Chambers Associate: How would you define your firm’s current position and identity in the legal market? What differentiates your firm from your peer firms in the market?

Lucantonio Salvi: A lot of firms play at the highest level but I think we at Sheppard Mullin really distinguish ourselves by also focusing deliberately on our culture, our people, our clients, and on giving back. We have a cause and a purpose that’s bigger than any one lawyer, team, office, or group. The goal is to collaborate, to solve problems for our clients, to achieve their goals, to promote justice, and to make businesses stronger. Our gold standard is our consistent, focused, strategic growth. Every year, we challenge ourselves to do a little bit better than the last. We just closed 2024 and that was our 33rd consecutive year of growth and profitability – without exception. We are among a small group of elite firms with the most consistent year-over-year growth.

Financial success is obviously important for a business like ours, but what truly sets us apart as a top law firm is how we care for and invest in our people. We spend a lot of time at Sheppard Mullin bringing our people together over the course of each year with retreats, academies, training programs, coaching, relationship building initiatives, and listening tours. That is a real differentiator. As a result, we have an outlier attrition rate for associates at 9-11%, while NALP reports the average is around 20%. That’s also true at the partner and business services team level. We have the highest retention rates, and the lowest attrition rates. People come and they stay at Sheppard Mullin and we are very proud of that.

Sheppard Mullin is a transparent, consensus-driven firm. In addition to spending a lot of time listening, we openly communicate our expectations. We want to be fair; we want to be equitable and provide the necessary support to our people for advancement. We are not like most other BigLaw firms. We have a long history of promoting partners from within. Over the last three years, approximately 30% of attorneys who started as summer or first-year associates were promoted to partner.

CA: Have there been any developments at the firm over the past year that you’d like law students to know about?

Salvi: One of the developments many businesses – including within the legal industry – have been very focused on is innovation. We have been investing time and capital into AI and determining how we can utilize it and other technologies in the most efficient and productive way. AI will continue to shift the way we work, which creates opportunities for us from a training perspective. Last year, we asked our summer associates to participate in a friendly competition to utilize our proprietary generative AI tool (“Pantheon”) for efficiency gains and enhanced work products. We found that Pantheon users completed their assignments much faster and they scored higher than average compared to non-Pantheon users. Innovation is something we will continue to focus on, take advantage of, and leverage for our clients where it makes sense.

CA: Are there any domestic or international events/trendsthat are affecting any of the firm’s practices at the moment? Are there any trends that you think are affecting the business of law firms more generally, and how is that playing out with your firm?

Salvi: From the business of law perspective, there is a disaggregation of law firms: a widening gap when it comes to size, profitability and compensation across the AmLaw 100. Some firms are keeping up and some are falling behind. Our year-over-year, consecutive growth demonstrates that we are ahead of the pack, keeping our position in the market and continuing to serve the most sophisticated clients – both nationally in the United States and globally.  We remain true to who we are as a transparent, hard-working, collaborative firm where people come, stay, and build their careers. As a result, it has allowed us to continue serving our clients at the highest levels.

CA: What is your firm’s commercial strategy focusing on, and how do you expect the next year to unfold?

Salvi: We have a broad practice mix which helps us to navigate, pivot, and adjust to what’s going on in the market and in the economy. That’s a real strength for us. We couple that with industry expertise to provide the most holistic legal advice to our clients. We are very focused strategically on practices where we see additional opportunities for us to grow and become even more of a destination practice. For example, we continue to invest in our tier one healthcare practice, energy and renewables, life sciences, private equity, entertainment, and fiduciary litigation, to name a few.

Inside the Firm

CA: How is the firm evolving to accommodate the needs/expectations of the next generation of lawyers?

Salvi: We listen to and focus on our people. We are a hard-working firm, and we also pay close attention to attorney needs, mental health and wellbeing. We want our attorneys to be productive and happy, so we balance flexibility with accountability. We continue to have a hybrid policy that is people-centric; we use it to build relationships and careers. The world around us has changed, and we have adjusted by staying true to our identity and culture. Our recent office renovations offer space and design that embody our culture with an emphasis on transparency, meaningful collaboration and excellence.

The Legal Profession

CA: How do you predict the legal profession will change in the next five years? Are there any particular challenges the industry is facing?

Salvi: Aside from disaggregation of firms, I also see an opportunity for firms to distinguish themselves based on expertise. We have a deep bench within particular sectors of the market such as healthcare, energy and renewables, life sciences, private equity, entertainment, and fiduciary litigation, among others, and as a value driver, that is really important to us. The full-service capabilities are equally as important – whether it’s corporate, litigation, real estate, or labor and employment – based on the needs of the client.

CA: How do you predict the rise in AI will affect the ways in which lawyers work? How will it affect the services law firms provide?

Salvi: I think AI is going to continue to impact the way we do business and serve clients in positive ways, by making us more efficient and more productive, but also something we remain cautious about since AI is still evolving. Our approach to innovation isn’t about chasing the shiniest new tech gadget. The real impact—the real value to our clients—comes from incorporating the right solution into the right process or workstream with the right people. That combination of technology, people and process is where the real innovation happens.