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

Ever watched a show and thought two characters were just made for each other even before the writers seemingly did? We certainly have, as it’s not too dissimilar here at Chambers Associate when connecting students to the right law firm. Lots of firms say similar things to students, but you actually need the right alignment on culture, career development, and type of work, amongst others, to make the right match. And that doesn’t happen by accident!

“Every firm says they’re the best, right?” one insider reasoned, adding “but when I spoke to people that weren’t at the firm, but knew of it and could be honest, they said there’s a real emphasis on associate learning and investing in you long term.” This impression didn’t come from nowhere, as Sheppard’s Chief HR talent officer Bess Sully tells us a bit more about the ethos that underpins the firm’s culture: “You are not a number here, and you won't be treated like one. We set high expectations, but we also invest heavily in you, and we need that commitment in return.”

“I wanted more sophisticated clients and cases; Sheppard has that in spades.”

Indeed, since bursting out on the legal scene in California, Sheppard has since spread its Cali vibes far and wide with 12 offices and a further four abroad. That evolution has only bolstered the work on offer at the firm as one junior notes: “I wanted more sophisticated clients and cases; Sheppard has that in spades.” Our sister guide Chambers USA echoes that assessment with around 40 departments receiving accolades including litigation, general commercial, energy, corporate, healthcare, IP, and real estate.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Junior Satisfaction and The Elite for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey. The firm is also recognized as The Elite for Junior Satisfaction in Chicago, Texas, Northern California and Southern California specifically.

Strategy & Future

Sheppard’s overall incentive is less about expansion and growth, and more about solidifying its position on the board. “We focus on our clients and our people,” begins Sully, “that culture is part of the way the firm has grown out and grown up.” This approach has paid dividends internally as insiders felt “every year we’re doing better and better, and we’re becoming a more respected firm nationwide.”

One thing the firm is looking to tackle head-on is artificial intelligence and how it can impact the efficiency of attorneys and business services at Sheppard. “We have a chief knowledge and innovation officer leading the charge on how the firm is embedding AI in work and daily functions,” reveals Sully, showing they’re not shying away from what’s on the horizon, “We are launching a comprehensive AI leadership program that will touch all levels of the organization, challenging everyone to think about their roles, their work and the future through the lens of innovation.”

Read more from Bess Sully under the ‘Get Hired’ tab.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for AI Integration in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Summer Program

When our interviewees were placed on the firm’s summer program they bounced around a few practice groups. But times, they are a-changin, as new summers are locked into one practice area for the duration of the program. “You have to really know what you want to do before then,” one source explained, “that can be tough, but the firm wants committed people.” However, with the accelerated timing for recruitment, the firm may be more flexible with this moving forward.

Interviewees praised the substantive work on offer during the program as they highlighted the “opportunities to go to court and depositions and things like that.” There are social activities that are, of course, designed to “get to know both the firm and its people better.” In New York summers can enjoy a Broadway show, whilst those in San Francisco stretch their networks and their calves whilst they hike. Overall, the program is curated to set you up for associate life: “It’s a lot more about the work so you know what’s expected when you join.”

The Work

Sheppard’s lean teams and small associate classes mean that associates are front and center from the start. “Once you start working with certain clients and partners, you’ll just continue to get sent work from them,” one junior explained, “it’s always really easy to get staffed here.”

On the occasions where that is not the case, the firm still has somewhat of a centralized backup as “we have a survey that monitors our workload over a three-month period.” This led insiders to feel work allocation was “associate driven” but with a safety net if required.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Work Allocation & Autonomy in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

The business trial group is the commercial litigation arm of the firm with a host of subgroups housed within such as fiduciary litigation, securities, arbitration, construction, data security, and healthcare. “We get involved in the whole gamut of litigation matters,” one source gushed, “and we can jump in with any of those subgroups.” Associates found themselves dealing with state and federal proceedings for legacy companies and tech conglomerates as well as contract disputes, trade secrets, cartel matters and more. “There’s such a variety of matters on offer,” one insider beamed.

Juniors spoke of receiving “a lot of exposure early on” with common tasks including drafting notices, doc review, discovery, motions, attending depositions, research, memos to clients, and project management. One insider joked that “I feel a bit underqualified for some of what I do because I’ve never done it before,” but added that “if you build trust and show you’re capable then you start to get more opportunities to show what you can do.” With everything going on in the group, one interviewee neatly summarized “I’m definitely doing a lot, but I’m not mad about it!”

Business trial clients: California Association of Health Plans, Silvergate Capital Corporation, FAT Brands, Athena Cosmetics. The firm represents Axos Bank in a variety of issues such as in a suit against an internal auditor that misrepresented Axos CEO Greg Garrabrants’ financial and personal information. The fee award was just shy of $1.4 million.

The corporate team is an umbrella group that covers such work as M&A, private equity, EC/VC, and capital markets. Associates can get stuck in with whatever takes their interest, and with a variety of work comes a variety of clients. Private and public companies in such spaces as aerospace, retail service, and entertainment technology all popped up: “our clients are really exciting and awesome, some of them are billion-dollar companies!”

Juniors get exposure to the lifecycle of various deals and “really get to see the process from where our clients start thinking they need our help, all the way to closing it.” We heard the bulk of an associates’ workload involves diligence, reviewing contracts and agreements, quarterbacking deal flow and work streams, keeping up checklists, ancillary documents, taking the pen on first drafts of underwriting agreements and regulatory filings. Some sources expressed the firm was receptive if they were ever overburdened with work, but overall “it’s on you when it comes to responsibility, you have to be proactive if you want more.”

Corporate clients: Oxford Capital, Snak King, Innovative Artists, Aqua Expeditions, Compassus. The firm represented the chartered national bank subsidiary Pathward N.A. in the sale of its commercial insurance premium finance business to Honor Capital Corporation in a matter valued at $634 million.

“There’s no gatekeeping when it comes to substantive work or communicating with clients.”

The labor and employment team is primarily a litigation group, servicing Fortune 500 companies operating in such spaces as healthcare, airlines, fashion industry, and lumber. Juniors explained they “only represent employers” as they cover everything from pre-litigation demands to giant class action suits. “I’ve done discrimination pieces, disability cases, trade secrets, the works,” relayed one keen junior. The enthusiasm was catching, with other insiders revealing that “they really just throw you into it when you start” praising the freedom of opportunity on offer as “there’s no gatekeeping when it comes to substantive work or communicating with clients.” Other tasks on offer include drafting motions, depositions, doc review, putting together presentations, writing handbooks, research, and writing letters to counsel. “The earlier they get you in on this stuff, the sooner you can do it better,” one interviewee reasoned, with another agreeing that “the partners let you take on as much as you’re comfortable with, they want you integrated into the team.”

Labor and employment clients: Splunk LLC, Applied Materials, Motion Picture Association, Toyota Motor North America. The firm successfully secured a two-part summary judgment for its client NetApp in a commissions case that involved labor code and breach of contract claims. The matter would’ve been valued at over $30 million.

Career Development

If you want to know Sheppard’s approach to associate development, then “it all starts with how we recruit” as “our summer classes are so small that there’s an expectation they want you to stay long-term.” So, what’s a firm to do to keep its associates interested? For starters, first years are shipped off for a week-long bootcamp at one of the offices to learn the basics of their practice. They are also inducted into the New Lawyer Academy which focuses on their professional skills – essentially building the foundations for them to be a good associate. Training doesn’t stop upon their return with sessions on tech, litigation discovery, and giving depositions coming over the months that follow. “It all comes at a really timely point,” one interviewee beamed, “you often get that real hands-on experience not long after.”

The firm has a formal mentorship program in which juniors are assigned a partner and an associate mentor which insiders revealed that associates can switch out every year. “It’s very much on you to develop that relationship,” one source acknowledged, “I get enough mentorship informally to be honest.”

On that note, informal guidance seemed baked into this Sheppard’s pie with juniors praising the “time people take explaining things to me to make sure I understand everything is extremely helpful, it makes a huge difference.”

Though partnership wasn’t necessarily forefront of mind amongst the juniors we spoke to, it was something still pretty clear to them: “They’re very transparent about partnership, they’ve set out that path to us.” This path opens up in associates’ seventh year when they are given the opportunity to join the partnership college – a clear track to making partner. Another source emphasized a culture of openness around this, explaining that “while partnership isn’t a huge focus for juniors, you can ask any question and get an answer.”

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Career Development in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

“The firm really embraces everyone’s unique quirks, and that contributes to the culture”

Insiders were eager to shoutout the “really tight bond” associates have with one another, adding that “the firm really does care about personalities, not just credentials.” How easy it is to talk to people came up more than once, with an environment that fosters collaboration and warmth. “The firm really embraces everyone’s unique quirks, and that contributes to the culture,” pondered one source, “it makes the workday a lot better!”

Social occasions were both associate led and firm organized with such occasions as taco Tuesdays, beer tasting, happy hours, holiday parties, 5k runs, and practice group retreats. “It’s all optional, but the opportunities to get together are there,” considered one interviewee.

We talked to juniors in a variety of offices including LA, DC, and New York and they all had their own song to sing when it came to their own office perks. LA-based attorneys were harping about their “completely renovated and brand new” office, but it was quietly competitive amongst sources over whose office reigned supreme. Such benefits included cold brew machines, gyms with stipend memberships, free food, and an in-house barista – “it’s like having a Starbucks without the need for bucks!” The in-office policy stood at three days a week, but most of our sources leaned closer to four or five so didn’t see it as much of an ask.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Culture in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Inclusion

Juniors felt that the firm fostered an inclusive environment and pointed to the wide array of affinity groups as the foremost example. “It helps put an emphasis on inclusion which is consistent with the culture here,” explained one source, adding that “they’re each open to everyone at the firm.” The groups include a Diversity & Inclusion Attorney Network, the Women Lawyers Group, Out at Sheppard, and Veteran’s at Sheppard. Associates also spoke of the events that each group puts on including lunches, firm-wide zoom calls, and annual retreats.

Hours & Compensation

Billable target: 2,000 hours

Sheppard’s billable target has an assortment of buckets associates may pull from. Starting at 1,850 for client hours, the firm also has unlimited pro bono and 75 hours for training, recruiting, diversity and inclusion, and innovation. Most lauded was the 40 hours of “paid time off” which was known as the Unplug and Recharge time where associates can take some time off to prioritize their wellbeing. “I’m not going to be hurting for hours at all,” one insider buzzed, “it’s a very attainable target.”

To be eligible for the bonus, juniors have to hit 2,000 hours from that array, but they were pleased to report that first years have their hours pro-rated to their last six months to they are in for a shot of getting one. That being said, a fair few people don’t always make bonus but “as long as the work is being done, the firm is happy.”

With both the bonus and the salary being market rate, sources were pleased that their hours remained relatively flexible as “my group is very understanding, if I leave the office at 4pm, I’ll log back on at 7pm and that’s all okay.”

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Pro Bono

The firm has clear incentives in place to promote pro bono work as the firm mandates a 20-hour minimum for all associates with nothing but upside after that as there is no maximum to the number of pro bono hours one can bill. “You can do anything you want to do, and I’ve done plenty so far,” one source relayed, “all you need is a partner that will work with you and supervise you.”

Juniors spoke of a wide variety of matters on offer but highlighted immigration work as a clear standard bearer for the firm’s pro bono matters with other causes including disability rights, non-profits, criminal cases, prisoner rights, legal clinics, housing, and veterans work. Aside from the obvious moral implications and the driving billable motivation, sources also praised the work experience that pro bono provided. “You get more leeway to draft on pro bono,” one insider revealed, adding “it’s a really helpful learning experience.”

Pro bono hours

• For all US attorneys: 42,637
• Average per US attorney: 33

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Pro Bono in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Get Hired 

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus  

Screening Interviews: 412

Sheppard invites students to apply directly to the firm or participate in early resume collect programs as the firm no longer participates in OCI programs. While UCLA and USC have typically been top feeder schools due to the firm’s large presence in Southern California, as the national presence has grown, the summer class reflects a broader range of law schools. 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. 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: 62 (2L)

Sheppard’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 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: 

“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 Bess Sully, Chief Human Resources Officer

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?

Bess Sully: We are a large full-service global firm, with a strong national presence and four offices internationally in London, Brussels, Seoul and Shanghai. We focus on our clients and our people. That culture is part of the way the firm has grown out and grown up.  Sheppard is consistently ranked as one of the top 50 law firms in the U.S. based on revenue and profitability, according to American Lawyer. Our client-centered approach is grounded in nearly a century of building enduring relationships on trust and collaboration. We represent global clients—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—at every stage of the business cycle.

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

Sully: One of the firm’s most visible developments has been the rollout of our new brand identity with an updated name and visual look designed to bring clarity and align with who we are today. This wasn’t merely cosmetic: we engaged lawyers across the firm to ensure the Sheppard brand reflects our culture and the experience of building a career here. The messaging reinforces our core values—exceed the ordinary, invest in client success, build authentic relationships and shape meaningful careers—and communicates those commitments more clearly, both externally and internally. We’ve also seen strong growth in key practices, including healthcare, private equity, energy, life sciences, intellectual property (particularly IP litigation) and entertainment.

CA: Are there any domestic or international events/trends that 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?

Sully: We see demand shift across practice areas and industry teams as economic conditions change—some groups are busier than others in any given year. The advantage of our platform is that we are a balanced mix across litigation and transactional practices, so we are not reliant on any single industry or client base. That breadth allows us to pivot as the market moves, including into more counter-cyclical areas such as regulatory, bankruptcy, litigation and real estate restructuring—particularly as the market has cooled after a long stretch of strong corporate activity.

CA: In what way does the firm’s small summer intake impact associates’ development?

Sully: Our intentionally smaller summer class benefits associate development because we hire very deliberately by specific practice and office. The tradeoff is that it works best when you have a clear sense of what you want to do, you are ready to commit to a particular path and are invested in taking advantage of the training and development we offer to support that journey.  You are not a number here, and you won’t be treated like one. We set high expectations, but we also invest heavily in you, and we need that commitment in return. That can be the hardest part.. But for someone who wants to dig in, build expertise and truly immerse yourself in the practice and the people from day one, you’ll have the support and access to do that.

Inside the Firm

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

Sully: Wellness remains very much at our core, and we were doing things that supported attorney wellness well before it was common. We approach wellness, professional development and compensation as connected parts of the same system—not separate silos. That’s reflected in how our team is structured and in how we think about culture, support and the bonus process. We offer 40 billable hours that count toward “unplug and recharge” time, so you can take time off without feeling like you’re giving up billable time. We’ve adopted that and several other wellness-focused programs. We also continue to have a hybrid work environment, uniform across practices and offices.

The Legal Profession

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?

Sully: We have a chief knowledge and innovation officer leading the charge on how the firm is embedding AI in work and daily functions. It is a collaborative initiative across all our legal and business services functions. We are launching a comprehensive AI leadership program that will touch all levels of the organization, challenging everyone to think about their roles, their work and the future through the lens of innovation. It’s a different type of training – it’s almost organizational management.  There are efficiencies that AI provides that allow lawyers to focus more time on higher-level, deeper strategic work to positively impact the service we provide to clients.

The Fun Bit

CA: Throwing it back to law school: it's been a long day of classes and studying. What's your go-to easy meal to have before you crash?

Sully: Sushi every day.

CA: What was the first concert you attended?

Sully: Linda Ronstadt, I was 10!

CA: Thinking about the ways in which the legal profession is developing, what is the one skill you have learnt in your career that you think is key for young attorneys to learn?

Sully: To listen and to understand, not to listen to respond. Also, owning your career so that you’re in the driver’s seat with the choices you’re making.