King & Spalding LLP - The Inside View

“It’s an exciting time for the firm,” says partner Jennifer Daly. “In the last year alone, we crossed the $2 billion in revenue threshold, opened our Miami office, promoted 32 lawyers to partner, recruited 41 lateral partners and over 70 lateral associates across 15 offices and hit a high-water mark for pro bono hours.” A big steal for the firm arrived in August 2022 when litigation heavyweight Randy Mastro left Gibson Dunn to join K&S along with a number of his colleagues. That gave the firm "a huge addition to our litigation bench in New York,” Daly tells us. K&S is certainly a firm that’s known for its litigious clout: in its home state of Georgia, Chambers USA positions the firm among the best for a whole host of general commercial, securities, and white-collar cases. On a nationwide scale, K&S has a lauded practice in the product liability space and elite status when it comes to international arbitration matters. 

“I wanted to do healthcare and life sciences work and was looking at the best firms in these areas."

Budding litigators will be well catered for here, but so will those with an interest in transactional and government-related work. Chambers USA tips its nationwide cap to K&S’s capital markets capabilities, as well as to its corporate/M&A know-how in areas like Georgia and Texas. Government work is another K&S staple, with accolades bestowed upon its government relations, contracts, and congressional investigations expertise. Sectors like energy, infrastructure, healthcare, and food and beverages are well represented in K&S’s client base. 

“I wanted to do healthcare and life sciences work and was looking at the best firms in these areas,” a source in the government practice recalled. Others had been to law school in Georgia or had connections with Atlanta and knew of “the firm’s status and prestige here – I was leaning into a transactional practice and knew I would be good at this firm.” Around a third of the associates on our list were based in the Atlanta HQ, but the firm’s offices in New York and DC also held a hefty number. The rest were split between K&S’s ten remaining domestic bases, including those in Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. 

Strategy & Future  

“We have been positioning ourselves for a potential downturn,” says Daly, “which we see as a strong opportunity.” Daly adds: “We've invested heavily, for example, in developing our Global Human Capital and Compliance team to help our clients focus on workplace issues. That group has helped to guide a number of clients through enterprise-level issues - everything from remote working and vaccine mandates to how you prep for a possible recession and any other resourcing needs they may have going forward.”  

“...we think ‘Why should we stop here?’” 

Cross-practice and multidisciplinary work is also a focus for the firm going forward: “We have a number of cross-practice initiatives - for example, we've done a lot of work around the energy transition, and that involves a number of disciplines and offices. We have a private equity capital matchmaking program where we make some thoughtful introductions and help our clients get more connected. Sally Yates spearheaded an independent investigation of alleged abuse in women's soccer which is another example of high-impact work that required lawyers in multiple practices and in multiple offices.” K&S is therefore set to “expand thoughtfully with our global footprint, because we think ‘Why should we stop here?’” An associatesource also told us that “the impending recession has seen K&S being open about the shift from transactional work to litigation.”  

The Work  

The associates on our list were split between three overarching practice groups: corporate, finance and investments (CFI); government matters; and trial and global disputes. There are work coordinators within each area, but the extent to which they are used varies. “Our assigning partner is excellent at monitoring workflow and assessing where everyone is at. You get to have a say in the kind clients and cases you’d like, and you go to them if you’re too swamped or if you’ve got time to fill,” a trial junior told us. In the government matters practice, however, “it’s more of an open environment where you solicit work from partners on the team who you work well with and have built relationships with.” In corporate, it’s “accepted practice” for associates to reach out to partners and utilize the work coordinators. 

The CFI practice was home to the most juniors on our list and is split into the following subgroups: corporate; finance and restructuring; funds; real estate finance; project finance; global human capital and compliance; and tax and executive compensation. Some sources had focused on the corporate side, “where we do private M&A deals, but also any public work that comes in, like disclosures, as well as SEC matters.” Juniors here can expect “a lot of diligence work, where you’re going through the data, cataloguing information, inputting responses, and running closing schedules. It’s a lot of grunt work, but as you do more, it peels back the onion of the deal itself and you start drafting ancillary documents.” In the real estate finance group, “we represent the institutional lenders in the transaction,” which gives associates the chance to “draft loan documents and conduct verification checks to make sure all the entities involved are clean with no issues.” This kind of work is “extremely client facing and that’s been a great experience!” 

Corporate clients: EVO Payments, Genuine Parts Company, Mativ. Advising EVO Payments on its $4 billion pending acquisition by Global Payments.  

“There’s a healthy mix on my plate – it's not all meat or potatoes.”  

The government matters group covers areas like data privacy and security; international trade; environment; antitrust; health and safety; FDA; healthcare; and white-collar investigations work. Despite being placed into specific subgroups, our sources told us that “there’s a lot of cross group and office work on matters.” On the investigations front, “we’ll conduct them if the government has piqued an interest or if there is an internal reason at the company for doing so. We’ll represent the client and report to the government in the former instance – we'll disclose what we’ve found and discuss next steps.” Those in the healthcare group were excited by the rise of telehealth opportunities: “It’s a new and interesting area for lawyers to learn about and grew during the pandemic.” We heard that there’s also reimbursement matters involving Medicare contractors, as well as regulatory financing assignments “where we’re advising the client on how to stay compliant and line up with the program to maximize their funding avenues.” As one associate put it: “There’s a healthy mix on my plate – it's not all meat or potatoes.”  

Government matters clients: Athyrium Capital Management, Emory Healthcare, Medical University of South Carolina. Representing the management committee of EyeSouth Partners during its acquisition by private equity fund Olympus Capital Partners. 

The trial and global disputes group houses a broad business litigation arm that covers “a lot of the bread-and-butter commercial disputes and contract cases in the commercial division.” There’s also a significant product liability practice, which is rated as one of the best in the country by Chambers USA and isnoted for its capacity to handle cases in the pharmaceutical, tobacco, and automotive industries. Business litigation matters expose junior associates to “the discovery process, but also a surprising amount of client contact and regular meetings.” This source had been “kept busy with a summary judgment and substantial drafting opportunities, on top of research and advising the team on my findings so a decision can be made.” With all these tasks, it's natural that “no one day feels the same” and “the work is surprisingly varied, so I don’t get bored!”  

Trial and global disputes clients: Delta Air Lines, Johnson & Johnson, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Representing Medallion Financial Corp in litigation following an investigation by the SEC and allegations of illegal touting to inflate the value of Medallion’s stock. 

Pro Bono  

“There’s an abundance of pro bono opportunities at the firm,” an associate told us, while another expanded: “No matter your interest – whether it’s prisoners’ rights, LGBTQ+ matters, or immigration work – the firm will have something for you to do.” Even if it doesn’t, “you can always go to the pro bono partner and forge your own path with something you’re interested in.” The fact that K&S lawyers can count 100 pro bono hours towards their billable target “sweetens the pot, although we should be doing it anyway!” Some sources did want to see more pro bono counted as billable (“otherwise you worry that a pro bono case may blow up”), but we did hear that “you can get extra credit approval from the pro bono partner.” The pro bono partner in question, Josh Toll, received many a compliment, with this source explaining that “he’s kind, active, and frequently shares opportunities.” 

“It’s been an enlightening experience.” 

We heard of associates working on Medicare rights matters for transgender individuals, as well as prisoner complaints cases, wrongful convictions, and housing disputes. “It’s been an enlightening experience,” an interviewee reflected. “I was able to do all the substantive work, including taking my first deposition, speaking directly with the client, and leading the charge on the summary motion.” 

Pro bono hours:  

• For all US attorneys: 49,192
• Average per US attorney: 41.8

Hours & Compensation  

Billable hours: 1,950 target for bonus 

Associates should aim to hit 1,950 hours to get their lockstep bonus, but if they bill above and beyond there are additional amounts that can be paid out. For most of our sources, the target was looked at as “a challenge but not unachievable – the majority of folks here can hit it.” As is often the case, “some attorneys can reach it more easily in the growing areas of the firm compared to those in the more static practices.” Interviewees were glad that pro bono counts towards the target but would like to see the amount of other qualifying non-billable work upped: “Things like writing articles and attending conferences are productive for us and the firm.”   

“It’s transparent and we know how much we’re going to get.” 

Hours-wise, those in the corporate practice estimated that they were averaging around 50 a week, while those in government matters also found that “between 40 and 50 hours a week is achievable.” The reality is that the pace “varies so much – the beginning of the year is always slower for us!” a corporate interviewee remarked. There were no qualms with the compensation overall: “It’s transparent and we know how much we’re going to get.” Another explained that “we follow the market, and if it rises, we match and that’s fair. It feels like a fair trade off for the hours we put in.” 

“I'm not working with a bunch of robots! 

Culture  

“One thing that’s struck me,” an associate reflected, “is that the people I work with are real people – I'm not working with a bunch of robots! Yes, they care about billing and what you’re bringing to the team, but they have also got to know me, and if something human happens in your personal life, they’ll work around it. You can actually be a human!” Another interviewee agreed that “you are seen as a human being and not a cog in the machine. The people you work with care about your life outside of work and believe you should celebrate your life’s milestones. We’re hard-working, accomplished people, as well as kind and caring!” This approach means that “everyone is willing to answer your questions and explain things – even down to the smallest detail.” Those who are now involved in recruitment efforts told us they are “protective of that K&S feel: we’re looking for those who are smart, but also the right fit.” 

We were subsequently unsurprised to hear that K&S lawyers enjoy spending time together. “We work hard but people do like to get together,” an Atlanta source told us. “Once a month on a Thursday we gather at 5pm, grab a drink from the beer fridge and chat. We also have formal events, like a black-tie Christmas party, as well as some cross-floor office mingling via happy hours and lunches.” For this interviewee, “the social events are where I got to see everyone’s sense of humor!” [Take note future recruits – a good sense of humor could clinch the deal]. Juniors were also keen to tell us about the opportunity to befriend colleagues internationally, as “the common denominator across the firm is that we do lots of cross-border work.” 

Career Development  

“The firm does provide formal training and there are webinars hosted a couple of times a week related to corporate, finance, and investments, which are helpful,” an associate commented. “But as far as getting to the nitty-gritty of the job, it’s about trial and error, repeating deal types, and doing what is asked of you.” Another transactional source mentioned that the weekly programs are good for “homing in on a certain topic and understanding why it’s important – things move so quickly, so it’s good to have that formalized setting to learn it.” Trial lawyers also told us about regular training sessions “within the first six months or so, where we would get together to learn about new laws, the firm’s history, and different routes and experiences at the firm.” 

“...we’d get lunch, check in and talk about life!” 

New starters are assigned both a partner and a senior associate mentor via the firm’s ‘Link’ program: “It’s their job to support you. The relationship that I had with them was great – we’d get lunch, check in and talk about life! It was good to have their insight and get to know them as people I could trust.” Associates can also take advantage of a business development budget “if you want to go to a conference to pursue something of interest.” If the partnership route isn’t desirable, then “the firm maintains good relationships with its lawyers who go off to be in-house counsel,” so there’s the option to find out more about that route before making any big decisions. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  

K&S’s associates recognized that “the firm makes a conscious effort to hire and retain diverse employees.” One associate highlighted that “there is a biannual diverse lawyers’ retreat where all diverse-identifying lawyers convene for a long weekend to learn from clients and practitioners to understand their journeys in the legal field and expand our careers.” Another conscious effort that gained praise was the diverse lawyers’ mentorship program: “When you approach the third year, you are paired with a diverse partner who can provide guidance through their experience within the firm and outside of it.” 

“...the firm isn’t afraid to tackle these things and look at what kind of development is needed.” 

Sources conveyed that at “the partnership level it’s mostly men, but a strong cohort of women are moving up, so it’s gradually improving.” The trial group in Atlanta was cited for having good gender representation in particular: “Almost half of our partners and counsel in the team are women, which demonstrates the equity here.” Interviewees were also pleased to report that there’s an open culture at the firm: “We still have difficult conversations and come together to listen to issues and concerns – the firm isn’t afraid to tackle these things and look at what kind of development is needed.” 

Get Hired

OCIs

K&S holds OCIs at over 30 colleges across the country, as well as a number of law fairs. Washington, DC hiring partner John Fontham tells us that the firm sees between 20 and 100 students at each campus, depending on their size. Interviews are held by two attorneys and cover a lot of ground with questions assessing “intellectual horsepower, client service focus, interpersonal skills and relationship building and practice group preference.” Fontham advises interviewees to “show that you are well rounded and intellectually curious with a demonstrated record of achievement.” He adds that K&S looks for candidates who “convey authenticity in their interviews and who have a genuine interest in our firm. They're the ones who tend to succeed, and we are not looking for hyper-competitive candidates or big egos – this is not a firm of sharp elbows.” Associate sources in the firm’s home city of Atlanta advised interviewees that “you need to articulate why you want to be here. Sometimes people are so focused on getting the job that they lose their awareness of where they are geographically.”

Top tips for this stage:

"We value diversity. Talk about your unique life and work experiences and how those will help you stand apart from your peers and succeed at King & Spalding." – Washington, D.C. hiring partner John Fontham.

Callbacks

Successful interviewees are invited back for a session that generally consists of “four to six interviews with attorneys and either a lunch or a reception afterwards,” according to Fontham.

Fontham describes the questions at this stage as “more behavioral in nature than during OCIs, but candidates can still expect a conversational interview style. We are looking for much of the same things we sought in the OCI phase, but now expect a deeper level of knowledge about our firm and interest in it.” He adds that the “ability to connect with our people and a demonstrated interest in our firm” at this stage is “even more important than during OCIs.” Associates told us: “We’ve turned down several people with stellar credentials who we feel wouldn’t command a room or be as personable as others. If I were speaking to a lateral or new attorney, I would only recommend them here if they want to help manage clients and win new clients and represent the firm.”

Top tips for this stage:

"Candidates who have a strong sense of their goals and how King & Spalding will help them to achieve those goals will do well."— Washington, DC hiring partner John Fontham.

Summer Program

K&S hosted 88 summer associates across the US in 2022. Summer associates indicate their practice area preferences before the summer and are then assigned a variety of work across their chosen areas. Fontham explains that summer associates “work closely with summer and work coordinators who are tasked with making the summer experience a rewarding one. We also supplement our summer program with substantive training, seminars, and panels, and client site visits and lunches.” 

Summers also get to visit and work from another office in the firm’s network through ‘Connect K&S’, which according to Fontham “allows summer associates to see how we connect the dots inside the firm to deliver solutions to our clients’ complex legal issues.”

Top tips for this stage:

"Be intellectually curious: we hire bright lawyers who want to learn and challenge themselves. We value summer associates who develop innovative ways to solve problems and are responsive to the needs of the supervising attorneys and their clients. Even as a summer associate, we expect that you will perform at a high level when met with challenging work." — Washington, DC hiring partner John Fontham.

And finally…

Fontham tells us: “We have a full-time position available for every summer associate who joins our program, and we expect that each of them will earn an offer to return. In 2022, our summer offer rate was 100%.”

Interview with partner Jennifer Daly

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

JD: It's an exciting time for the firm. King and Spalding has had an impressive growth story where we've been strategic every step of the way growing both scale and revenue. Few firms have done both. In the last year alone, we crossed the $2 billion in revenue threshold, opened our Miami office, promoted 32 lawyers to partner, recruited 41 lateral partners and over 70 lateral associates across 15 offices and hit a high water mark for pro bono hours. We've had a huge addition to our litigation bench in New York with the addition of Randy Mastro and a number of his colleagues from Gibson Dunn. As we continue on this trajectory, we are focused on making sure that we deliver one firm, one practice to all clients.

CA: Have there been any developments at the firm over the past year that you would like our readers to know about?

JD: In general, we have three main practices: Corporate, Finance and Investments, Government Matters, and Trial and Global Disputes. From an industry perspective, we focus on the Energy, Financial Services and Life Sciences Healthcare sectors. Over the past year, we have been positioning ourselves for a potential downturn, which we see as an opportunity. We've invested heavily, for example, in developing our Global Human Capital and Compliance team to help our clients focus on workplace issues. That group has helped to guide a number of clients through enterprise-level issues - everything from remote working and vaccine mandates to how you prep for a possible recession and any other resourcing needs they may have going forward. We're also continuing to expand thoughtfully with our global footprint because we think “why should we stop here?”

CA: Are there any domestic or international events/trends affecting the work conducted by the firm or the way in which it is structured and run? 

JD: We are focused on positioning the firm and our lawyers to succeed in any environment. For clients, we continue to add value by taking on their most complicated matters that require collaboration across practices and offices. This type of complex, high value work attracts and retains the type of talent that we want to invest in. We have a number of cross-practice initiatives - for example, we've done a lot of work around the energy transition, and that involves a number of disciplines and offices. We have a private equity capital matchmaking program where we make some thoughtful introductions and help our clients get more connected. Sally Yates spearheaded an independent investigation of alleged abuse in women's soccer, which is another example of high-impact work that required lawyers in multiple practices and in multiple offices.

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

JD: We've launched several important internal initiatives. It's a profession that can be challenging, in that you work hard for a number of years, and the work falls out of the sky. Then you make partner, and folks look at you and think, now it's your turn to go get some work for others - and you have no idea how to do that. We really make a concerted effort to say, that doesn't work here. We don't do as well as we can if we're not investing in our talent.

This year we launched a program called the ABC's of Professional Development to teach associates those skills so that they are learning to fish along the way. And we found that that makes the associates more engaged and they bring forth thoughtful ideas! The best idea doesn't have to come from the most senior person. The A in the ABC program stands for Advance at K&S, which benefits their career growth by providing funds for business development, attending conferences, career coaching, public speaking opportunities, and similar activities – it’s quite flexible and self-directed by associates. The B stands for Build at K&S, which is dedicated to the pro bono work and community activities lawyers can get involved in. The C stands for Connect at K&S which encourages interoffice travel so associates can go to other offices and meet others on their teams (or others they may have contact with).

CA: How has the rise in legal technology affected the firm? Are you implementing any specific programs/initiatives with regards to technology? 

JD: This is something near and dear to my heart, but it's something that the firm is also thinking outside the box about. We launched a first-of-its-kind app on the finance side two years ago (and a website version of that will be rolled out this year) which not only provides real-time access to thought leadership content from our team, but also real-time surveys that can be taken on a no-name basis after which you can see different terms in the market and how our peers are responding. Across groups, we're constantly assessing how we can use technology to not only make lives more efficient and easier but also to make sure that it makes our attorneys’ lives more efficient. We're very open-minded, I would say, and I think we're very forward-thinking on the tech side, not just in my transactional practice but also in our litigation and regulatory practices. Associates often play a lead role in how we use cutting-edge technologies.

CA: What is your firm's strategy and how do you expect the next year to unfold? 

JD: We will evolve and stay ahead of where our clients need to be thinking so that we can be proactive. That starts at a firm level by managing talent and that will always involve growth - not only organic growth but lateral growth too. It's not enough to hire talented people, whether it's as a summer associate, a first year, or a seasoned lateral partner. We know that we have to be ahead of the curve, and we can't do that if we haven't invested in the right people.

On a fundamental level, clients are going to value firms and lawyers that think like them. A lot of these critical professional development issues go back to the ABC's program. We are committed to making sure that our lawyers, at a young age, start getting the training, the support and the opportunities that they need to develop into lawyers who think like our clients so that we can be there with them and anticipate their needs and provide creative solutions to their business and legal issues. We try to inspire entrepreneurial thinking and the ability to be nimble and pivot, and that, I think, will be the future of the profession.

The most important things in a law firm and in this industry don't really change - meaning our talent and the investment that we make in all of our attorneys at all levels. It’s the secret sauce. At its core, as a professional services firm, our talent is the most critical thing we have, and we must nurture, protect, defend and grow it. Even though our financial metrics are on an upward trajectory, we've used that as an opportunity to pause and say, how do we best position ourselves and each of our lawyers to succeed, because that's what provides growth for the firm and for lawyers individually.

CA: What is the firm’s approach to bolstering diversity, equity, and inclusion?

JD: We have added everything from traditional trainings to more formal mentorship programs. We have a Diversity Mentoring & Sponsorship Program, which is a critical tool in developing our diverse talent - it not only connects our mid-levels to opportunities for client work, but it focuses on profile building as well. There are currently 70 mentoring pairs. I'm a participant in that program. We also offered a firm-wide series on unconscious bias, allyship, and similar topics.

What we've identified is that it's not enough to attract and hire a workforce that is more in step with the way the world is, but it is imperative that the firm creates an environment where everyone has an opportunity to thrive and reach their potential. We understand that everyone's path may be a little different. It's not just about hiring; it's also about creating the right environment and culture.

CA: What advice do you have for students and junior associates who are just about to embark/have just embarked on their legal career? 

JD: Be bold and don’t be afraid to take risks! Don’t be afraid to push an idea through. You don’t have to wait to contribute to a workplace. That is not the culture here at King & Spalding - this is a safe space for anyone who is entrepreneurial!