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Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Law Firm Overview and Careers

published March 02, 2023

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( 119 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
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Summary

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is one of the world's top international law firms for corporate law matters. Founded in 1946, the firm has offices located in major cities around the globe, providing its clients with access to expertise in a wide range of legal services.

Cleary Gottlieb focuses on corporate matters, project finance, litigation, and regulatory matters. For corporate matters, they advise on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, advanced tax planning, corporate finance and restructuring, venture capital, private equity transactions, IPOs, and a wide range of other corporate transactions. On the litigation and regulatory matters side, Cleary Gottlieb provides litigations support, administrative and regulatory advice, and dispute resolution services.

In addition to its legal work, Cleary Gottlieb also offers its clients a wide range of services related to project finance, including project development, risk assessment, negotiation and structuring, and the preparation of related documents. The firm also has a particular focus on international law, and is able to provide advice on matters such as foreign investment and international trade, as well as global arbitration and dispute resolution.

All of Cleary Gottlieb's attorneys are experienced, highly qualified professionals with experience in both domestic and foreign law. With its extensive global network, the firm is able to provide an integrated package of legal services and advice to its clients, helping them to solve legal problems, maximize returns, and minimize the risk associated with their projects.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is an internationally acclaimed law firm specializing in corporate matters, project finance, litigation, and regulatory matters. The firm was founded in 1946 and is one of the world's top international law firms. Cleary Gottlieb provides a wide range of services, ranging from mergers and acquisitions to project development, risk assessment and structuring, dispute resolution, international law, and foreign investment advice. All of their attorneys are experienced professionals who are highly qualified to deliver top-tier legal services. The firm is well-known for its comprehensive package of legal services, with a focus on helping their clients maximize returns and minimize their risk.
Questions Answered In This Article
 

What are the minimum qualifications for a senior attorney position at Cleary Gottlieb?

Senior attorneys must have seven years of experience, with two of those years at Cleary.
 

What type of legal services does Cleary Gottlieb provide?

Cleary Gottlieb provides corporate work and litigation services. They specialize in M&A and international arbitration and are committed to pro bono work.
 

Does Cleary Gottlieb favor any particular language skills?

Even though candidates with foreign language skills are always in demand, there are few language requirements for attorneys at Cleary Gottlieb.
 

Does Cleary Gottlieb offer any salary incentives?

Yes, senior attorneys can negotiate their pay and hours. There is also a $20,000 bonus at the end of an associate's first year.
 

What criteria does Cleary Gottlieb prioritize when considering candidates?

Cleary Gottlieb values stellar academics, judicial clerkships, and participation in law review. Foreign language skills are also a plus but optional.


When, in 1946, the New York firm of Root, Clark, Buckner & Ballantine instituted a new policy of compensating partners based on billable hours and new clients, four lawyers quit the firm to start their own. Founded on the principle that lawyers within a firm must cooperate and not compete against each other, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, & Hamilton eschews performance-based pay.
 

History of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton was founded in 1946 and has since then become one of the world's premier international law firms. The firm's founding partners, John Cleary and Wilbur Steen, established the firm in New York City and created a multidisciplinary, global firm. At the time, the firm focused on securities law, financing, and antitrust and tax litigation. Over the years, the firm has handled hundreds of securities transactions, representing blue-chip companies and major investment firms in transactions across the globe.
 

Modern-Day Practice of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Today, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is a global powerhouse in the legal arena. The firm is one of the few international law firms with a large and dedicated team of lawyers, who practice a wide range of disciplines in 14 countries around the world. Their lawyers handle the full spectrum of legal matters, from corporate finance and securities law to complex antitrust and tax matters. They also have established departments specializing in areas such as white collar defense, real estate, intellectual property, and international arbitration.
 

Notable Cases of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Some of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's most prominent cases include its defense of Deutsche Bank in litigation involving its participation in the LIBOR-rigging scandal and its successful representation of Ukraine in its three-year litigation against Russia. Other notable cases include their representation of Volkswagen in a dispute over emissions modification, and their successful representation of UBS in a dispute over the termination of its commercial banking activities in the United States.
 

Recognition of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has been consistently recognized as one of the world's leading law firms. It has earned top rankings from both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 for its work in areas such as tax, corporate finance, and capital markets. In addition, the firm's lawyers have received numerous awards and accolades, including being named as the 2019 Law Firm of the Year by Chambers Global.
 

Philanthropy of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

The firm takes a leading role in the philanthropic sector, having established a number of programs that provide pro bono legal services to vulnerable populations. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton also seeks to promote diversity in the legal field and has established a number of initiatives to increase minority representation in the firm.

Discouraging conformity, the firm's culture stresses independent thought. Though they have a reputation for being laid-back and democratic (the firm's Washington, D.C. branch operates almost entirely independent of the New York office), the one thing everyone at Cleary takes seriously is the work. The firm prides itself on its quirkiness, but some associates say that with average hours between 45-70 per week, Cleary isn't quite as free-spirited as it presents itself. The firm does, however, try much harder than your average firm to offer its attorneys a congenial social setting, as evidenced by the firm's traditional Friday night wine and cheese parties, which have expanded to feature beer and egg rolls as of late.

While the attorneys play hard, Cleary has definitely made a strong name for itself through hard work, which its extensive international presence illustrates. The firm's international network is said to be among the best for lawyers who want to go overseas. Ten of the firm's 12 offices are abroad, and the firm prides itself on its ability to remain organized and operate as a single global partnership of 800 attorneys from 50 nations. Cleary Gottlieb was also the first American law firm licensed in Japan and the first to promote Japanese attorneys. Even with offices in Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Milan, Moscow, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Brussels, language requirements for attorneys are few, even though candidates with foreign language skills are always in demand.

With an increasing turnover rate, which many think is due to the high demand for Cleary-trained attorneys, the firm hatched a plan to keep its important associates. In 1999, Cleary created a senior attorney position, available for those who want to work more than part time but less than the arduous hours required by large firms. Senior attorneys must have seven-years experience, with two of those years at Cleary. Those who qualify get to negotiate their pay and hours. Other salary perks include a $20,000 bonus at the end of an associate's first year.

Especially proud of their considerable M&A practice, Cleary has represented some of the world's biggest corporations in some of the world's biggest acquisitions. Ranked #1 in European M&A by Thomson Financial in 2004, #1 in international arbitration by American Lawyer in 2003, and cited as the International Law Firm of the Year by Chambers and Partners in 2001, Cleary secured the biggest M&A deal of 2004 when Bank of America merged with FleetBoston. Two of their largest clients, HSBC Holdings from the U.K. and Deutsche Bank used no in-house counsel, relying entirely on Cleary's M&A resources, when they made individual multi-billion dollar mergers in 1999.

Though the firm's corporate work tends to overshadow their litigation, Cleary has served as counsel in some high-profile court cases. They represented the gay New Jersey Boy Scout leader who was kicked out of the organization in violation of the state's anti-discrimination law. Though the judge ruled against the Boy Scouts, the Scouts appealed and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the discrimination was constitutional. With a long-standing commitment to taking pro bono work, Cleary has been commended for making service to the community a priority.

The New York Law Journal called Cleary a leader in diversity. Minorities constitute 20 percent of the firm's partners and 25 percent of associates. As half of all Cleary recruits are women, the firm offers a flexible schedule for moms and a "Working Women" seminar once a week. Providing benefits for same-sex partners, Cleary also boasts a large gay representation.

Besides being quirky, a Cleary candidate must possess good grades. The firm puts a great emphasis on stellar academics. Other important factors Cleary looks for are judicial clerkships and participation in law review. According to insiders, a law student's best bet to get an interview is to list Cleary Gottlieb first in the interview preference system.

Jobs

Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton currently has several openings in New York, Washington DC, and Hong Kong offices, including opportunities for experienced labor & employment and other associates. More information regarding attorney positions at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, & Hamilton can be found in the LawCrossing jobs database.

published March 02, 2023

( 119 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.