Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Practice Areas

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP practices law in the following areas and works with its clients to provide the best possible legal solutions.

Hiring Criteria

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP follows the set of hiring criteria outlined below.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to age, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical or mental disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other characteristic protected by law in all personnel actions including recruitment, evaluation, selection, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination of employment.

The firm seeks a strong academic record and life experience and commitment to excellence in the practice of law apart from general hiring criteria, that include strong organizational, interpersonal, communication and writing skills; demonstrated leadership skills; team-oriented mindset and strong work ethic; an ability to multitask; a proven interest in the legal field as demonstrated through undergraduate coursework, extracurricular activities, or jobs and internships; and a Minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA upon graduation.

Paul, Weiss does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted by the HR staff. All candidates must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States without sponsorship.

Pro bono

Throughout its history Paul Weiss has maintained a resolute commitment to provide pro bono legal assistance to those in need and to serve the public interest. Paul, Weiss has helped establish law and public policy concerning, among other areas, civil rights, women's rights, rights of asylum, prisoners' rights and treatment of the homeless, and has authored groundbreaking reports on the legal rights of children and human rights in Iraq.

The firm also organized the foundation that facilitated and supervised the first-ever free election in South Africa. In addition to significant high-profile cases with broad impact, Paul, Weiss also has been steadfast in its commitment to provide personal pro bono assistance to individuals in need of legal representation.

The firm is committed to providing personal pro bono assistance to individuals in need of legal representation across a broad range of constitutional, civil and human interest areas.

Some of the recent pro bono cases include, achieving a resounding victory for Disability Advocates. The suit had sought to end discrimination against persons with mental illness who reside in adult homes in New York City. In 2008, Paul, Weiss, with the Urban Justice Center and the Economic Justice Project of the CUNY School of Law, brought an action in New York Supreme Court, challenging the sufficiency of New York State's basic welfare grant. Over the past year, Paul, Weiss has obtained asylum for multiple clients seeking refuge from persecution.

The firm encourages its attorneys to participate on at least one pro bono matter at all times, although there is no minimum requirement. Associates receive full billable credit for pro bono work and there is also no limit on the number of pro bono hours allowed.

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Notable cases

Paul, Weiss received honorable mention as a "Firm of the Year 2012" in the China - Corporate/M&A category in ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL magazine's sixth annual In-House Community "Representing Corporate Asia & Middle East 2012" survey.

In August 2012, Paul, Weiss was ranked among the top 10 for the second consecutive year in Vault's Top 25 Best Law Firms for Diversity.

The Hollywood Reporter named corporate partner Justin Hamill to its 2012 "Power Lawyer" list of the top 100 entertainment attorneys in America.

Beth Wilkinson was named one of National Journal's Most Influential Women, a group of 25 women that includes Hillary Rodham Clinton, Elena Kagan and Michelle Obama. The magazine compiled its list to showcase women "who are doing the most to shape" Washington, D.C. Beth is the only lawyer in private practice on the list.

For the tenth consecutive year, The American Lawyer has named Paul, Weiss to its annual "A-List." The ranking represents the most elite law firms in the nation, ranking the top 20 firms based on their revenue per lawyer, pro bono work, diversity, and associate training and satisfaction.

The American Lawyer's2012 Diversity Scorecard has ranked Paul, Weiss as one of the most diverse law firms, marking the tenth consecutive year the firm has achieved this honor.

Diversity was the basis of the formation of the firm. Its founders, by tradition, were unable to practice together owing to their differing religions, one was a Jew and the other a Gentile, decided to create a firm where diversity was the norm, not the exception. Most elite law firms profess a devotion to diversity. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP has a history of putting it into practice.

1946, Paul, Weiss hired William Coleman, an African-American, editor of the Harvard Law Review, and former Supreme Court clerk, at a time when no other firm would hire a black man despite his stellar qualifications. In 1949, the firm hired its first woman partner, Carolyn Agger, long before most competitors.

The firm has been ranked among the top 15 "Most Diverse Law Firms" for eight consecutive years since 2002.

Paul Weiss attributes its success to the unique skills, talents and viewpoints that lawyers from a variety of different backgrounds and beliefs bring to the firm. Since 1996, 30 percent of their partner promotions have been women; in their Litigation Department it has been 50 percent. Nearly 25 percent of their lawyers self-identify as ethnically diverse and almost five percent are openly gay.

Paul, Weiss is committed to investigating all reported policy violations and addressing the issue or issues, as appropriate. An employee who reports a violation of this policy will not be subject to retaliation in any form. Any retaliation against a complaining party by a Paul, Weiss employee, at any level, will be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Summer associate program

The summer associate program at Paul, Weiss is more than just legal training. It's an introduction to the rich variety and depth of life in one of New York's most unique law firms. Associates have the opportunity to shape their own summer experience. They have the option of choosing one department to call home or can select a variety of different practice areas.

During the firm's summer program, an attorney coordinator assigns work, and summer associates can take assignments from as many or as few departments in which they are interested. Summer associates are expected to complete 11 to 15 assignments during the 12-week summer program, and typically spend about six hours a day doing billable work.

The associate will be matched with a team of lawyers including associates, counsel and partners. They will help the associates make informed decisions about the work they choose. In addition to their team, associates will be paired with a partner and an associate who will provide guidance and advice about their summer work. They will receive training in both substantive areas of law and practical legal skills in a mix of highly interactive small group trainings, individual skills development workshops and more traditional classroom style presentations.

Sessions are taught primarily by Paul, Weiss partners and associates from across the firm's practice groups. It's not all work and no play, from team sailing trips to baseball games and cocktail parties; associates will have plenty of opportunities to get to know their fellow summers, firm associates and partners.

While the social events are "great," respondents give the highest praise for the "terrific" associates and partners who "go out of their way to be accessible and to make you feel like a real person."

In 2011, the firm increased its summer class size to almost 100 summer associates and gave offers to all of them. All summer associates are paid $3,100 per week, regardless of class.

Working for the Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Paul, Weiss is one of the world's leading law firms and offers employees a quality working environment. The firm provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified individuals without any sort of distinction. Work is challenging but enjoyable. There is a diverse mix of clients by size, industry and location.

The firm's culture provides the employees with a high-energy, engaging environment that fosters camaraderie and teamwork among lawyers - always with the understanding that their professional career is of the utmost importance. The firm also maintains an informal atmosphere: doors are almost always open, dress is business casual and first names are used for everyone.

That all being said, one must remember that the firm expects 2,000 hours billed each year. It is still grueling work for excellent pay, but at least it is in a collegial atmosphere. Paul Weiss is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to be an elite big firm litigator in New York City.

References

http://www.paulweiss.com/
http://www.lawfirmstats.com/
http://www.nalpdirectory.com/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://www.vault.com/
http://careers.abovethelaw.com/