Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Pros:

5.0 ★★★★★ Current Employee, less than 1 year Software Developer Software Developer in New York, NY Recommend CEO Approval Business Outlook Pros Salary, the team, management, perks Cons The culture, the deadlines, too much work too little gain

Advice to law firm management:

Trust your team and speak up for us. Don't just say the right things, do them. Compensate your team better and don't blame others for your decision.

Pros:

Great hours and PTO. Reputable firm. Made a lot of friends, unfortunately, the best ones have left.

Cons:

Very low annual raise and bonus. Too much micromanagement and passive aggressiveness from the top. A lot of employee turnover.

Partners to Avoid and Why:

No partners to avoid. Did not work with any of them. From what I hear, they are all nice.

Favorite Things About this Firm:

The firm has a great reputation. There is a nice cafeteria in the building and the Christmas parties are fun.

Career Opportunities:

Compensation & Benefits:

Work/Life Balance:

Senior Management:

Culture & Values:

Length of Employment:

5-7 years

Advice to law firm management:

Management needs to consider being more firm with their staff. Having too much leniency creates a hectic work environment where work doesn't get done.

Pros:

I've been at this firm for almost a year now and my experience has been O.K. I like the people I work with and management is pretty fun and laid back. They throw a lot of parties for staff during the year and always try to create a fun environment.

Cons:

Management can be a little too laid back sometimes. The office can feel a bit immature at times with gossip and other nonsense and management just doesn't seem to care.

Advice to law firm management:

Increase the pay and benefits. Work on improving management's relationship to employees.

Pros:

The firm practices a variety of legal areas. The environment is fun to work in. The people are all friendly and supportive. There is room for advancement here.

Cons:

The pay and benefits could be better than they currently are. There is not a good relationship between management and employees.

Advice to law firm management:

Allow for more upward mobility and help associates feel less pressured.

Pros:

Pleasant Big Law Firm Experience

Cons:

As with any firm, you got to work long hours. Not all partners are the same, so your happiness at this firm can vary. Thankfully I was assisted by what I regarded as the better partners. Career advancement is a bit slow, but definitely doable with hard work.