K&L Gates is one of the top 20 law firms in the U.S. and has around 2,800 lawyers. The firm specializes in working in energy, transactions and M&A practice area...
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K&L Gates LLP
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For many, working at K&L Gates is advantageous as the working hours are not crazy for a big firm, it provides meaningful mentorship opportunities and gives great resources with a small office feel. However, some aspects like mediocre compensation levels, difficulty in getting work during lean periods and lack of transparency in determination of performance, do raise concerns.
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K&L Gates LLP
3 Star Rating 
3 reviews
| Year of establishment | 2007 | Number of partners | 812 |
| Number of offices | 44 | Partner to associate ratio | 0.90 |
| Biggest office | Chicago | Percentage of women attorneys | 35.60 |
| Number of attorneys | 1756 | Percentage of minority attorneys | 8.90 |
| Number of associates | 883 | Percentage of LGBT attorneys | 1.50 |
K&L Gates LLP Reviews
Current Employee
- Reviewed on December 16, 2017
Advice to law firm management: The firm should consider re-hiring the employees that it let go. Management should really work harder in identifying valuable employees to the firm.
Pros: A law firm setting which several benefits are offered to employees that are affordable. The firm has a system in place in which employees work together alongside staff and attorneys.
Cons: The firm has lost many of its employees because they have been let go. However, many of the employees were skilled and it appears that the firm made a poor decision in letting go of the valuable employees.
Current or former employee?: Current Employee
Pros: A law firm setting which several benefits are offered to employees that are affordable. The firm has a system in place in which employees work together alongside staff and attorneys.
Cons: The firm has lost many of its employees because they have been let go. However, many of the employees were skilled and it appears that the firm made a poor decision in letting go of the valuable employees.
Current or former employee?: Current Employee
Former Employee
- Reviewed on September 25, 2017
Advice to law firm management: Work on improving communication between management and employees. Allow employees to have a life outside of the firm.
Pros: There are more genuine people here than you would find at most firms. The hours and work environment are excellent as well.
Cons: There is not a good work and life balance at this firm. There is a lack of communication from management.
Current or former employee?: Former Employee
Pros: There are more genuine people here than you would find at most firms. The hours and work environment are excellent as well.
Cons: There is not a good work and life balance at this firm. There is a lack of communication from management.
Current or former employee?: Former Employee
Overview
K&L Gates LLP comprises more than 2,000 lawyers who practice in fully integrated offices located on five continents: Anchorage, Austin, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Brisbane, Brussels, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Doha, Dubai, Fort Worth, Frankfurt, Harrisburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, Moscow, Newark, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, Perth, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, San Francisco, São Paulo, Seattle, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Spokane, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Warsaw, Washington and Wilmington. K&L Gates represents leading global corporations, growth and middle-market companies, capital markets participants and entrepreneurs in every major industry group as well as public sector entities, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations and individuals. Our practice is a robust full market practice — cutting edge, complex and dynamic, at once regional, national and international in scope. Over each of the last five years our revenues exceeded $1 Billion and, as stated in the July 2010 issue of the UK publication Legal Business, the firm “has further cemented its position as the Global 100’s fastest growing firm.”
Practice Areas
K&L Gates LLP practices law in the following areas and works with its clients to provide the best possible legal solutions.
- Appalachian Basin: Marcellus And Utica Shale
- Bend Arch ' Ft Worth Basin: Barnett Shale
- Class Action Litigation Defense
- Corporate Debt Securities
- Corporate Governance
- Corporate Acquisition And Asset Based Finance
- Derivatives & Structured Products
- Employee Benefits
- Employee Stock Ownership Plans
- Energy Storage
- Executive Compensation
- Federal State And Local False Claims Act
- Health Care Reform
- Hedge Funds And Venture Funds
- Immigration
- Internal Investigations
- International
- Oil And Gas
- Islamic Finance
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Probate Trust And Related Fiduciary Duty
- Professional Liability
- Project Finance
- Public Finance
- Real Estate ' Commercial Ownership
- Leasing And Management
- Real Estate ' Development
- Real Estate ' Sustainable Development
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Litigation
- Renewable Energy
- Securities Enforcement
- Securitization And Structured Finance
- Transportation Finance
- White Collar Crime
- Criminal Defense
- Advertising & Marketing
- Africa
- Aim The Worlds Leading Growth Market In The London Stock Exchange
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Antitrust Competition & Trade Regulation
- Appellate Litigation
- Aviation Industry
- Banking & Asset Finance
- Benefits Esops And Executive Compensation
- Betting & Gaming
- Biosimilars
- Follow On Biologics
- Broker Dealer
- Capital Markets
- Caribbean
- Climate Change And Sustainability
- Commercial Disputes
- Commercial Transactions And Outsourcing
- Construction And Engineering
- Consumer Financial Services
- Consumer Product Safety
- Corporate
- M&A
- Cross Border Canada
- Cyber Law And Cybersecurity
- Debt Capital Markets
- Depository Institutions
- Distressed Real Estate
- E Discovery Analysis And Technology
- Group
- Emerging Growth And Venture Capital
- Energy
- Energy & Infrastructure Projects And Transactions
- Environmental Land And Natural Resources
- European Regulatory
- Uk Regulatory
- Financial Institutions And Services Litigation
- Financial Services Policy
- Food Industry
- Food Drugs Medical Devices And Cosmetics
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Anti Corruption
- German
- Global Boardroom Risk Solutions
- Global Employer Solutions
- Global Financial Markets
- Global Government Solutions
- Global Insurance Coverage Solutions
- Government Contracts & Procurement Policy
- Government Enforcement
- Health Care
- Higher Education Institutions
- India
- Indian Law
- Indonesia
- Infrastructure
- Insurance Coverage
- Interactive Entertainment
- International Arbitration
- International Trade
- Investment Management Hedge Funds And Alternative Investments
- Ip Litigation
- Ip Procurement And Portfolio Management
- Labor Employment And Workplace Safety
- Latin America
- Life Sciences
- Liquefied Natural Gas
- Maritime
- Mining And Metals
- Nuclear
- Oil & Gas
- Patent Office Litigation
- Payment Systems
- Privacy Data Protection And Information Management
- Private Clients Trusts And Estates
- Private Equity
- Product Liability
- Projects
- Public Private Partnerships
- Public Policy And Law
- Real Estate Investment Development And Finance
- Real Estate Land Use Planning And Zoning
- Resort Hospitality And Leisure
- Restructuring & Insolvency
- School Districts
- Securities And Transactional Litigation
- Securities Arbitration
- Social Media Law
- Sports
- Tax
- Tax Reform Resources
- Tax Exempt Organizations
- Nonprofit Institutions
- Technology Transactions
- Telecom Media And Technology
- Toxic Tort
- Travel & Leisure
- World Trade Organization
- Dispute Settlement And Counseling
- Corporate And Transactional
- Cross Practice Services
- Energy Infrastructure And Resources
- Finance
- Financial Services
- Intellectual Property
- Litigation And Dispute Resolution
- Policy And Regulatory
- Real Estate
Hiring Criteria
K&L Gates LLP follows the set of hiring criteria outlined below.
The firm seeks its candidates to demonstrate initiative/leadership abilities, excel academically, possess excellent communication skills, and thrive independently in a supportive/team-oriented environment. As K&L Gates grows, firm management has become increasingly focused on recruiting from top schools. Still, candidates should be able to show a connection to the local office where they interview. However, last year, K&L Gates recruited more through job fairs than from campus recruitment's. In 2011, the firm visited three job fairs, while it did not visit any law school for campus recruitment.
Pro bono
K&L Gates has a long tradition of its attorneys providing community service through pro bono projects. The firm's policy is to strongly encourage its attorneys and staff to undertake a meaningful level of pro bono and community service in areas of their choice and interest. The firm is a signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge and has committed to make good faith efforts to provide pro bono services at a level equal to or greater than 3 percent of its annual billable hours.
The firm also recommends that its attorneys set for themselves a personal goal of performing at least 60 hours of pro bono and community service work per year.
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Notable cases
- Well Fargo Bank was represented by K&L Gates in the $25 billion global settlement with the various American governmental organizations related to residential mortgage loan default servicing practices. The settlement was awarded in February 2012.
- K&L Gates also represented Kraft Foods Global Inc. when Sara Lee filed a lawsuit against Kraft alleging false advertising. After two years of litigation and a trial that lasted two weeks, the case was dismissed.
- A cross-continent team of lawyers from K&L Gates LLP has advised leading action sportswear retailer Zumiez Inc. on the acquisition of the Blue Tomato group for a purchase price of
K&L Gates LLP Awards and Recognitions
The American Lawyer's 2005 "Corporate Scorecard" ranked K&L Gates as the leader among all firms in representation of fund clients in the mutual fund industry, and it is a leader in municipal finance, PIPE, private equity, and venture capital transactions.
The firm has been named among "Global Powerhouse" firms in 2012 Law360 Global 20 for the second year in a row.
In 2012, Corporate Board Member magazine, in association with FTI Consulting, Inc, ranked K&L Gates as one of the top 25 law firms in its annual list of "America's Best Corporate Law Firms." The firm ranked No. 16. The ranking was based on a survey of nearly 2,000 general counsels of U.S. publicly held companies. The survey focused on which law firms those general counsel would engage in a variety of important legal subject matters.
Diversity
K&L Gates believes that establishing and maintaining a diverse, fully inclusive, and community-minded workforce is essential to a strong law firm. K&L Gates has implemented a number of programs to promote diversity and inclusion, and is an industry leader in this regard. In 2003, the firm appointed the profession's first Chief Diversity Officer.
Similarly, the firm's appointment of the industry's first Director of Professional and Personal Life Integration and the launching of its innovative Balanced Hours Initiative received acclaim throughout the profession. q
Summer associate program
K&L Gates' eight-week summer program is quite different than the ones offered by other law firms. Most of the "real work" done by the associates during the summer program is used by the firm. The associates' work product is either incorporated into a legal brief, presented to a client, or incorporated into articles, presentations or other publications.
A summer associate is expected to complete 11 to 15 projects in various practice areas. The summer program offers training and mock trial program. The firm also provides a wide variety of social activities ranging from a low-key but intimate dinner at a partner's house to a baseball game in a luxury suite.
K&L Gates made offers to 61% of 60-members summer class in 2009 and in 2010, it made offers to 100% of its 32 summer associates. The Class of 2011 summer will join the firm in September 2011.
Working for the K&L Gates LLP
For many, working at K&L Gates is advantageous as the working hours are not crazy for a big firm, it provides meaningful mentorship opportunities and gives great resources with a small office feel. However, some aspects like mediocre compensation levels, difficulty in getting work during lean periods and lack of transparency in determination of performance, do raise concerns.
Articles
K&L Gates and Womble Carlyle Partners Defect, Form New Law Firm...
K&L Gates is suing Melco Crown Entertainment, which owns two casinos in Macau to recover its stolen funds that were gambled away but one of its ex-partners....
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References
http://www.klgates.com/
http://www.lawfirmstats.com/
http://www.nalpdirectory.com/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://www.vault.com/
http://careers.abovethelaw.com/
