As a McDermott associate, you are a valued member of our family – not just another cog in a big law machine. We welcome your unique perspective, and we show our gratitude for your contributions by investing in your future, championing your growth and respecting your individuality.
We promise an exceptional experience while you are here, including top-tier compensation, award-winning professional development, mentorship from some of the world’s best lawyers and more.
Here’s how we support you:
TOP-TIER COMPENSATION
- We are committed to paying at—and above—the market-leading or “Cravath scale” for those who meet our threshold of 2,000 bonus eligible hours.
- We do not use a lockstep model and we choose to use an individual merit-based system endorsed by our Associates’ Committee and Firm leadership.
- This approach provides for substantial incremental bonuses for those who go above and beyond in terms of hours expectations and performance. In 2022, 65% of our associates earned above the Cravath scale.
- Bonus eligible hours include billable client hours, Firm-as-client hours, up to 100 pro bono hours, up to 75 professional development hours, up to 25 mindfulness/wellness hours and up to 25 justice, diversity, equity and inclusion hours.
CAREER ACCELERATION
- We want to see you grow. We offer in-house, confidential career counseling to each member of our team. If you envision yourself on a partnership track, we create that path for you.
- Have other career aspirations? We help you define and achieve your unique vision of success.
- And it doesn’t end here. If you leave, you’re still a part of the McDermott network and always maintain access to our vibrant alumni network.
UNPARALLELED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
- We limit our associate class size to give you immediate and ongoing opportunities to handle substantive, meaningful work.
- Our partners are committed to providing guidance and mentorship in pursuit of your career goals, and we encourage you to use billable hours to learn about client matters outside of your area of expertise.
- Taken our approach makes you a better lawyer, faster.
UNBEATABLE CULTURE
- Our commitment to our culture, from justice, diversity, equity and inclusion (JDEI) to personal satisfaction and well-being, is more than just lip service.
- We offer tangible programs, incentives and flexibility that gives our McDermott family the confidence to bring their most authentic selves to work.
- That’s why we’ve been named Vault’s #1 Law Firm for Associate Satisfaction, three years running and a nationally ranked Top Workplace.
