Careers
Fast FAQs
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1. Why Locke Lord?
2. Will I make as much money as I would at another big firm and how much do summer associates make?
Locke Lord's salary and benefits packages rank among the top in the market. Our partnership is a meritocracy where the best of our lawyers make as much or more than lawyers at other big firms. At the partner level, we do not have a lock step partner compensation system and consider a broad spectrum of factors in determining overall compensation. An assertive partner may move more quickly up the ladder than in a firm where compensation is based more upon tenure.
In the Texas offices, summer associates receive $3,076, paid weekly. Summer associates in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York receive $3,076 per week (paid twice a month). The summer salary in Atlanta is $2,788 per week (paid twice a month).
3. What is the schedule for the Locke Lord summer clerkship program?
In our Dallas and Austin offices, our summer program begins in mid-May and ends in the beginning of July. We ask our summer associates in those offices to work with us between six and eight weeks. In Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York, the program lasts throughout the summer from May until August.
4. Will I have to work harder at Locke Lord than I would at other firms?
Our expectations of associates on partnership track are consistent with expectations at other firms. We only hire associates who we hope will someday be our partners, and we have maintained high performance standards throughout our Firm's history. Studies of the market suggest that financially successful firms have a billable hours target of approximately 2,000 hours, and our expectations are comparable.
5. What is the size of your summer associate class, and how is the program structured?
In 2007, our offices had the following number of summer associates: Atlanta (5), Austin (5), Chicago (18), Dallas (37), Houston (37), Los Angeles (3) and New York (1). The summer program is designed to be a balanced blend of both work and social functions. Each summer associate is asked to demonstrate legal abilities through work product. Generally, our summer associates get to work with several partners and associates. Summer associates should try to strike a healthy balance between work efforts and social interaction.
6. What about training?
Locke Lord recognizes that the best training is the hands-on variety. Our associates tend to take an active role at a faster pace than associates at other firms.
However, we also recognize the importance of formal training. Our sections are very active in training associates. An example is our in-house trial training. Through that process, the associates receive trial and hearing practice under the supervision of our partners. The sections also are active in outside training such as seminars and National Institute for Trial Advocacy programs. All summer associates participate in our summer associate orientation, which includes both computer and administrative training.
7. Will I be assigned a mentor?
Although associates work for the partnership as a whole and not for any one lawyer, your work will come primarily from partners within your section/practice group or from partners outside your section needing work done in your area of interest. Natural mentor relationships develop through this process. We believe that young lawyers progress best when they learn from a variety of more experienced lawyers.
8. What about office space, parking and staff support?
Summer associates have their own exterior offices and are assigned a secretary in their sections of interest. The secretary will be shared with other attorneys (either associates or partners). We pay for parking conveniently located near our office building in selected offices.
9. How does Locke Lord provide summer associates an opportunity to get to know both the city and the Firm?
During the clerkship term, summer associates are invited to a number of social functions. Attendance is encouraged but not mandatory. These functions are designed to give summer associates the opportunity to get to know us on a personal level and also provide an overview of life in the city.
10. Do your summer associates receive meaningful work assignments?
Summer associates generally operate as first-year associates. They are given significant projects in "real-life" legal matters. Additionally, we hope our summer associates will learn from participation in a broad range of the Firm's activities. For example, beyond legal writing and research, they are invited to take part in activities that emphasize the practical aspects of the practice of law, such as the closing of business transactions, client meetings, hearings, trials and depositions.
11. How are summer associates' work product evaluated?
Generally, assigning attorney(s) provide oral or written reviews of summer associates’ work product.
12. Do summer associates have the ability to see multiple practice areas during the clerkship, not just one or two?
Yes, you do not rotate through sections, but, instead, your clerkship assignments are customized to your area(s) of interest.
13. Will I receive an offer from a section or practice area of the Firm?
No, the Firm generally extends an offer from an office without requiring that you work in a particular section. This has worked well over the years. On some occasions, you will be told during the offer process that certain practice sections in which you have expressed an interest may have limited their needs or may require certain experience or background which you do not have, for example, technical background to aid in the practice of intellectual property law.
14. What is the partnership track for a new associate at Locke Lord?
The majority of associates achieve partnership upon completion of their eighth year.
15. Does Locke Lord offer a first-year clerkship program?
We offer clerkships to first-year students on a limited basis. In our Texas offices, we expect our returning first year participants to join us for at least six weeks following their second year of law school.
16. How big is Locke Lord?
Locke Lord has nearly 700 attorneys in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento and Washington, D.C.