Groom Law Group, Chartered
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Overview
Introduction
Based in Washington, DC, Groom Law Group is home to more than 85 attorneys. Founded in the wake of the passage of ERISA, Groom Law Group focuses on employee benefits, health, and retirement matters. The firm's client roster has included the NFL Players Association, Campbell Soup Company, CBS, ConocoPhillips, Dow Chemical, CIGNA, ING, UnitedHealth Group, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association, New York Life Insurance, and many, many others.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
No. of Partners Named (2020)
Featured Rankings
Top 150 Under 150...
No. of Summer Associates (2020)
Base Salary
1st year: $190,000...
No. of U.S. Offices
Vault Verdict
Groom boasts a welcoming, friendly culture—lawyers respect each other, from the top down. There isn’t pressure to socialize after hours, but there are some firm-sponsored events. Partners and associates have strong relationships. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of work, and hours can sometimes be heavy, but associates appreciate the flexibility afforded them. Associates also complete a monthly workload survey to monitor hours. Overall, associates are satisfied with their compensation, which includes an hours-based bonus. There is room for improvement when it comes to training—though associates have noticed steps in the right direction with both the formal training and mentoring programs at the firm. Associates give the firm high marks for its diversity efforts. As one associat...
About the Firm
Based in Washington, DC, Groom is home to more than 85 attorneys. Founded in the wake of the passage of ERISA, the firm focuses on employee benefits, health, and retirement matters.
Forward from Ford
When President Ford signed ERISA in 1974, few law firms were prepared to meet the new demand for representation, but Groom founder Ted Groom had already been actively involved getting ERISA through the legislative process. To this day, many of the firm's lawyers have had extensive prior careers as federal regulators or Capitol Hill staff, including having held positions in the Labor Department, Treasury Department, the IRS, or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, as well as having served as ERISA counsel to the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources and as Tax Counsel to th...
Associate Reviews
- “My colleagues at Groom are approachable, friendly, and willing to listen and lend advice. The type of law we practice—employee benefits—is interesting and important. The quality of life is good, with attorneys rarely staying past 7 p.m.”
- “The lawyers are sociable but do not socialize very much. The working environment is welcoming and supportive, but when the day is done, everyone chooses to go their own ways.”
- “Everyone is very respectful of each other from top to bottom, partner to staff. …”
- “Partners as a whole value the associates, and the relationships between individual partners and associates are excellent. I have not witnessed or experienced any ‘bad’ treatment. All attorneys are given a presentation at year-end about the financial state of the firm—associates/of counsel and partners receive different presentations. The firm established a more structured partnership track that has been shared with associates. Performance reviews are done by our own selection based on projects worked on throughout the year, but reviews themselves are with two partners. If a partner has negative comments, we do not know which one gave the feedback.”
- “I am given about the right amount [of work] in aggregate, and have substantial flexibility in when and where I complete my work.”
- “The workload can be very heavy at times, but we are encouraged to share that through a monthly survey about hours and workload. …”
- “1,900 billable-hours required. 100 pro bono hours count.”
Diversity at Groom Law Group, Chartered
"Our Diversity and Inclusion Committee is tasked with developing and implementing policies and programs to increase diversity at our firm and within the legal profession. This committee is focused on: Supporting a work environment for all attorneys that encourages and supports the development of critical analytical skills and superior legal expertise in the employee benefits field through training and feedback. Ensuring that all attorneys are offered opportunities to demonstrate and cultivate their abilities by..."
