Kellogg Hansen
Visit Website: www.kellogghansen.com
Summer Program: Learn More
Overview
Introduction
Kellogg Hansen offers those with clerkship experience a place to quickly sharpen their litigation skills. Associates work on small teams, which means direct interaction with partners and the opportunity to dive into challenging work from day one. A relatively young firm, Kellogg Hansen was formed in 1993 when three BigLaw partners jumped ship to form their own small firm focused on trial and appellate litigation. Since then, the firm has grown to house more than 90 attorneys, all trial and appellate specialists. Nearly every partner an...
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
50 - 100
No. of Partners Named (2021)
3
Featured Rankings
Vault Law 100
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
13 total (9 2Ls; 4 1Ls)
Base Salary
Year 1: $255,000
No. of U.S. Offices
1
Vault Verdict
Earning a place at Kellogg Hansen requires having at least one federal clerkship under your belt; beyond that, personality is one of the most important factors in getting hired. Although work, rather than socializing, is the main focus for most, the firm offers a collegial culture where friendships still form. A small partner-to-associate ratio means significant interaction between the ranks, and associates feel genuinely respected and valued by the partners they work for. Associates do wish performance reviews were more robust, however, and they don’t feel the firm is very forthcoming with information about finances, promotions, and compensation. Although the firm doesn’t have a billable-hours requirement, associates work plenty of hours—often to the tune of 2,300/year or more—bu...
About the Firm
Washington, DC-based Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick is a firm that thrives on litigating complex cases in the trial and appellate world, including cases that bring its attorneys to the highest court in the land.
A Trial & Appellate Litigation Firm is Born
A relatively young firm, Kellogg Hansen was formed in 1993 when three BigLaw partners jumped ship to form their own small firm focused on trial and appellate litigation. Since then, the firm has grown to house more than 90 attorneys, all trial and appellate specialists. Nearly every partner and associate served as a law clerk for a federal judge and more than a dozen clerked for Justices of the United States Supreme Court.
Litigation Powerhouse
2022 Vault Rankings
Associate Reviews
- “Truly great colleagues—very smart, collegial, hardworking, and take their obligations as members of the legal profession seriously.”
- “Everyone is very friendly and collegial, but attorneys don't tend to socialize much outside of work-sponsored events. There used to be weekly lunches and quarterly other events. Since COVID, there have been associate Zoom happy hours.”
- “The firm is noticeably quieter than others I've worked at. People respect each other's space and working hours. That said, people are sociable and polite. The firm is good for someone who does not want their work life and social life to mix too much. You have the option to get to know your co-workers as friends, but it's not required by any means.”
- “… People are generally busy, and the firm as a whole is serious about focusing on work. That does not mean that the culture is unpleasant—some of the best and nicest people I've ever worked with are here at Kellogg.”
Getting Hired Here
- “[The] firm is very competitive; [it] hires only candidates with top grades and appellate clerkships. Fit is also important.”
- “Grades, clerkship, diversity, and personality are all very important. Law school attended is not a strict bar—the firm very often hires top-ranked students from lower-ranked law schools. Personality-wise, this firm is probably not the right place for meek or shy people.”
- “The firm is looking for federal clerks who are good, down-to-earth people. The firm definitely makes efforts to recruit to a diverse pool of candidates, and I think it has a broad view of diversity. This is not a snobby group of people. They're looking for talent, but they don't turn their nose up at candidates that came up through less-traditional schools or channels.”
Perks & Benefits
