King & Spalding LLP
Visit Website: www.kslaw.com
Summer Program: Learn More
Overview
Introduction
Focusing on litigation, regulatory, and transactional work, King & Spalding’s Atlanta roots set a tone of “southern hospitality” throughout the firm. Come for the collegiality and mentorship, stay for the free Coca Cola. The firm is now organized into three large practice groups: Trial & Global Disputes (Litigation); Corporate, Finance & Investments (Transactional), and Government Matters (Regulatory/Investigations). The firm counsels clients across myriad industries, including automotive, transportation, a...
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
1K - 1.5K
No. of Partners Named (2021)
17
Featured Rankings
Vault Law 100
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2020)
67
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
75 total (57 2Ls; 18 1Ls)
Base Salary
1st year: $205,000
Vault Verdict
King & Spalding casts a wide net in recruiting new associates—both local law schools and T14 law schools are represented in its class. The firm is ultimately looking for well-rounded candidates with impressive grades and a positive attitude. Candidates should be ready to answer some behavioral questions and also to substantively discuss their intended practice area as well as why they want to work at King & Spalding specifically. The firm has an amiable vibe, and partners are approachable and willing to take time to mentor and provide feedback to associates. Some associates wish there was more insight into firm decision-making from those at the top, especially in terms of promotion to partner. That said, associates have noticed improvements in transparency lately a...
About the Firm
Over its 130-year history, King & Spalding has branched far from its Southern roots to open offices across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, giving West Coast and Northeastern firms a run for their money. With stellar corporate and litigation practices, the firm counts among its longtime clients Atlanta-based Coca-Cola—a history of partnership evidenced by the old-fashioned soda fountains found in some K&S offices.
A King Rises
In 1885, Alex C. King and Jack J. Spalding founded what eventually became Atlanta’s largest law firm. Among the firm’s early matters was extensive service for the railroad industry—a crucial factor in Atlanta’s post-Civil War rebuilding. And like true royalty, the firm was rich in connections—in 1918, King was appo...
2022 Vault Rankings
Associate Reviews
- “Pre-COVID, lawyers socialized regularly. There is a firm cafeteria, so that is a great way to see other people in casual, unplanned settings. During covid, my team has had biweekly video calls to check in and see how everyone is doing.”
- “My colleagues are some of the warmest and well-balanced attorneys I know. I genuinely enjoy their company and choose to socialize with them outside working hours. My experiences interacting with staff have been extremely pleasant, and I strongly value their contributions not only to our professional work, but also to developing an office culture of kindness and investment in each other’s personal lives and well-being.”
- “Highly collegial. I am good friends with my colleagues, and they're people I voluntarily choose to spend time with outside work.”
- “I joined during the pandemic, but it has nevertheless been a very welcoming, sociable, and friendly experience. We regularly have zoom happy hours, ‘get-to-know-me’ sessions for new attorneys, and other socially driven activities outside of work.”
- “There is not a lot of socialization after hours but everyone is very friendly.”
Diversity at King & Spalding LLP
"King & Spalding strives to attract and retain a broad pool of diverse and women lawyers. We work towards that goal through a collaborative environment that benefits from the sharing of viewpoints, experiences, ideas, and unique qualities that each of our lawyers brings to the firm. Diversity is an integral part of our culture and deeply rooted in our policies and procedures with specific focus on recruiting, developing, and promoting our lawyers. Recruiting: King & Spalding pursues opportunities to diversify its attorney..."
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm is looking for qualified, driven candidates that bring a good attitude and developable skill set that can mesh well with the attorneys in the practice group. I think K&S is more concerned about fit than they are about particular numbers/schools, etc.”
- “The firm values good grades and clerkships. Well-rounded candidates with positive personalities tend to thrive.”
- “The summer program is extremely competitive, with a heavy focus on grades. There may be a slight leaning toward local law schools (particularly Emory, Georgia, Florida and Vanderbilt) in the Atlanta office (hard to tell if that is by firm choice or just based on the applicants looking to work in Atlanta), but we also have many lawyers from Harvard and UVA in the Atlanta office.”
- “There are no particular feeder schools. Like other comparable firms, they focus on top law schools, but we also have a great focus on the highest-performing individuals from local, lower-ranked law schools.”
Perks & Benefits
