Locke Lord LLP
Visit Website: www.lockelord.com
Summer Program: Learn More
Overview
Introduction
Locke Lord offers top-tier legal work in a laid back, cordial environment. Lean staffing means early responsibility and experience for associates. With a number of women in leadership roles, the firm’s commitment to diversity shows in practice. Locke Lord is a full-service, international law firm of 20 offices and about 650 attorneys in locations across the U.S., as well as in Brussels and London. Locke Lord has received numerous industry recognitions as a global leader in the middle-market sector.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
500 - 750
No. of Partners Named (2021)
5
Featured Rankings
Vault Law 100
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2020)
17
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
37 total (22 2Ls; 15 1Ls)
Base Salary
Large Market:
Vault Verdict
Once credentials get you in the door for an interview, Locke Lord prioritizes past work experience and personality fit. While socializing after work isn’t everyone’s priority, the firm’s culture is laid back and people genuinely like other. Partners are overall respectful and understanding. Associates do note a few areas where they would like more transparency, including compensation and the path to partnership, but also give the firm credit for stepping up its efforts to be more forward in these areas. The billable-hours requirement is generally viewed as fair, and while some associates expressed a desire for higher compensation, the firm has made recent salary increases to address this. Lean staffing on matters means that associates receive a lot of early responsibility and subs...
About the Firm
Locke Lord is a full-service, international law firm of 20 offices and about 650 attorneys in locations across the U.S., as well as in Brussels and London. Locke Lord has received numerous industry recognitions as a global leader in the middle-market sector.
A History of Mergers
Locke Lord can trace its roots to the founding of three firms in a seven-year period in the late 1800s in Boston, Dallas, and Providence. A couple of decades later, John Lord would open a firm in Chicago in 1914 and another predecessor firm would open in Houston in 1916. Nearly a century later, these predecessor firms began combining, beginning with the Dallas and Houston firms merging in 1999 to form Locke Liddell & Sapp, in what was the largest law firm merger in U.S. history to that point. Sixteen ye...
2022 Vault Rankings
Associate Reviews
- “Lawyers here are typically friends outside of work and socialize often—both for firm-sponsored and after-hours events. The day-to-day atmosphere is casual/not formal, laid back, and friendly. Partners and associates get along well. Doors are always open. And staff and lawyers get along very well.”
- “Great group of folks to work with, though socialization outside of typical office interactions isn't very frequent.”
- “A truly collaborative environment. Partners and associates are generally very social and you can tell people truly like one another, both as friends and colleagues.”
- “Even with the pandemic, people are still making time to socialize, which I think is necessary. Almost all of the attorneys have a sense of humor and aren't stuffy. There is a desire to bill hours and generate revenue, but everyone seems to understand that family/mental health come before work.”
Diversity at Locke Lord LLP
"At Locke Lord, diversity and inclusion is one of the five core values articulated in the firm's Mission Statement and is integral to the firm's success. In order to have a healthy, successful workplace and provide clients with the highest-quality representation, our lawyers and staff must know that they are in a welcoming and inclusive environment where all perspectives are considered and everyone is given an opportunity to succeed. At Locke Lord, we know more than freeing ourselves from all forms of discrimination is not enough. We are..."
Getting Hired Here
- “Once individuals meet the hiring criteria (regarding GPA), everything is based upon fit and personality. Many associates are chosen from Vanderbilt, The University of Texas, and The University of Houston.”
- “Our hiring process is very focused on finding mature, well-rounded associates. Recruitment seems to center on Vanderbilt University and Texas law schools. Grades, school, journal experience, and a resilient personality are all central factors. Diversity is a top priority for law school recruits. Most of the associates have several years of work experience before coming to the firm, and it shows; people know how to get work done and how to behave in an office.”
- “The firm is very competitive, especially in the ‘hub’ offices. Yes, we do have guidelines to follow for interviewing and hiring individuals. Law school, prior experience, [and] personality play important roles in the hiring process."
Perks & Benefits
