Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 963-5000
Overview
Introduction
A top firm for labor and employment work, Morgan Lewis has an expansive worldwide reach more than 30 offices. The firm attracts those who want to give back via pro bono work—20 hours are required for bonus eligibility—and who are seeking a non-hierarchical culture with ample transparency. Boasting an army of over 2,200 lawyers and legal professionals nationwide and worldwide, Morgan Lewis provides a wealth of opportunities to work on diverse and high-stakes matters among the firm’s core practice areas.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2022)
2K - 2.5K
No. of Partners Named (2021)
25
Featured Rankings
Vault Law 100
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2022)
83
No. of Summer Associates (2022)
99 total (82 2Ls; 17 1Ls)
Base Salary
All offices:
Vault Verdict
Morgan Lewis looks for a combination of top credentials and collegiality when hiring—candidates should have good grades and relevant experience, but also bring personality and a sense of teamwork to the table. The associates are a lively bunch, and the firm places a priority on maintaining a collaborative and friendly atmosphere. Noting the non-hierarchical structure of the firm, the associates feel valued by partners and appreciate the time partners take to provide insightful feedback. Firm leadership keeps associates well informed, but clarity into the partnership track could be improved. It’s BigLaw hours, but the associates appreciate the even distribution of work and find the hours to be manageable enough to maintain a good work-life balance with the help of flexible work arr...
About the Firm
Morgan Lewis has branched out from its Philadelphia roots to build a global network of lawyers in more than 30 offices, reaching from Boston to Singapore and San Francisco to Dubai. The firm’s strengths include litigation, labor and employment, employee benefits, intellectual property, energy, investment management, structured transactions, and a variety of regulatory areas.
Philly Roots, Global Presence
Morgan Lewis was founded in Philadelphia in 1873 by Charles Eldridge Morgan, Jr., a Civil War vet, and Francis Draper Lewis, a cotton merchant’s son. Ten years later, Morgan and Lewis hired Morris Rex Bockius, who became a driving force behind the firm for nearly four decades. In the early 1880s, the firm’s fortunes soared when it acquired United Gas Improvement Company as a clien...
Associate Reviews
- “MLB has a culture of gratitude. While the work can be demanding, everyone from paralegals to partners are always appreciative of hard work and let you know it. MLB also makes an effort, from the top down, to have lots of social gatherings (now mostly virtual) that people participate in and genuinely enjoy.”
- “Associates are encouraged to get to know one another inside and outside of the office. The firm has firm-sponsored events, and the firm fosters an environment where associates can make friends (in addition to colleagues). Lawyers and staff interact as a cohesive unit towards common goals. I think of the firm like my family.”
- “People go out of their way to check on attorneys as people, not just in terms of their work, which makes everyone feel as though they are genuinely cared about as more than just an attorney.”
- “The firm culture is very friendly and social. Attorneys freely communicate with each other throughout the day when working virtually via an internal chat system. In the office, attorneys frequently walk around the floor knocking on my door and asking me questions trying to get to know me.”
Why Work Here
Our Firm
At Morgan Lewis, our greatest strength is the company we keep. If you want to be an exceptional lawyer with superior legal skills, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to advancing the legal profession, we invite you to learn more about Morgan Lewis, where working collaboratively is in our DNA.
Our talented lawyers know that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That supporting and appreciating individuals is necessary for team success. That our clients value insight, empathy, and trustworthiness as much as legal advice. We are motivated every day to harness our collective power to deliver exceptional service to our clients around the globe.
Diversity at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
"At Morgan Lewis, we take an innovative, accelerated approach to diversity, inclusion, and equality. Our commitment to D&I is on display in how we recruit diverse talent and the initiatives we have developed to retain and advance this diverse talent pool. Firm Chair Jami McKeon's 2018 election to another five-year term means we are again the world's largest law firm led by a woman, and will be woman-led for a decade. As one of the very few women leading a major law firm, Jami-with four children and firsthand experience balancing..."
Getting Hired Here
- “Our firm is looking for top tier candidates who will fit with our firm culture of collegiality and teamwork. Credentials are important, but so is your ability to be a good firm citizen. The firm values a variety of backgrounds, and strongly values diversity.”
- “The firm is looking for super qualified and diverse candidates with a preference for judicial clerkships, journals, and prior BigLaw experience. There is no set criteria for any specific candidate. What matters most is that the person is bright, enjoyable to work with, and can be a team player on a busy matter. There are no particular ‘feeder schools’ but many associates are from the top 14 law schools in the nation.”
- “The firm looks for the best and brightest candidates from a diverse group of law schools. The firm looks for unique lawyers and lawyers-to-be that will be successful in a high-stakes environment.”
- “[The firm] hires from major law schools and strong regional schools, plus strong candidates from other schools through diversity programs and other hiring paths. Generally, interviewers have license to push for people with strong interpersonal skills, teamwork, and other intangible characteristics beyond just grades and resumes, though there usually is a ‘floor’ for GPA etc. [There is] definitely an emphasis on finding the right ‘fit’ for the firm and office culture while also seeking out high quality candidates.”
