Fried Frank Law Firm Profile: Practices, Salary, Summer Associate Program, and Careers

^{Last Updated: October 2026}

Overview

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP—commonly known as Fried Frank—is an international law firm headquartered in New York City. The firm has approximately 800 lawyers working across five offices in New York, Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, and Brussels. Its clients include major corporations, investment funds, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, real estate investors, and other organizations handling sophisticated transactions, disputes, regulatory matters, and investments.

For law students and attorneys evaluating Fried Frank, the firm's most important characteristics are its concentrated presence in major financial and regulatory markets, internationally recognized real estate and investment funds practices, substantial corporate and private equity work, and a relatively focused global office network compared with some larger multinational firms.

Current firm leadership includes Chairman Kenneth I. Rosh, Managing Partner Steven Epstein, and Vice Chairman Scott B. Luftglass.

Fried Frank at a Glance

Category	Current Information
Full Name	Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Common Name	Fried Frank
Headquarters	New York City
Approximate Number of Lawyers	800
Offices	New York, Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, Brussels
Major Practices	Real Estate, M&A, Private Equity, Asset Management, Investment Funds, Capital Markets, Finance, Litigation, Tax, Restructuring, Antitrust
First-Year Associate Base Salary	$225,000
U.S. Summer Program	New York and Washington, DC
Summer Program Length	10 weeks
2026 Summer Associates	63
2027 Vault Law 100 Ranking	No. 47
2027 Vault Real Estate Ranking	No. 2

Current compensation and summer-program figures reported by Vault list a $225,000 first-year base salary and 63 summer associates in the firm's 2026 class.

History of Fried Frank

Fried Frank traces its origins to New York law practices established by German Jewish attorneys in the late nineteenth century, during a period when Jewish lawyers often faced exclusion from established Wall Street firms. The firm's predecessor organizations evolved over several decades as lawyers including Walter Fried and Hans Frank joined the practice.

The firm opened its Washington, DC, office in 1949 and established a London presence in 1970. Its current name—Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson—was adopted in 1971 after Sargent Shriver joined the organization. Shriver had previously served as the first director of the Peace Corps and held prominent roles in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

Fried Frank has changed its geographic footprint over the decades, but today operates a more concentrated international network than many similarly prominent global firms. Its five current offices are located in financial and governmental centers where the firm's transactional, investment management, real estate, regulatory, and litigation practices have significant client demand.

Fried Frank Offices

The firm's largest and most prominent office is in New York, where Fried Frank maintains its headquarters at One New York Plaza. New York is central to the firm's real estate, corporate, private equity, asset management, finance, capital markets, litigation, tax, and restructuring practices.

The Washington, DC, office combines transactional work with regulatory, litigation, tax, antitrust, government contracts, and real estate capabilities. Chambers USA recognizes the DC office in areas including corporate/M&A and private equity, real estate, tax, commercial litigation, and government contracts.

Internationally, Fried Frank operates in London, Frankfurt, and Brussels. These offices strengthen the firm's capabilities in European transactions, funds, leveraged finance, restructuring, tax, antitrust, competition law, and cross-border regulatory matters.

Major Practice Areas

Fried Frank's platform is concentrated around sophisticated business matters rather than an extremely broad global footprint. For prospective associates, this means the firm's strongest practice groups can provide substantial exposure to major corporate transactions, investment funds, real estate projects, regulatory matters, financing transactions, and commercial disputes.

Real Estate

Real estate remains one of Fried Frank's defining practices.

The firm advises clients on acquisitions, dispositions, real estate development, joint ventures, financings, restructurings, leasing, land use, zoning, real estate investment trusts, and disputes. Its client base includes developers, private equity investors, financial institutions, owners, borrowers, lenders, and other major participants in the real estate industry.

Chambers USA places Fried Frank among the leading firms in New York for several real estate categories, including corporate and finance work, traditional real estate transactions, litigation, and zoning and land use matters.

Vault's 2027 rankings place Fried Frank No. 2 nationally for Real Estate Law, reinforcing the practice's longstanding position as one of the firm's principal strengths.

For law students specifically interested in sophisticated commercial real estate, Fried Frank should therefore be evaluated differently from a generalist firm where real estate represents only a small portion of the practice.

Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity

Fried Frank also maintains substantial M&A and private equity practices. Its lawyers advise public companies, private companies, investment banks, private equity sponsors, and other financial institutions on acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, strategic investments, restructurings, and other transactions.

Chambers recognizes the firm for Corporate/M&A in New York and Corporate/M&A & Private Equity in Washington, DC. The firm has experience with cross-border deals and transactions involving sectors such as energy, healthcare, life sciences, financial services, and real estate.

Students interested in a transactional career may also find LawCrossing's guide to building an M&A legal career useful when comparing the skills and career paths associated with this practice.

Asset Management and Investment Funds

Investment funds and asset management represent another major component of Fried Frank's international practice.

The firm advises private equity funds, hedge funds, asset managers, financial institutions, and other investment organizations on fund formation, regulatory requirements, investments, transactions, and ongoing operations.

Chambers recognizes Fried Frank as a leading firm for private equity fund formation and also recognizes the firm's hedge funds, investment funds, and asset-management practices.

For law students who are interested in the business of private capital but do not necessarily want a traditional M&A practice, funds work can provide a different transactional path involving fund structures, investor negotiations, regulatory issues, and sophisticated financial clients.

Capital Markets and Finance

Fried Frank's corporate platform also includes capital markets, structured products, derivatives, banking and finance, and related regulatory work.

The firm's lawyers advise issuers, financial institutions, sponsors, borrowers, lenders, and investors on debt and equity offerings, financing arrangements, derivatives, structured products, and transactions that frequently require coordination across tax, corporate, regulatory, and other specialist groups.

These practices can be attractive to students who enjoy highly technical transactional work and want exposure to sophisticated financial products or institutional clients.

Litigation, White Collar, and Regulatory Work

Although Fried Frank is often most closely associated with real estate and transactional practices, the firm also maintains significant litigation and regulatory capabilities.

Chambers recognizes Fried Frank in New York for commercial litigation, securities litigation, and white-collar crime and government investigations. The Washington office is also recognized for commercial litigation.

Litigation associates may work on business disputes, securities matters, investigations, regulatory proceedings, and cases arising from the firm's transactional client base. Students comparing transactional and litigation careers should investigate staffing, practice-group demand, and opportunities in the particular office where they are applying.

Fried Frank Rankings and Reputation

Fried Frank's current rankings illustrate a firm with particularly strong practices rather than one whose reputation depends solely on overall prestige rankings.

Vault's 2027 Law 100 ranks Fried Frank No. 47 overall and No. 2 for Real Estate Law. The firm has also received recognition for informal training, mentoring, sponsorship, and pro bono work.

Chambers recognizes numerous Fried Frank departments, with especially strong recognition for real estate, corporate work, private equity, tax, litigation, investment funds, restructuring, and related financial practices.

Applicants should not evaluate Fried Frank solely by its overall Vault position. Practice-area strength, office, training opportunities, the type of clients served, and the student's intended career path may be considerably more important.

For broader context about large-firm careers, see Top Law Schools' Introduction to BigLaw.

Fried Frank Summer Associate Program

Fried Frank operates a 10-week summer associate program in New York and Washington, DC. The program is designed to expose law students to multiple practices rather than requiring every summer associate to enter with a predetermined specialty.

Current recruiting information reports that Fried Frank's 2026 summer class included 63 students—60 2Ls and three 1Ls. In the 2025 program, all 68 second-year summer associates reportedly received offers.

Summer associates can work on client and pro bono matters, attend meetings and negotiations, participate in closings and training programs, and explore different practice areas. Fried Frank also pairs summer associates with partner and associate mentors. The program includes structured instruction through the firm's Summer Associate Academy.

This breadth can be useful to students who know they want BigLaw but have not yet decided between practices such as real estate, M&A, funds, litigation, tax, or finance.

Students preparing for the recruiting process may also want to review LawCrossing's OCI Secrets: What Top Law Firms Are Looking For and Inside BigLaw Summer Programs.

Recruiting and What Fried Frank Looks For

Large-firm recruiting is competitive, and academic performance remains important. At Fried Frank, recruiting information emphasizes intellectual ability, communication, analytical skills, motivation, organization, and the ability to work successfully in a collegial environment.

Associate candidates typically meet several Fried Frank lawyers during the interview process, and the firm recruits from both nationally prominent law schools and strong regional schools.

Applicants should be prepared to explain not merely why they want "BigLaw," but why Fried Frank's particular practices, offices, clients, and culture fit their goals.

A student interviewing for New York, for example, may strengthen an answer by demonstrating genuine knowledge of the firm's real estate, private equity, M&A, or asset-management work. A Washington applicant may have a different rationale involving regulatory, litigation, antitrust, tax, corporate, or real estate interests.

For additional interview preparation, see LawCrossing's Mastering the Summer Associate Interview.

Associate Salary and Compensation

Fried Frank currently pays a $225,000 base salary to first-year associates, consistent with the prevailing scale at many major New York firms. Summer-associate compensation is structured on the corresponding annualized salary scale.

Compensation increases with seniority, and bonuses may depend on the firm's policies, class year, performance, and applicable eligibility requirements. Because BigLaw compensation structures can change quickly, applicants should confirm the current salary and bonus scale during each recruiting cycle.

Salary should also be evaluated in the context of workload, practice fit, training, advancement opportunities, and long-term career objectives rather than considered in isolation.

Training and Professional Development

Fried Frank places significant emphasis on formal and informal attorney development.

Current recruiting materials describe mentorship beginning early in an associate's career. New lawyers participate in a New Associate Academy and may receive partner mentors, associate mentors, and other support as they transition into practice.

The firm has also received recognition for informal training, mentoring, and sponsorship.

For junior associates, the quality of training can be especially important. Early BigLaw assignments can involve unfamiliar transactions, complex research questions, drafting, due diligence, negotiations, or highly technical subject matter. Access to experienced attorneys who are willing to explain both how an assignment should be completed and why it matters can significantly affect professional development.

Culture and Work Environment

No large law firm has a single experience that applies to every lawyer. Workload and culture can differ substantially among practice groups, partners, offices, and individual matters.

Current associate reporting generally describes Fried Frank as collegial, friendly, and social while also emphasizing the sophisticated and demanding nature of the work. Partners may develop close working relationships with associates in their groups and make themselves available for questions and feedback.

That does not mean Fried Frank offers predictable hours. Like other major corporate firms, workloads can increase rapidly during active transactions, closings, investigations, or litigation deadlines.

Students evaluating this lifestyle may find Top Law Schools' updated discussion of BigLaw and Relationships: Dating, Marriage, Work-Life Balance, and Managing a Legal Career helpful when considering how demanding large-firm schedules can affect life outside work.

Current benefits may include hybrid-work arrangements, time-off policies, wellness support, family-building assistance, backup child and elder care, and other programs intended to support associates.

Partnership and Long-Term Career Development

Partnership at a major law firm is inherently selective, and Fried Frank is no exception.

Associates considering a long-term career at the firm should focus on more than an assumed number of years to partnership. Important factors include performance, client relationships, practice-group economics, professional reputation, business development, leadership, specialization, and the firm's needs when promotion decisions are made.

For associates who ultimately leave private practice, experience at Fried Frank can also provide exposure to financial institutions, funds, corporations, investors, and other sophisticated clients that may become potential sources of in-house, government, financial-sector, or lateral career opportunities.

Who Should Consider Fried Frank?

Fried Frank may be particularly attractive to law students and attorneys who want sophisticated BigLaw work while preferring a firm with a more concentrated international platform than the largest global firms.

Candidates should give the firm particularly serious consideration if they are interested in real estate, private equity, M&A, investment funds, asset management, finance, capital markets, tax, restructuring, commercial litigation, white-collar work, or regulatory matters.

The strongest fit is likely to come from matching the firm's specific practice strengths with an applicant's interests rather than selecting the firm merely because it appears on a prestige ranking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fried Frank

What Is Fried Frank Best Known For?

Fried Frank is particularly well known for real estate, M&A and private equity, asset management and investment funds, and other sophisticated corporate and financial practices. Its real estate practice is especially highly ranked by major legal-industry publications.

How Much Does a First-Year Associate at Fried Frank Make?

Current compensation information lists Fried Frank's first-year associate base salary at $225,000. Compensation scales and bonus policies can change, so applicants should confirm current figures when applying.

Where Does Fried Frank Have Offices?

Fried Frank has five offices: New York, Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, and Brussels.

Does Fried Frank Have a Summer Associate Program?

Yes. Fried Frank operates a 10-week summer associate program in New York and Washington, DC. The 2026 class included 63 summer associates.

Does Fried Frank Hire 1L Summer Associates?

Yes. Recent recruiting information shows that the firm's 2026 summer class included three 1L summer associates, although the availability and criteria for 1L positions may vary by recruiting year.

Is Fried Frank Strong in Real Estate?

Yes. Real estate is one of Fried Frank's signature practices. The firm consistently receives high rankings for its New York real estate capabilities, and Vault ranks Fried Frank No. 2 nationally for Real Estate Law in its 2027 rankings.

Related Top Law Schools and LawCrossing Resources

Discuss Fried Frank on the Top Law Schools Forums

Forum discussions represent individual experiences and opinions and may contain older information. Readers should use them as anecdotal context rather than as a substitute for current recruiting information.

Important: Compensation, rankings, recruiting policies, summer-program statistics, and other law-firm information can change. Applicants should verify current information with the firm before making employment decisions.