O'Melveny & Myers LLP: Law Firm Profile, Practice Areas, Offices, Careers and Hiring

^{Last Updated: October 2026}

O'Melveny & Myers LLP is an international law firm founded in Los Angeles in 1885. The firm advises corporations, financial institutions, investors, technology companies, and other organizations on complex litigation, business transactions, intellectual property, and regulatory matters. With a longstanding presence in California and offices across major U.S. and international legal markets, O'Melveny offers opportunities for law students and practicing attorneys interested in sophisticated disputes, corporate transactions, cross-border matters, and specialized legal practices.

Read more about this law firm on BCG Attorney Search: O'Melveny & Myers LLP

1. Firm Overview

O'Melveny & Myers LLP traces its origins to 1885, when Henry O'Melveny and Jackson Graves established a law practice in Los Angeles. The firm developed alongside Southern California's commercial expansion and subsequently built a national and international platform.

Its present-day legal services fall into three broad categories: corporate and transactions, litigation and investigations, and regulatory and advisory work. The firm's published overview describes more than 850 lawyers working across 17 offices on three continents. These figures should be reconfirmed before publication because headcount and office totals may change.

Category	Firm Information
Full Name	O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Founded	1885
Historical Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Structure	International law firm
Principal Practices	Corporate and transactions; litigation and investigations; regulatory and advisory
Geographic Reach	United States, Europe, and Asia
Official Website	www.omm.com

O'Melveny's geographic breadth allows attorneys to work on matters involving clients, regulators, courts, and counterparties in different jurisdictions. However, the nature of that work depends on the office, practice group, and individual assignment.

Students comparing major employers can consult Top-Law-Schools.com's Introduction to Biglaw for broader context about large law firm hiring, compensation, responsibilities, and career paths.

Firm size alone does not establish the quality of training, advancement prospects, or professional opportunities. The BCG Attorney Search resource Top U.S. Law Firms — Sortable by Size, PPP, Revenue & Growth provides additional comparative financial and organizational information.

2. History and Development

O'Melveny's history is closely connected to the development of Los Angeles and the broader California economy.

Founded as Graves & O'Melveny in 1885, the firm advised businesses involved in the growth of Southern California infrastructure, transportation, entertainment, and commercial development.

During Hollywood's early decades, O'Melveny developed relationships with entertainment businesses and prominent industry participants. The firm's historical timeline identifies 1939 as the year it adopted the O'Melveny & Myers name.

Subsequent expansion included the establishment of offices in Washington, D.C., in 1976; Newport Beach in 1979; New York in 1983; London in 1986; and San Francisco in 1988. The firm later expanded throughout Asia and into additional U.S. markets, including Texas.

For prospective associates, this history has practical importance. Different offices developed around different client relationships, industries, and regional business needs. A candidate interested in intellectual property litigation in California, for example, should not assume the same experience will be available in every office.

3. Offices and Geographic Reach

O'Melveny's office network supports both domestic and international legal work.

Office or Region	Areas Worth Investigating
Los Angeles and Century City	Commercial litigation, corporate transactions, entertainment, investigations
Newport Beach	Life sciences, intellectual property, litigation, corporate matters
San Francisco and Silicon Valley	Technology, emerging companies, intellectual property, financial services
New York	Corporate transactions, capital markets, private equity, litigation
Washington, D.C.	Regulatory matters, antitrust, investigations, appellate litigation
Austin, Dallas, and Houston	Transactions, business disputes, intellectual property, energy, infrastructure
London	Cross-border corporate matters and financial transactions
Asian Offices	International corporate, regulatory, disputes, and cross-border advisory matters

These are illustrative practice connections rather than exclusive assignments of practices to offices. Candidates should verify which practices are actively staffed and recruiting in their preferred location.

A large global platform does not necessarily mean every office offers the same training, staffing flexibility, client exposure, or advancement opportunities.

4. Major Practice Areas

Litigation and Investigations

O'Melveny maintains a broad litigation practice covering business and commercial disputes, class actions, securities litigation, intellectual property litigation, antitrust, and other complex matters.

Litigation associates may participate in legal research, motion drafting, discovery, witness preparation, deposition support, trial preparation, and appellate work. The level of substantive responsibility depends on the matter and the associate's experience.

The firm's commercial litigation platform is particularly relevant to students interested in courtroom advocacy, strategic legal writing, and disputes involving sophisticated business clients.

Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Private Equity

The firm's transactional capabilities include mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, corporate finance, and public company advisory services.

Corporate associates may assist with due diligence, transaction agreements, financing documents, regulatory considerations, deal closings, and post-transaction obligations.

Students interested in business law should investigate whether a particular office allows broad transactional exposure or expects early specialization.

Intellectual Property and Technology

O'Melveny's intellectual property practices include patent litigation, copyright, trademarks, trade secrets, life sciences, and proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission.

These practices may involve sophisticated technical issues and complex commercial disputes.

Students with engineering, scientific, or technology backgrounds may find certain intellectual property opportunities particularly relevant, although technical credentials are not necessarily required for every IP-related position.

Antitrust and Competition

O'Melveny advises clients on antitrust litigation, merger review, regulatory compliance, and competition-related investigations.

The practice combines litigation, economic analysis, business strategy, and government regulatory considerations.

Law students interested in antitrust should explore opportunities involving both transactional counseling and contested matters.

White-Collar Defense and Government Investigations

The firm's investigative and enforcement practices involve internal investigations, government inquiries, regulatory enforcement, and white-collar defense.

Attorneys may examine complex factual records, interview witnesses, prepare regulatory submissions, and advise clients on compliance and litigation risk.

Candidates with judicial clerkship, government, or investigative experience may wish to explore how their backgrounds align with particular teams.

Restructuring, Finance, and Financial Services

O'Melveny's services also encompass bankruptcy, restructuring, lending, corporate finance, and financial services disputes and regulation.

These practices involve transactions and contested proceedings, often requiring coordination among corporate, litigation, tax, and regulatory attorneys.

Regulatory and Advisory Practices

The firm's regulatory capabilities cover subjects such as privacy, cybersecurity, environmental regulation, economic sanctions, export controls, securities regulation, and national security reviews.

This work can be attractive to attorneys interested in combining legal analysis with business and public policy considerations.

The firm's official practice and industry directory offers a starting point for researching its current capabilities.

5. Industries and Clients

O'Melveny serves organizations operating in numerous industries, including technology, financial services, entertainment and media, healthcare, life sciences, energy, infrastructure, and consumer products.

Its official industry listings also identify areas such as artificial intelligence, data centers, digital assets, semiconductors, and sports.

For law students, industry exposure can be as important as choosing a practice area. Two corporate associates, for example, might develop very different expertise if one primarily works on technology acquisitions while another focuses on infrastructure financing.

Similarly, litigators can build specialized experience through recurring work in securities disputes, product liability, antitrust, or intellectual property.

Candidates should review recent publicly disclosed client matters and attorney biographies to understand where a prospective practice group is concentrating its work.

6. Reputation and Legal Market Position

O'Melveny is an established participant in the U.S. large-law-firm market and has received recognition in external industry rankings.

According to the firm's careers materials, O'Melveny ranked second in Vault's 2026 Best Law Firms to Work For category, with first-place recognition in several quality-of-life categories, including firm culture, satisfaction, wellness, and pro bono. These are attributed survey results, not guarantees about an individual associate's experience.

When evaluating rankings, candidates should distinguish among practice reputation, associate satisfaction, compensation, overall prestige, and office-specific opportunities. Rankings use different methodologies and may capture different aspects of firm life.

For a more balanced evaluation, compare the firm's practices, staffing model, professional development, client base, and financial position alongside its industry recognition.

7. Law Student Recruiting

O'Melveny maintains a law student recruiting program that includes summer associate opportunities and engagement with law schools.

Its published recruiting materials describe applications for general summer associate positions as well as opportunities connected to particular markets and practice groups. Recruiting materials have identified separate recruiting tracks for Texas offices and intellectual property litigation positions. Eligibility and application windows may change with each cycle.

Candidates should monitor the firm's official law student careers page rather than relying exclusively on historical OCI schedules.

On-Campus Interviews and Direct Applications

O'Melveny participates in law school recruiting events and employer outreach, but students should not assume that every position is filled through traditional on-campus interviewing.

Its published 2026–2027 events calendar includes engagement with multiple law schools, including Harvard, Columbia, UCLA, Stanford, Georgetown, and other institutions. Event participation does not establish a fixed hiring preference or guarantee interviews for students at any particular school.

Students should prepare their resumes early, monitor direct application opportunities, attend relevant recruiting events, and investigate the specific office to which they wish to apply.

8. Summer Associate Program

O'Melveny's official summer associate materials emphasize substantive legal assignments, professional development, feedback, and opportunities to participate in active client matters.

The firm describes summer associates working on litigation, corporate, and pro bono projects, with opportunities to observe client meetings, depositions, and court appearances.

Its recruiting materials also describe a work coordination program offering exposure to multiple practice areas, mid-summer progress discussions, and opportunities to build professional relationships through firm events.

Applicants should determine how these experiences operate in their proposed office.

Important questions include how assignments are distributed, whether summers can work across practices, how feedback is delivered, and what standards apply to permanent employment offers.

9. What O'Melveny May Look for in Candidates

The firm's recruiting materials emphasize excellence, leadership, citizenship, intellectual engagement, and professional development.

A candidate preparing for O'Melveny recruiting should be ready to demonstrate strong legal reasoning, writing ability, professional judgment, teamwork, and a well-supported interest in the firm's work.

Practice-specific credentials may also matter. A patent litigation applicant, for example, may benefit from explaining relevant technical experience, while a transactional candidate might discuss financial analysis, corporate transactions, or prior business responsibilities.

No single academic credential or professional experience guarantees an interview or offer.

10. Interview and Callback Preparation

O'Melveny applicants should prepare firm-specific answers rather than relying on generic statements about prestige or large-firm employment.

Candidates should research attorneys in their preferred office, recent representative matters, the firm's practice strengths, and the reasons those capabilities align with their career interests.

Interview Questions to Prepare For

Why are you interested in O'Melveny & Myers LLP rather than another large law firm?
What attracts you to the office where you are applying?
Which practice areas interest you, and what experiences shaped those interests?
Describe a complex research or writing assignment and how you approached it.
Tell us about a time you received challenging feedback.
How do you prioritize competing deadlines?
What aspects of our recent legal work interest you most?
How would you contribute to a collaborative team handling a demanding client matter?

Candidates should prepare specific examples demonstrating initiative, accuracy, communication, and an ability to work effectively with others.

For additional guidance, LawCrossing's article on the importance of fitting into a law firm explores why interpersonal compatibility matters during recruiting and lateral hiring.

11. Attorney Career Opportunities

Practicing attorneys considering O'Melveny should evaluate opportunities at the office and practice-group level.

The firm's broad platform can be relevant to litigators, corporate attorneys, intellectual property lawyers, regulatory specialists, and lawyers with cross-border experience.

Lateral associate candidates should investigate whether the prospective group needs specialized expertise, broader matter-management experience, client-facing capabilities, or a combination of those qualifications.

Senior attorneys and partner-level candidates should also consider business development expectations, potential client conflicts, office strategy, and the group's long-term direction.

The firm's career opportunities for experienced lawyers provide the appropriate starting point for identifying openings and recruiting procedures.

12. Career Development and Training

O'Melveny's recruiting and career materials describe professional development as part of its approach to attorney retention and advancement.

The firm publicly discusses formal training, mentoring, individualized career development, and support for attorneys transitioning into new responsibilities.

Its summer associate materials describe identifying participants' goals and interests to inform assignments and professional relationships.

Prospective associates should nevertheless investigate how training works in practice within their preferred department.

An associate's development often depends not only on formal programs but also on assignment quality, feedback, partner access, and opportunities to exercise independent judgment.

13. Partnership and Advancement

O'Melveny offers career paths for associates and experienced lawyers, but applicants should not assume that partnership opportunities or advancement timelines are uniform across departments.

Senior associates should investigate the expectations for progression to counsel or partner, the importance of specialized expertise, business development responsibilities, and the firm's processes for evaluating promotion candidates.

Candidates should ask how the firm balances legal excellence, client relationship management, teamwork, and business generation when making advancement decisions.

Current partnership eligibility rules, promotion statistics, and equity arrangements should be confirmed directly rather than inferred from general descriptions of large law firms.

14. Compensation and Benefits

O'Melveny's compensation should be evaluated using current, office-specific information.

Large law firms commonly distinguish compensation by seniority, location, professional role, and sometimes practice-specific market conditions. Bonus eligibility may also depend on firm policies and performance expectations.

Historic salary figures appearing in law firm directories should not automatically be treated as current.

Before accepting an offer, candidates should request confirmation of base salary, bonus eligibility, benefits, retirement arrangements, parental leave, professional development support, and applicable hours expectations.

Top-Law-Schools.com's Biglaw compensation and career guide provides useful industry context, but its market figures should not be attributed to O'Melveny without firm-specific verification.

15. Work Environment and Culture

O'Melveny describes its workplace culture through the values of excellence, leadership, and citizenship.

Its official materials emphasize collaboration, professional development, wellbeing, and meaningful legal work. External rankings provide an additional perspective, including the firm's reported strong showing in Vault's 2026 associate satisfaction and culture categories.

Candidates should distinguish between an institution's stated values and their likely experience in a specific practice group.

Speaking with junior and senior attorneys in the prospective office can provide useful information about partner accessibility, expectations for responsiveness, staffing practices, and how teams handle demanding assignments.

16. Pro Bono and Community Involvement

Pro bono work forms an important part of O'Melveny's public identity and professional development programming.

The firm reports that more than 92% of its lawyers participated in pro bono work during 2024, contributing nearly 93,000 hours, and states that it treats pro bono hours equivalently to commercial billable hours. Those are firm-reported historical figures and should be labeled by year.

Students interested in public interest work should ask how projects are assigned, whether junior lawyers can assume substantive responsibility, and how pro bono participation interacts with ordinary client commitments.

Further information is available through the firm's pro bono program.

17. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

O'Melveny's published materials describe efforts to support attorneys from different backgrounds through recruiting, mentoring, professional development, and workplace initiatives.

Its law student recruiting program includes the William T. Coleman, Jr. Fellowship, named for the former U.S. secretary of transportation who joined the firm as a partner in 1977.

Prospective applicants should consult the firm's current program eligibility rules and application materials because recruiting initiatives, terminology, and legal requirements can change.

Students may also ask about mentoring access, professional development opportunities, leadership representation, and how attorneys are supported throughout their careers.

18. Who May Be a Good Fit for O'Melveny?

O'Melveny may warrant consideration by candidates interested in sophisticated commercial litigation, corporate transactions, intellectual property, regulatory counseling, and cross-border legal work.

Its California heritage may be particularly relevant to applicants seeking a long-established platform in Los Angeles and other West Coast markets. Its offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Texas, Europe, and Asia provide additional geographic possibilities.

However, candidates should evaluate their preferred office and practice group individually.

Students should consider whether the available work aligns with their interests, whether the summer program provides useful exposure, and whether the firm's staffing approach supports their intended career development.

Practicing attorneys should examine the strength of the relevant team, the quality of available work, integration into existing client relationships, and opportunities for advancement.

19. Questions to Ask Before Joining O'Melveny

How does this office allocate new matters among junior and midlevel associates?
What opportunities exist to work with partners in other offices?
How early can junior lawyers interact directly with clients?
Is practice-group selection flexible during the summer program?
How frequently do associates receive substantive feedback?
What training is available for attorneys seeking additional responsibility?
How are billable and nonbillable expectations communicated?
What are the office's current in-person and remote work expectations?
How does the firm support attorneys interested in judicial clerkships or government service?
What distinguishes successful senior associates in this practice group?
How does the firm integrate lateral attorneys into established teams?
How does the group support the development of long-term client relationships?

20. Key Takeaways for Law Students

Law School Applicants: O'Melveny is an example of a major employer whose legal work spans litigation, transactions, and regulatory matters. Its platform illustrates why employment outcomes and geographic opportunities matter when comparing law schools.

First-Year Law Students: Begin investigating the firm's office-specific recruiting opportunities early. Review its published recruiting calendar and prepare materials before applications open.

Second-Year Law Students: Assess the summer program's work assignments, mentoring structure, feedback process, and opportunities for permanent employment.

Third-Year Law Students: Verify whether current entry-level opportunities exist and explore how judicial clerkships or other experience might fit into the firm's recruiting pathways.

Summer Associate Candidates: Prioritize substantive learning, accurate work, professional relationships, and a clear understanding of the firm's expectations.

21. Key Takeaways for Attorneys

Junior Associates: Evaluate whether the practice group offers opportunities to strengthen drafting, analytical ability, and client-service skills.

Midlevel Associates: Focus on matter responsibility, specialization, partner relationships, and future career flexibility.

Senior Associates: Investigate management opportunities, advancement expectations, and business development responsibilities.

Counsel Candidates: Clarify the position's responsibilities, long-term expectations, and possible advancement pathways.

Partner-Level Candidates: Evaluate client compatibility, conflicts, team resources, firm economics, and opportunities to develop or expand a practice.

22. Frequently Asked Questions

What is O'Melveny & Myers LLP known for?

O'Melveny is known for its broad litigation, corporate transactions, intellectual property, and regulatory practices. Its historical roots in Los Angeles and presence in major U.S. and international markets are also important aspects of its profile.

When was O'Melveny & Myers LLP founded?

The firm was founded in Los Angeles in 1885 as Graves & O'Melveny. It adopted the O'Melveny & Myers name in 1939.

Where does O'Melveny & Myers LLP have offices?

The firm operates across U.S. markets, including California, New York, Washington, D.C., and Texas, as well as locations in Europe and Asia. Applicants should consult its current office directory for the definitive list.

How large is O'Melveny & Myers LLP?

The firm's published overview reports more than 850 lawyers across 17 offices on three continents. Because headcount and office totals can change, readers should confirm current figures before using them in comparative research.

Does O'Melveny hire summer associates?

Yes. The firm maintains summer associate recruiting opportunities and describes a program involving substantive legal work, training, mentoring, and feedback.

How does O'Melveny recruit law students?

The firm uses applications and recruiting events to engage students. Opportunities can vary by office, class year, practice group, and recruiting cycle.

What should applicants know before an O'Melveny interview?

Applicants should research the specific office, practice group, representative matters, and attorneys they may meet. They should be prepared to explain their interest in the firm and demonstrate legal reasoning, communication, and professional judgment.

Does O'Melveny hire lateral attorneys?

The firm maintains recruiting pathways for experienced lawyers. The availability of lateral opportunities depends on the office, practice, and current business needs.

Does O'Melveny offer pro bono opportunities?

Yes. Pro bono service is a prominent part of the firm's stated values and professional programming. The firm has publicly reported substantial lawyer participation in pro bono matters.

Is O'Melveny a good choice for a legal career?

The answer depends on a candidate's practice interests, geographic preferences, training needs, career objectives, and prospective team. The most useful evaluation compares specific opportunities rather than relying solely on overall reputation.