Conservative, Progressive, Middle-of-the-Road Law Firms Forum

[FunkyJD]

NYT published an article today on how politically polarized the hiring of Supreme Court clerks has become, and how that has ripple effects for the rest of the legal profession. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/us/po ... ks.html?hp

Got me to thinking ... and I thought I'd throw this out there to ask the forum: Which of the V100 law firms are known for leaning conservative, which are known for being more progressive, and which are known for being more moderate (or less politically polarized) in their hiring practices?

In other words, if you worked for a Republican congressman, Firm (x) is for you.
If you worked for Obama, Firm (y) is for you.
If you're a great young lawyer with a solid academic history, that's pretty much all Firm (n) is concerned with, and it doesn't matter much which party you're affiliated with.

[Pablo Ramirez]

Gibson Dunn is a conservative firm.

Quinn Emmanuel and Perkins Coie love the Donkeys

[sophia.olive]

http://www.gibsondunn.com/Diversity/Pages/Out.aspx
I dont really know in which direction this pushes it.
http://www.gibsondunn.com/Diversity/Pag ... dBlue.aspx

http://www.gibsondunn.com/Diversity/Pages/FairPlay.aspx

[Pablo Ramirez]

Another conservative group, the Christian Legal Society, had no problem enlisting Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in a 2001 fight over embryonic stem cell research. Representing an agency that promoted "adoption" of human embryos stored at fertility clinics, the firm filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to overturn guidelines that allowed for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. CLS head Samuel Casey says that he became acquainted with Gibson Dunn when about half a dozen of its lawyers joined CLS for Bible studies. "We prayed with them on a number of cases they were doing," recalls Casey. A former Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe partner, Casey says that Gibson Dunn's work was key in persuading the Bush administration to back the embryo research ban. And should the ban be lifted, Casey says, "We'd take it to Gibson again. ... They treated us like IBM." (Former partner Thomas Hungar, now deputy U.S. solicitor general, led the stem cell case; he declined to comment.)

It's probably no accident that the stem cell case came out of Gibson Dunn's Washington, D.C., office. Home to Theodore Olson and Eugene Scalia, the D.C. office has a burnished conservative reputation; under Olson's leadership, the firm successfully challenged the affirmative action program at the University of Texas in 1996 (Hopwood v. State of Texas), still hailed as a proud win in conservative circles. Gibson's managing partner, Kenneth Doran, says he can't remember any fallout from conservative pro bono -- internally or with clients or law students. Indeed, Doran says, the firm's "diverse -- if not eclectic" pro bono is a point of pride, and possibly even a draw for recruits.

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1183712790326

[imchuckbass58]

I think the DC offices of lots of firms are much more politicized than other offices.

Kirkland DC, Sidley DC and Gibson DC are traditionally seen as conservative.

Wilmer Hale DC and Jenner & Block DC are more liberal.

That said, I don't think Gibson NY or Wilmer NY are particularly conservative or liberal.

[Anonymous User]

I think the DC offices of lots of firms are much more politicized than other offices.

Kirkland DC, Sidley DC and Gibson DC are traditionally seen as conservative.

Wilmer Hale DC and Jenner & Block DC are more liberal.

That said, I don't think Gibson NY or Wilmer NY are particularly conservative or liberal.

Kirkland DC might be conservative, but a Kirkland NY partner held several fundraisers for Hillary Clinton during her primary campaign. Meanwhile, Ken Starr used to work at a Kirkland CA office. I think that politics at firms can often come down to which office you're talking about.

[FunkyJD]

Thanks for all of the responses. More are welcome.

BTW, what about TX firms? Assuming Bracewell Giuliani and Baker Botts are GOP. Akin Gump probably more blue as a firm, but is that true of its TX offices?

What about V&E, Fulbright, & Haynes Boone?

Also appreciate more info on NYC & Philly firms.