Shearman NY Litigation — Any Insights or Advice? Forum

[Anonymous User]

[I'm posting anonymously because my past posts may reveal my current employer.]

I'm interviewing for a lateral litigation position in Shearman's New York office. Can anyone at Shearman provide some color on the litigation practice (hours, culture, number of cases a mid- to senior-level associate is usually on, vacations (how much do people really take?), etc.)?

And, really, if you haven't or don't work at Shearman, please don't provide your insights on the firm.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

I worked before in Shearman’s transactional team. Personally I would stay away, unless it’s a stepping stone for you.

[Anonymous User]

Say more, please. What were the problems there?

[Lacepiece23]

I’ve heard terrible things from all my classmates that worked there in both lit and Corp. Ymmv

[Anonymous User]

it's a firm on serious decline (was V5 when white shoes ruled the country). Don't think there is a way for them to get back. Would stay away if you have any other similarly ranked options. Not a life style firm and not the best stepping stone either if you are shooting for V10 or stronger in-house gigs.

[Anonymous User]

it's a firm on serious decline (was V5 when white shoes ruled the country). Don't think there is a way for them to get back. Would stay away if you have any other similarly ranked options. Not a life style firm and not the best stepping stone either if you are shooting for V10 or stronger in-house gigs.

I think their financials were way up this year though.

[Sackboy]

it's a firm on serious decline (was V5 when white shoes ruled the country). Don't think there is a way for them to get back. Would stay away if you have any other similarly ranked options. Not a life style firm and not the best stepping stone either if you are shooting for V10 or stronger in-house gigs.

I wouldn't go work for the firm unless I really had no other remotely decent options in NY. That being said, its financials last year were strong ($3.0M PPP/$1.4 RPL). Those aren't V10 numbers, but they are solid V25-V50 numbers. It had an awful 2020 because the corporate practice is terribly diversified. It's not a terrible stepping stone if you're trying to go something like Seyfarth --> Shearman --> PW or in-house. From the folks I've worked with, it's definitely not a lifestyle firm.

[Anonymous User]

Say more, please. What were the problems there?

Partners seemed almost desperate to promise weekend work to clients (on that note, I received an impromptu call at midnight on Sunday from a partner in my first month, after working all weekend, asking me to fix something before I went to bed, that could’ve clearly waited until Monday morning), there was low morale, gossiping and sharp elbows among associates, a number of difficult supervisors who were poor at handling stress, a preference to do things quickly rather than properly (as in, partners or senior associates would answer your email if you hadn’t responded within a couple of minutes, including sign off on documents they sometimes hadn’t even read, and would have to correct hours later), attempts to pay people less than market (usually by withholding bonuses on some pretext), and I heard from a colleague that a middle aged, overweight senior partner had asked a submissive female junior associate to hug and kiss him on the cheek at a firm event in front of others. That’s off the top of my head, obviously your experience may be better.

[Anonymous User]

Say more, please. What were the problems there?

Partners seemed almost desperate to promise weekend work to clients (on that note, I received an impromptu call at midnight on Sunday from a partner in my first month, after working all weekend, asking me to fix something before I went to bed, that could’ve clearly waited until Monday morning), there was low morale, gossiping and sharp elbows among associates, a number of difficult supervisors who were poor at handling stress, a preference to do things quickly rather than properly (as in, partners or senior associates would answer your email if you hadn’t responded within a couple of minutes, including sign off on documents they sometimes hadn’t even read, and would have to correct hours later), attempts to pay people less than market (usually by withholding bonuses on some pretext), and I heard from a colleague that a middle aged, overweight senior partner had asked a submissive female junior associate to hug and kiss him on the cheek at a firm event in front of others. That’s off the top of my head, obviously your experience may be better.

Important details. Everyone knows sexual harassment is so much worse when the offender is a fatty and not a handsome young bro....

[Anonymous User]

Cool…always nice to receive appreciation for answering someone’s question early before work starts…anyways, do whatever makes you happy, as I said you may have a better experience.