How to Succeed in Big Law

Wondering how to succeed as a Big Law associate? In this video, Paul, Weiss hiring partners Greg Laufer, Elizabeth McColm and Laura Turano share advice on how to make the most of your experience as an associate at a major law firm—from being proactive to building strong relationships with colleagues and clients, and much more. Click below to watch the video.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a premier firm of more than 1,000 lawyers with diverse backgrounds, personalities, ideas and interests who provide innovative and effective solutions to our clients’ most complex legal and business challenges. The firm represents many of the world’s largest and most important public and private corporations, asset managers and financial institutions, as well as clients in need of pro bono assistance.

Paul, Weiss is widely recognized as having market-leading practices in public M&A, private equity, litigation, white collar and regulatory defense, and restructuring, along with equally strong practices in executive compensation, intellectual property, personal representation, real estate and tax law.

If you are interested in being considered for a position in our 2025 Summer Program, we encourage qualified applicants to apply directly via our online application portal or to apply through law school-sponsored interview programs.

To learn more about Paul, Weiss, view the firm’s profile.

Gregory F. Laufer is a partner in Paul, Weiss’s Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the Investment Management Litigation Practice Group. He represents clients in commercial litigation matters, with a focus on litigation involving investment advisors and their portfolio companies. Greg's broad range of experience includes representing clients in securities litigation, bankruptcy and restructuring matters, employment law, intellectual property matters and complex commercial disputes. He also has worked on international arbitrations, regulatory matters and internal investigations. Greg is ranked as a “Recommended Lawyer” by Legal 500 for Securities Litigation: Defense and as a “Future Star” by Benchmark Litigation for Securities and Commercial Litigation. In 2019 and 2020, he was named to Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under Hotlist,” which recognizes the top up-and-coming talent in their respective litigation communities in the U.S. and Canada.

Elizabeth R. McColm is a partner in Paul, Weiss’s Restructuring Department, specializing in the areas of corporate restructurings and bankruptcy. Elizabeth has been involved in major restructurings and bankruptcies representing debtors, creditors and acquirers of distressed assets. Her recent creditor matters include advising key stakeholders in the restructurings of Digicel Group, QualTek Services, California Resources Corporation and Country Fresh, among many others. Elizabeth’s noteworthy company-side representations include Westmoreland Mining, CHC Group, McGraw Hill, Pioneer Energy, David’s Bridal, The Bon-Ton Stores and Noranda. She also has extensive experience advising clients in cross-border matters. She is recognized as a leading restructuring practitioner by Chambers USA, Who's Who Legal and IFLR1000; is listed as a “Leading Lawyer” by The Legal 500; and is one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading US Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers.”

Laura C. Turano is a partner in Paul, Weiss’s Corporate Department and a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Laura’s practice focuses on advising clients in connection with public and private company mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, carve-outs and other significant transactions. She also advises clients on activist defense and corporate governance matters. In 2024, Laura was recognized as a finalist in IFLR Europe’s “IFLR Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame.” Laura was named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2023 “Notable Women in Law” and was recognized by Bloomberg Law in its “They’ve Got Next: 40 Under 40” in 2022. She has also been recognized as one of the “Top Women in Dealmaking” by The Deal, a “Rising Star” in M&A by Law360, and one of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America” by Lawdragon. In 2021, The American Lawyer named her “Dealmaker of The Year” for her role advising Teladoc Health in its acquisition of Livongo Health.