Overview
Introduction
After almost 140 years in Atlanta, King & Spalding is now a global firm with 23 offices in 10 countries and more than 1,300 attorneys. The firm counsels clients across many industries, including transportation, energy, financial services, food and beverage, higher education, technology, and life sciences and healthcare. Focusing on trials, regulatory, and transactional work, King & Spalding balances BigLaw with a social, congenial, and family-friendly culture.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2023)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2023)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
From its Atlanta roots, King & Spalding is now home to 1,300 attorneys in 23 global offices. But just because they are BigLaw doesn’t mean the culture isn’t social, congenial, and family friendly. People enjoy the work they do and who they do it with. The firm looks to top schools both nationally and regionally, and networking with current associates or alumni helps when trying to land a job. King & Spalding is looking for candidates who want to build a career with the firm because the firm invests in their associates at each stage. Partners and senior associates are teamed up with junior associates to develop and support the associate’s long-term goals. Cases are leanly staffed, which stretches associates to perform at or above their level early on in their career...
About the Firm
Over its 140-year history, King & Spalding has branched far from its Southern roots to open offices across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, giving West Coast and Northeastern firms a run for their money. With stellar corporate, litigation, and regulatory practices, the firm counts among its longtime clients public and private companies across industries.
A King Rises
In 1885, Alex C. King and Jack J. Spalding founded what eventually became Atlanta’s largest law firm. Among the firm’s early matters was extensive service for the railroad industry. And like true royalty, the firm was rich in connections—in 1918, King was appointed U.S. Solicitor General, and in the 1940s, Spalding’s son Hughes forged many of the firm’s key alliances, including those with...
Associate Reviews
- “There is a fairly universal sense of collegiality across offices and practice groups at K&S globally. The firm makes a solid effort to have a few events per week (e.g., firm lunches, practice group lunches, Thursday ‘sweet treat’) to keep everyone mixing, and encourage interaction outside of the pure billable hour, though this is underpinned by the general sense of niceness among colleagues.”
- “K&S is warm and collaborative. Lawyers socialize at firm-sponsored events and on their own, but socialization is not required in order to advance at the firm. Lawyers and staff are friendly and respectful, and operate as part of a team to provide the best client service possible.”
- “The firm is very focused on maintaining a social, collegial culture. It's something K&S takes very seriously. It's one of the reasons I picked the firm, and it's one of the reasons attorneys stay here for the length of their career.”
- “We have a very friendly atmosphere in the office. While many of the lawyers socialize together, there are also many lawyers with young families that prioritize spending more time at home. It's a nice balance of both.”
Diversity at King & Spalding LLP
Getting Hired Here
- “The typical factors like strength of school (though there aren't obvious feeder schools), strong grades, and journal seem important. With it being a small office, personality is important, and those on the recruiting committee look to connect with personable individuals. Diversity is also important to the firm in hiring.”
- “Personality is a huge factor for K&S. Our teams are cross departmental and interdisciplinary, so someone who can be collegial with a variety of people and work styles is imperative. We don't really have feeder schools in my area. For those of us conducting OCI, we receive some training, but the main comment is for us to make sure the candidate would work well with and within our team.”
- “I came in as a lateral, and the lateral hiring process is very much driven by the specific group looking to onboard a new lawyer. In that respect, it varies.”
- “The firm is selective. Good grades are a must, and for litigation, a journal is expected. Clerkships are valued, but not required.”
Perks & Benefits
