Overview
Introduction
Locke Lord offers top-tier legal work in a laid-back, cordial environment. Lean staffing means early responsibility and experience for associates. With a number of women in leadership roles, the firm’s commitment to diversity shows in practice. Communication is key at this collaborative firm, and the social culture transcends the walls of the office. Those seeking to gain quality experience, project leadership, and the ability to move up the ranks should look no further than Locke Lord.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2024)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2024)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
With predecessor firms that formed in the late 1800s, Locke Lord is an established law firm and continues to be a place where associates get phenomenal experience and learn from accommodating partners. Most candidates come from Texas law schools and have strong academic credentials. They must be able to mesh with friendly coworkers in family-oriented office settings. Work-life balance is possible at Locke Lord. Lean teams mean that associates work closely with and learn from approachable partners, who view associates as colleagues and future partners. Modest staffing also enables associates to receive a wide range of substantive, important work that includes substantial client interactions. Associates are not left to fend for themselves, however; senior associate and partner mento...
About the Firm
Locke Lord is a full-service, international law firm of 20 offices and approximately 600 attorneys in locations across the United States as well as in Brussels and London. Locke Lord has received numerous industry recognitions as a global leader in the middle-market sector.
A History of Mergers
Locke Lord traces its roots to the founding of three firms in Boston, Dallas, and Providence within seven years in the late 1800s. John Lord opened a firm in Chicago in 1914, and another predecessor firm was established in Houston in 1916. Nearly a century later, these predecessor firms merged, beginning with the Dallas and Houston firms in 1999 to form Locke Liddell & Sapp, in what was then the largest law firm merger in U.S. history. Sixteen years and five mergers later, modern Locke L...
2025 Vault Rankings
Associate Reviews
- “Locke Lord prides itself on having a very family-oriented culture. Everyone generally gets along and likes to socialize with each other on a frequent basis, whether at firm-sponsored events or outside the firm. The day-to-day atmosphere is busy, but people understand and pick up your slack if you have family things you need to attend to. In general, everyone at the firm is good looking out for each other and helping each other out. I feel this all applies to how lawyers and staff interact as well, not just lawyers interacting with lawyers.”
- “There isn't a ton of socializing, but there is a big emphasis on work-life balance. I feel comfortable living my life after work without constantly checking my email. The day-to-day atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable.”
- “Our firm's culture is inviting, kind, and respectful. Everyone is interested in obtaining the best outcome for clients while ensuring that each member of the team is okay both mentally and physically.”
- “Firm culture is about as good as can be found in firms of this size. Attorneys are collegial across practice groups, and many find strong and lasting friendships with their peers (I am no exception). Associates, even those of the same year, genuinely enjoy each other's company, as opposed to seeing each other as competition. This is, in part, accomplished by the fact that the firm's associate pool is intentionally kept lean.”
Diversity at Locke Lord LLP
Getting Hired Here
- “Grades and law school, previous work experience as applicable, personality, and diversity. It does seem like the firm recruits from a small set of law schools, but also that it would like to recruit from a larger group of schools. I think candidates need to show good work ethic and otherwise fit into the overall professional, collegial culture.”
- “Good grades and an impressive resume are important when interviewing candidates, but culture fit and personality are also heavily considered.”
- “There are strong pipelines from UT, the University of Houston, and Vanderbilt. For law school candidates, grades and school matter most, but personality fit is a huge driver.”
- “I joined as a lateral associate, and I felt that the firm was looking for most was relevant work experience—-it wasn't strict on law school GPA, clerkship, or the prestige of the previous firm.”
- “Questions about prior work experience, successes, and difficulties in law school, future plans, and general questions to elicit a sense of personality fit.”
- “In my experience, there is not a list of mandatory questions, and the interview questions vary widely based on the interviewers selected. For associates, the questions steer more toward personality and work ethic test questions. Laterals (particularly partners) are asked more specific questions about their book of business and business plans.”
- “No issues with integrating as a lateral. I was particularly unusual because I lateralled from the public sector, not another private firm.”
Perks & Benefits