Overview
Introduction
Nelson Mullins employs attorneys, policy advisors, technical specialists, consultants and other professionals who work in more than a dozen locations across the U.S. The firm practices in more than 100 practice areas, including banking and financial services, corporate and securities, cybersecurity, employment, estate planning, health care, insurance, litigation, technology, white collar, and more. Pro bono is ingrained in the culture of Nelson Mullins, and since 1990, the firms’ lawyers have contributed more than 622,000 hours to...
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
No. of Partners Named (2021)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2020)
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
One Nelson Mullins associate said it best: the firm is “a Southern firm with a Southern feel,” in all the good ways. Don’t be mistaken—the firm might have a Southern soul, but it operates on a national scale. Still, the firm values roots, and a big factor in getting hired here is demonstrating a true interest in the office and city in which you’re interviewing, along with strong credentials. The firm’s culture is relaxed and cordial, and partners follow an open-door policy that encourages associates to seek out support and build relationships. Socializing among attorneys and staff varies by office, but most associates report feeling satisfied with the amount of social interaction at the firm. Associates find the firm’s 1,900 billable hour requirement to be reasonable, but billable...
About the Firm
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough is a southern gem—the firm is among the Top 20 firms in both Vault’s Best Law Firms in Atlanta and Best Law Firms in the South Atlantic. But its reach goes much further than the South Atlantic—the firm’s attorneys, policy advisors, technical specialists, consultants and other professionals work in more than a dozen locations across the U.S., including the Carolinas, as well as in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee, West Virginia, Colorado, and the District of Columbia.
A Family Firm Blossoms and Booms
Nelson Mullins was founded in 1897 by Patrick Henry Nelson II in his home state of South Carolina. Nelson was a major player in the South Carolina legal industry, including serving as member of the South Carolina House of ...
Associate Reviews
- “The firm has a hard-working but collegial culture. The firm is divided into ‘teams’ and you typically work closely with your own team. The great thing about the firm is that everyone works hard, but also finds a way to sneak in some fun. The firm has events throughout the year that brings the firm together on a national scale. Each location also has their own, individual ways to encourage comradery. For example, the Baltimore office has ‘Happy Hour’ every Thursday evening to give the office time to decompress and socialize with one another.”
- “The firm has been described as typically Southern. I would say that the vibe is congenial. Socially, lawyers in my office regularly get coffee or meals together during work days and sometimes grab drinks after works. The firm holds welcome events for new attorneys and has a budget for welcoming new and visiting associates/partners.”
- “Most of the attorneys here are easy to work with. The associates and younger partners informally socialize in small groups at least once a week, but there are not many firm-organized social opportunities.”
- “The firm is very collegial. We have a few officially sanctioned parties or happy hours a year, but many lawyers go to lunch or happy hour together informally. Politically, the firm is reputed to be more liberal than most in South Carolina, but it has a good mix of viewpoints and most people keep their politics to themselves. Professionally, the firm provides structure and you can stay in your own lane on your team if you want, but it also encourages people to work across teams and develop your own work flow. You are not forced into a particular lane.”
Diversity at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm looks for the usual criteria: Grades, journal, diversity, interest in the firm. It's particularly helpful when a candidate has a good sense of what the firm actually does, where they want their career to go, and how the two align. Training materials are provided to those who interview candidates, but there is wide discretion on what to ask.”
- “It seems that each practice group has certain qualifications they are looking for, and that there is a trend towards schools located around an office location.”
- “[It is a] competitive hiring process in local areas. [The] firm makes hiring decisions based on work experience, performance in law school, diversity, and personality. [There is] no clear trend of feeder schools, other than local-area law schools. [The] firm provides guidelines for interviewing candidates.”
- “We have had a hard time recruiting top talent, which I believe is a result of below-market salaries and benefits. The firm is trying to catch up with others now by implementing a national rate that teams may opt in to. There are some interview guidelines, though no official training. Hiring is generally done on a local level by group, office, and team.”
Perks & Benefits
