Overview
Introduction
This Windy City institution offers top-notice legal representation in disputes, transactions, and IP matters. Schiff Hardin prioritizes diversity at all levels of the firm, with impressive representation among its leadership ranks. Schiff Hardin has a century and a half of experience. With around 250 attorneys across seven domestic offices, Schiff Hardin covers a full range of practice areas, including corporate, finance, intellectual property, litigation, products liability and mass torts, restructuring, and trusts and...
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
No. of Partners Named (2020)
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2020)
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
Base Salary
No. of U.S. Offices
Vault Verdict
Schiff Hardin takes recruiting seriously, employing panel interviews with behavioral interview questions to narrow down its candidate pool. Top grades, leadership skills, and a winning personality go a long way, and the firm also focuses on diversity in its hiring. Those on the inside appreciate the camaraderie within the firm, including the positive relationships between associates and partners—partners are truly invested in associate development and general well-being. Associates are also pleased with the firm’s transparency—a rarity at a large firm. Hours can be long, but partners respect associates’ time. The free-market system can also take some getting used to for those accustomed to being assigned work. Associates generally seem happy with their compensation, noting that wh...
About the Firm
Hailing from the Windy City, Schiff Hardin has a century and a half of experience. With around 250 attorneys across seven domestic offices, Schiff Hardin covers a full range of practice areas, including corporate, finance, intellectual property, litigation, products liability and mass torts, restructuring, and trusts and estates, to name a handful.
Chi-town Roots with Domestic Expansion
Schiff Hardin has been a part of Chicago’s history since 1866, when two Chi-town lawyers hung a shingle. The pair defended the Chicago Board of Trade after the Great Fire in 1871. In 1872, the firm worked with the city to install steam-powered cable cars to replace horse-drawn carts, and later, it represented the Chicago Transit Authority. By the 1920s, Schiff Hardin represented many energy and pu...
Associate Reviews
- “Very collaborative and collegial culture. Genuinely feel that the firm is interested in your development as an associate and most partners take an active role in mentoring and inclusion at all associate levels.”
- “It is an incredibly supportive office. You can count on the people you work with to have your back.”
- “We have an official mid-summer event, an official Thanksgiving Potluck, an official holiday luncheon, and quarterly birthday celebrations. Otherwise, I occasionally go out to lunch with colleagues.”
- “Firm culture is very team-oriented. Everyone truly enjoys the people they work with and often will spend time together outside of work. There is great camaraderie. There are associate breakfasts bi-monthly which are well-attended and a few firm events throughout the year. There are occasionally impromptu happy hours as well. Within each practice group, the level of social interaction varies, but it is quite high in my group but not typically firm-organized.”
Diversity at Schiff Hardin LLP
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm considers grades, quality of the applicant's writing workshop, culture, personality, leadership and team experiences, ability to overcome challenges, and diversity.”
- “Personality is key, and the firm has invested a lot of money in its interview process to get to know candidates on a deeper level than at most other interviews, including an hour-long panel interview. Grades and writing experience are important as well.”
- “I believe the firm is looking to hire lawyers who are not only smart and extremely competent but also with high emotional intelligence. I had not done a group interview with a battery of psychological questions until my call-back interview with my firm.”
Perks & Benefits