Overview
Introduction
It doesn’t get better for litigators than working at Susman Godfrey, an elite litigation boutique with four offices and only approximately150 partners and associates. Junior associates are given immediate responsibility and treated like future partners. Susman is known for innovation, including contingency fee arrangements when representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Despite long hours and intense work, the firm is social and rewards its associates with high compensation and bonuses. Firm-hosted retreats are notable perks.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2024)
No. of Partners Named (2024)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2024)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
Susman Godfrey attorneys are incredibly well-rounded, contributing considerably to the firm’s stellar reputation. Getting in the door isn’t easy—the firm only hires candidates with prior federal clerkship experience and top credentials, as well as a demonstrated interest in working hard on important make-or-break matters. Susman Godfrey attorneys will tell you that their jobs aren’t easy, with long hours in a sink-or-swim environment; in the next breath, however, they will share their appreciation for working on interesting matters and pride in the responsibility that even the most-junior attorneys assume. Work-life balance can be a struggle to maintain, but Susman Godfrey attorneys genuinely enjoy their jobs and coworkers. Compensation is strong, including six-figure bonuses that...
About the Firm
Since its founding in 1980, Susman Godfrey has established itself as a premiere litigation firm. Susman Godfrey has more than 150 partners and associates across four offices—its original Houston location, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. The firm handles huge cases across the country for both plaintiffs and defendants.
Susman Godfrey counsels blue-chip clients, such as Chevron, General Electric, KKR, NBC Universal, and Walmart, and has won historic plaintiffs’ verdicts in class actions and in individual cases. For example, it won the historic $787.5 million settlement awarded to Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation case against Fox News in 2023.
Contingency Pioneers
In 1980, Steve Susman formed a Houston firm following his success in the Corrugated Containers ...
Associate Reviews
- “Tight-knit culture. Weekly firmwide meetings to debate the merits of incoming cases. Frequent celebratory emails championing the efforts of young lawyers. This is a place that wants you involved and to see you grow.”
- “Unbelievably supportive. I am friends with everyone in the office, we get lunch together almost every day in the office, the firm does an unparalleled job of promoting social events, and everyone feels genuinely connected. We always take time to honor and appreciate our non-lawyer staff members, and they work incredibly hard for us. The firm has a strong work hard/play hard ethos that is an integral part of the firm culture. After trials or other major events, trial teams frequently go out and celebrate together. I can't imagine a better culture. The firm is like an extended family.”
- “The firm has a strong culture because it is so small. It is very collegial, and everyone gets along. The socializing is mostly firm-sponsored. Lawyers and staff interact well together.”
- “We have a firm retreat every couple of years with partners, associates, and counsel and mini-retreats each year with smaller groups and our significant others. But I also see other attorneys in the office, grab lunch/coffee/drinks with partners and other associates, and hang out in the evening sometimes. The retreats are fully paid for associates (and SOs for mini retreats), and socializing with mentors/mentees is firm-sponsored.”
Getting Hired Here
- “We hire exclusively from Article III clerkships and look for candidates with top grades from top institutions, journal and/or mock trial, moot court, or trial team participation. As a trial firm, we also are looking for folks who present well before a judge and jury. As a place where teams work closely together, we also, of course, are looking for candidates who are respectful, professional, kind, and generally fun to be around. Because we promote from within, we also are looking for candidates who want to stick around—not folks who are looking for a stepping stone to their next gig.”
- “You must have clerked for a federal judge, and we often hire candidates with two years of clerkship experience. There are no feeder schools, but we hire mostly from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Texas. The interviews are generally relaxed, but be prepared to answer substantive questions about work that you have done.”
- “Pretty hard, only a handful of spots (fewer than 10) for each office each year; [candidates] need a federal clerkship.”
- “It's very tough to get a job at SG. Top law schools, top grades, prestigious clerkships, and intensive interviews—plus the whole firm votes on every candidate. We are looking for the best possible attorneys.”
Perks & Benefits