Overview
Introduction
One of the most selective law firms, Williams & Connolly is a litigation standout known for handling complex, high-stakes matters. The firm has a promote-from-within culture with an emphasis on organic mentorship. Associates are given great responsibility early in their careers and appreciate being treated with respect, as shown by their ability to work when, how, and where they wish.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2023)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2024)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
With a single office in DC, Williams & Connolly is a litigation juggernaut where associates work and experience matters on a large scale with high compensation. Successful candidates have top grades from top law schools, law review experience, and a federal clerkship or two. Work settings are professional but friendly, and coworkers are supportive and enjoy at-work socializing. The number of social events after hours is limited. Partners appreciate associates and are dedicated to their professional growth. Associates learn by doing early in their careers, but there is plenty of guidance from partners and senior associates. Formal training offered by the firm is minimal and could be more comprehensive. Because most new hires come from clerkships, the onboarding process for ...
About the Firm
Williams & Connolly continues to hold its own against firms ten times its size by following a basic mantra: Keep it simple. The firm employs approximately 340 attorneys who focus almost exclusively on litigation from a single office in DC. This emphasis positions Williams & Connolly as a go-to firm for politicos, celebrities, major American companies and their executives, and even other law firms.
A Short, Illustrious History
Legendary litigator-to-the-stars Edward Bennett Williams teamed with Paul Connolly, his former student at Georgetown Law, to open shop in 1967. The fledgling firm soon boasted a client list that included the biggest names in Hollywood, politics, business, and media. White House royalty such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Oba...
2025 Vault Rankings
Associate Reviews
- “People at the firm, including both lawyers and staff, are very friendly. The social events are well-attended but not required. Essentially, you can be as social as you want at the firm, but if you prefer to keep your social and work lives separate, that is completely possible, too, and not frowned upon.”
- “Strong sense of firm identity. People know each other well and are happy to help one another. Not a sharp-elbowed place. Collegial environment filled with smart, talented people who share a collective sense of team.”
- “Professional but reserved. People are kind, and the firm events are well-attended, but it is a place where people come to work and want to get home to their families around dinnertime.”
- “The firm has a pleasant and very professional culture. The center of firm social life is the cafeteria. Free lunch is a firm benefit, and the firm norm is to sit at any open seat; so, attorneys mingle freely, chatting about their cases and families.”
Diversity at Williams & Connolly LLP
Getting Hired Here
- “The hiring process is extremely competitive. The typical qualified applicant has top or near-top marks at a top law school, experience on a law review, and a clerkship or two either already completed or planned. The typical qualified applicant is also a dynamic personality, as the firm considers itself a trial firm first and foremost; so people need to be able to think on their feet. And the firm is a collegial environment, so we tend to hire people who aren't sharp-elbowed.”
- “The firm has only the highest standards. Almost everyone here has at least one federal clerkship.”
- “W&C hires the top academic students at the best law schools. Associates generally were members of their schools' law review and have done federal clerkships. The firm hires from T14 schools with a few people from non-T14 schools (who are almost invariably the top student at that law school).”
- “There's no hiding the ball: They look for candidates who want to litigate, would excel at the job, would be good work colleagues, and seem like they want to stick around awhile. Every other credential is useful only insofar as it gets at those considerations.”
Perks & Benefits