These law firms rank highest for midlevel associate satisfaction; Trump deals and AI are on their minds
The top law firm for midlevel associate satisfaction is O’Melveny & Myers, according to an American Lawyer survey published by Law.com. (Image from Shutterstock)
The top law firm for midlevel associate satisfaction is O’Melveny & Myers, according to an American Lawyer survey published by Law.com.
More than 3,000 associates in their third, fourth and fifth years responded to the survey asking them to grade their firms in 12 categories on a scale of 1 to 5, Law.com reports.
The categories included compensation and benefits, training and guidance, relationships with partners and other associates, satisfaction with the work, billable-hours policy, and management transparency about firm strategies and partnership chances.
The top 10 firms for associate satisfaction are:
O’Melveny & Myers
Blank Rome
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Winston & Strawn
Munger, Tolles & Olson
McDermott Will & Emery
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler
Baker & Hostetler
The survey was distributed as firms were deciding how to respond to punitive executive orders by President Donald Trump, directed at firms based on their clients, causes and diversity initiatives. More than 100 associates mentioned either the impact of Trump on the legal profession, pro bono deals made by firms to avoid the orders, and commitment to diversity, Law.com reports in a separate story.
Hit hard by the controversy is Willkie Farr & Gallagher, criticized by 25 associates for its deal with Trump to provide $100 million in pro bono legal services to causes supported by Trump and the firm.
On the technology front, associates are frustrated with their laptops and worried that entry-level legal jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence, according to the American Lawyer’s 2025 Midlevel Associate Tech Survey. Associates at 66 larger firms participated in the survey, Law.com reports.
At about 56% of the firms in the survey, at least one associate complained about technology or said they would like to tell the managing partner about the problems, if they had the chance. Some complained that security software was slowing down their laptops or old equipment was causing crashes.
“The outdated technology is borderline unusable and significantly slows down my workflow and severely impedes my efficiency,” one associate wrote.
About 34% of associates, meanwhile, said the biggest threat to their legal career was replacement by technology.
The top-ranked firm for technology was O’Melveny, followed by Morgan Lewis, Blank Rome, Gibson Dunn and Lowenstein Sandler.
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