King & Spalding Reviews

Pros

It's the best "name" among law firms in the Southeast, particularly Atlanta, and can provide a great jumping-off point to other legal jobs. It is particularly strong in litigation. Your coworkers will be extremely talented, and in most cases very collegial (though some teams, such as Tort, are not friendly...). The pay is fantastic, even if people complain about the bonus structure you will still be at or near the top of legal pay in the Southeast, and when you consider taxes, cost of living, etc., you typically come out ahead of people in other markets as well.

Cons

The upper management made the conscious decision a few years ago to maximize profits for equity partners. From a business perspective, that is their right, but from a firm perspective it has destroyed much of the collegiality and opportunities for advancement in the firm. They now get new partners by hiring laterally from other firms, rather than developing their own associates. Associates will get good and interesting work, but otherwise no real help in development.

Advice to Senior Management

Think long and hard about the current strategy. Your people no longer feel any loyalty to the firm, and eventually this dissatisfaction with opportunities will impact your ability to recruit. People are the lifeblood of a law firm, and your policies will lead to short term profits at the cost of the corporate culture. Once that's gone, we shall see whether the churn-and-burn model can be maintained.

Pros

Decent pay for the work. Friendly co-workers.

Cons

No information on how you are doing or how to improve. No room for career growth.

Pros

Staff managers are rarely on site and are more interested in their personal lives and plans than in achieving work goals. This can be both a pro and a con, depending on perception.

Cons

The pro is often the same as the con.

Advice to Senior Management

Staff managers in many cases are unnecessary. A lot of money could be saved by eliminating those positions.

Pros

Depending on who you report to, opportunity to show your smarts and learn more

Cons

If you are not in the Atlanta office - no chance

Advice to Senior Management

extend yourselves

Pros

Resume value; nice offices; great location

Cons

No future - get some experience and get out

Advice to Senior Management

Value experienced associates more than junior associates

Pros

great reputation, good benefits, learning opportunity

Cons

low pay, long hours, menial tasks

Advice to Senior Management

respect the work that the PAs do, try to give them work ahead of time instead of at last minute

Pros

Interaction with paralegals, legal secretaries and younger associates. Depending on the practice group, one may be travelling to client sites and assist on document collection. Project Assistants are treated as employees of the firm, unlike other large law firms who treat theirs as independent contractors.

Cons

The work can be monotonous, since the litigation involves voluminous amounts of paper and quality checking of copies.
Partners are so busy that they do not have time to mentor project assistants.

Advice to Senior Management

Hmmmm.... Sometimes it takes experience at a variety of firms before one appreciates what one's original employer offered in terms of benefits and culture. K&S will always be the most professional and client-oriented firm in its field.

Pros

Excellent training and experience available

Cons

Can have long hours sometimes

Advice to Senior Management

Improve efficiency of workflow

Pros

They have access to some of the top companies in the world, thus ensuring that attorneys can work on top-flight matters. They also have a stellar reputation within the legal profession, which means that you can pretty much go anywhere from K&S. As for non-legal staff, they pay pretty well.

Cons

Sweatshop. Folks are always leaving. The center of the K&S universe is Atlanta; if you're in a satellite office, forget it. Outside of your practice group, you're a nameless, faceless billing machine.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop focusing on rabid growth and focus more on training and developing current employees. Why not strive to be a firm where folks want to stay? Far less disruption for the clients and the attorneys.

Pros

Very collegial, lots of socialization possibility, very involved in serving the community. Some of the attorney are real good people who care about those who work at K&S.

Cons

If someone in management does not like you, you may have a hard time getting ahead.

Advice to Senior Management

I would review evalutions per review assignment. If a project attorney is not meeting production that should be discussed up front and early, as opposed to black listing that attorney and locking them out of any possible promotion potential.