Pros
Projects get built very fast.
Cons
60-100 hours work weeks (could become 120 hours). No respect from principals, expected working overtime with no compensation. Poor management that turns into bad office chemistry. Communications are based on personal bias, mood, and could be total personal attacks. Principals are not capable of owning their mistakes, and are very good at blaming associates and staffs for everything that went wrong. Very bad performance review structures and process. Staff can get burnt out easily if you don't stand up for yourself. And if you do stand up, the response from leaders is basically "shut up and work late". Experience NOT exchangeable with other design firms, meaning knowledge and skills learnt there are barely application to other working environments. No innovation. The firm holds a very narcissistic attitude, hence no leaders bother to explore the changes happening in the outside world. The so-called "award-winning design principals" in the firm are very average designers, and always duplicate their own designs. Many projects from this office look almost identical.