Sidley Austin Employee Reviews about "law firm"

Pros

Sidley manages to attract and keep top-notch talent and has a supportive, winning culture. The place has a fundamentally good heart and soul, and its lawyers and staff are consummate professionals.

Cons

Sidley is a very large law, elite law firm functioning at the highest levels of the legal profession. If applying to Sidley, you need to understand the demands and expectations this type of environment imposes.

Advice to Management

Keep up the great work!

Pros

Very flexible on working arrangements and time needed for family.

Cons

Lots of work, but for a Law Firm a that is always a good thing.

Pros

Amazing benefits Very generous with time off I've made life long friends in my colleagues here I feel my managers genuinely care about me

Cons

Sometimes have to work long hours or over the weekend, but that's the case with all law firms and most big corporations.

Advice to Management

Continue to do things for staff to make them feel appreciated. It is noticed and helps make you feel valued.

Pros

One of the most comprehensive benefits package in the industry Smaller offices such as Dallas are much more friendly Monthly staff lunches and events

Cons

Like all law firms, the pressure is high and deadlines are tight

Pros

Sidley is hands down the best place I have ever worked and here are just a few of the reasons why… -interesting, challenging work with inspiring leadership -opportunities to grow, develop and thrive -strong focus on training at all levels -committed to supporting health and well-being of all -no exclusion between attorneys and staff, team environment -team collaboration and available resources to get job... done - lots of fun, yes really in a law firm -creative office-wide events and events that involve families, too -people who really care about, support and encourage each other These are some of the things that make up the Sidley difference.

Cons

No doubt we work in a stressful, fast paced legal industry that some days require long hours, but Sidley is mindful of that and works hard to strike the right balance.

Advice to Management

Thank you for always looking out for everyone - at all levels.

Pros

Truly full-service, international law firm with top-tier clients and work and great practice and geographic diversity. The firm is largely risk-adverse, but still takes chances on investments that have a long-term view. Professionally run multi-billion dollar enterprise with extensive support functions. The firm fully supports its people and reinforces ideals through substantive policies or actions.

Cons

Big law is big law. Hours and client demands can be challenging. Not as recognized as some peer firms.

Pros

Friendly people across the board. Customer service excellence is not only taught but noticeable when interacting with all staff and attorneys. The company genuinely cares about seeing that all employees are trained properly not only with job specific skills but wellness education to help manage stress in and out of the workplace. Excellent benefits, retirement planning and pension plan.

Cons

None come to mind. Even if stressful situations arise as they often do in a law firm environment. Everyone seems to take it in stride, put their energy into a amicable resolution and move on to the next task.

Advice to Management

Keep up the good work, you our the reason we are a very successful firm. It's the complete management package that allows us to excel.

Pros

(Review is focused on the Dallas office) This is one of the only offices in all of BigLaw that has a majority of women attorneys, including a majority of partners. That creates a very woman-friendly and family-friendly atmosphere and very good work-life balance. This is one of the most collegial atmospheres of anywhere I have ever worked. People are genuinely friends and socialize outside of work. Attorneys... (including juniors) take vacations frequently and most people come in late or go home early or work from home as their schedule permits. The partners are all approachable and respectful (you're not going to find a partner screaming and berating a junior for making a mistake). All of this without sacrificing quality of work, which is top notch. Nine- and ten- figure deals/litigation is the norm, not the exception. Compensation is market and bonus targets are transparent. Exit opportunities are as good as it gets, and management is very supportive and helpful in placing people in house. Support staff are very respected and well taken care of. If you're okay with the rigors of Big Law, this is a great place to do it.

Cons

It is a Big Law firm, so hours are long and expectations are high. Late nights and weekend work are common, as expected. There are also big differences between practice group cultures (and definitely between offices). Some groups require more face time or have a higher stress atmosphere than others. Benefits are mediocre, especially the cost of health insurance and lack of 401k matching.

Advice to Management

In the Dallas office, work on the culture of the litigation group. They are losing valuable talent at an alarming rate. The other groups bill at the same level but have a more laid-back and social culture, and with the amazing lit partners we have, there's no reason lit can't be the same. Firmwide, the commitment to diversity could be better. Management always seems to take the approach of "we're better than... other firms, so we are fine." We still have a lot of work to do, even if we're ahead of our peers. Affinity group programming and mentorship is rare, at least in Dallas. It's great that we approach diversity organically, but formal programs can still be very beneficial. We're doing a good job of recruiting diverse first-year attorneys, but we need to make sure we can keep them once they're here.