Professional Development
Cleary Gottlieb is committed to the professional development of our lawyers and professional staff. With dedicated Learning & Development and Attorney Development professionals, the Firm provides the Cleary community a wealth of opportunities for training, growth and engagement.
Collaborating with associates, senior leaders, and various talent teams, the Firm continuously identifies and assesses learning goals to design programs that support attorneys throughout their careers. The result is a comprehensive schedule of programs and a library of resources and tools that support lawyers at all levels and across all practice groups. Programs cover both legal technical skills and professional development skills, taught by both our own internal subject matter experts as well as top consultants in the market.
An Ongoing Focus on Learning
- Cleary’s miniMBA & Orientation Program: New associates spend their first two weeks in a full-time program that covers topics like accounting, corporate governance, valuation, derivatives, and other topics usually found in an MBA course. Among other goals, the program provides associates with the background to better understand how our clients think and what they expect of us. The program also provides associates with an overview of Cleary’s business, culture, people, and resources, as well as the expectations of our lawyers and practical advice on how to have a successful career at Cleary and beyond.
- The Cleary Core Curriculum for Leadership Development: Our professional skills curriculum for all associates is designed to progress with associates as they develop in their careers. Courses are taught by both internal lawyers and top external consultants. Topics include building your personal brand, communicating effectively with clients and colleagues, drafting client-friendly documents, mentoring junior colleagues, negotiating with difficult adversaries, and project management.
- Practice Group Meetings and Training: Practice groups offer a wide array of training throughout the year, some of which are specifically aimed at junior associates and some of which are open to lawyers of all levels of seniority. These programs consist of CLE and non-CLE programming and cover more than a dozen different substantive legal areas, from private equity to international litigation and arbitration.
Junior litigation associates participate in the Litigation Fundamentals and Discovery Workshop curricula and join all litigation associates for our annual two-day Litigation Academy to continue to hone their deposition, trial, and oral advocacy skills through mock exercises.
Junior corporate associates participate in the Corporate College and M&A Practical Skills (MAPS) curricula, which offer training on fundamental corporate topics. We also offer corporate programming tailored to specific areas of practice, such as: Antitrust Training Series, Capital Markets and Corporate Advisory CLEs, Debt Finance CLEs, Executive Compensation & ERISA Training, Financial Institutions, Markets and Transactions Training Series, Private Equity Accelerator Seres, Private Funds University and Real Estate programs.
Practice groups also meet regularly to update on legal and business developments.
- AI Learning Lab: The Cleary Innovation team leads sessions designed to build awareness, skills, and confidence around the thoughtful use of generative AI. Through a series of live and on-demand programs, participants explore practical tools available to them and develop an AI mindset to enhance everyday workflows.
- In-House Accredited CLE Program: Comprehensive courses for lawyers with all levels of experience and in all practice areas throughout the year—in person and online.
- On-Demand Resources: Everyone at Cleary has access to hundreds of online, on-demand resources, including our internal learning platform, the Cleary Learning Hub, Hotshot Legal, and PLI. Hotshot Legal offers concise, practical lessons across a wide range of knowledge and skill areas, particularly those specific to corporate and litigation practices (e.g., Accounting, Civil Litigation, Discovery, Commercial Lending, Commercial Provisions, M&A Basics and Provisions, Motion and Trial Practice, Private Equity, Securities Offerings, Venture Financing, and much more). PLI is an online educational resource to which all Cleary lawyers have a membership with unlimited access, including live seminars, webcasts, groupcasts, one-hour audio briefings, and on-demand content, ensuring you have the tools needed to develop your expertise throughout your legal career.
- Mental, Physical, and Emotional Well-Being: Regular well-being programming on topics such as nutrition, resilience and burnout, exploring boundaries, managing change, healthy sleep habits, and collaboration are offered, along with an on-demand well-being resources library. All Cleary personnel also receive a subscription to Headspace, a mindfulness and meditation app.
Mentoring
From your first day at Cleary, you’ll be paired with a mentor—someone you can count on as you begin to navigate the Firm and build your career. Your mentor is there to get to know you, to help you feel at home, and to provide:
- Insight into the Firm’s culture and best practices
- Introductions to colleagues across the Firm
- Guidance on navigating the work assignment process
- Advice on building strong working relationships
- A sounding board to discuss professional goals, career development, and any concerns
We encourage mentors and mentees to meet regularly, to ensure you stay connected and supported during your early years at the Firm. Many of our associates find these relationships to be an invaluable resource, both professionally and personally, as they grow at Cleary.
Benefits and Perks
Cleary Gottlieb’s benefits package is one of the most comprehensive in the industry. It’s designed to benefit every member of the firm and target each individual’s diverse needs.
To help accommodate each firm member’s family, eligible dependents include a spouse or qualified domestic partner (same-sex or opposite-sex), unmarried dependent children, stepchildren, and domestic partner’s children.
In addition to paid holidays, vacation, 401(k), and comprehensive health care coverage, Cleary provides additional benefits that include, but are not limited to the following:
- Dental and Vision Care
- Short- and Long-Term Disability Coverage
- Parental Leave
- Medical and Dependent Care Pre-Tax Benefit Plan
- Pre-Tax Transportation Program
- Voluntary Insurance Plans
- Back-Up Child/Eldercare Program
- Access to Maternity & Fertility, Infertility, Surrogacy & Adoption Assistance Programs (Maven & Progyny)
- New Mothers’ Rooms
- Family Planning & Support (Milk Stork & Keep Company)
- Access to membership-based virtual care services such as One Medical
- Employee Assistance Program
- Payment for Bar Fees and Approved CLE courses
- Judicial Clerkship Bonus
- Moving Expense and Broker Fee Reimbursement (within 3 months of joining the firm)
- Corporate gym partnerships and Fitness reimbursements
- Flu Shots
- Firm matches donations to non-profit organizations
Inclusion & Culture Initiatives
We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture where all members of our community are deserving of respect and appreciation for the contributions that they make as individuals within our firm. Our culture of inclusion is reflective of our global legal practice. We collaborate daily with clients around the world to deliver innovative solutions on complex matters, and our entire team benefits from interacting with the most talented individuals from all backgrounds, cultures and perspectives. When we recruit and nurture the best talent, we can more effectively serve our clients. The firm ensures that everyone has equal opportunity to develop and succeed, and invests comprehensively in its talent through structured leadership development programs, mentorship initiatives, and sponsorship opportunities available to all. Professional growth is supported by robust curricula designed to advance careers at every level, while affinity groups, working committees, and heritage celebrations foster a strong sense of community and belonging. Employee engagement remains a priority through multiple feedback channels, including annual global surveys, upward evaluation processes, and an accessible open-door culture. The firm recognizes that creating an inclusive and dynamic workplace requires active participation from all levels of the organization, encouraging continuous dialogue and input from its people to shape the firm’s culture and practices.
Opportunities Beyond Cleary
Our network of stellar alumni is among our proudest achievements. Many of our former lawyers have gone on to head the legal departments of major global corporations, financial institutions, start their own companies, teach at universities, and pursue fields outside of the law.
These positions span across numerous industries, including:
Academia
250+ University Deans and Professors
- Harvard Law, Yale Law, NYU Law, Georgetown Law, and more, University of Hong Kong, King’s College London, Università Bocconi, Universidad Externado de Colombia
Arts & Entertainment
150+ In-House Counsel at Arts and Entertainment Companies
- The New York Times, Disney, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Spotify, Netflix
Computer Software Services
200+ Technology Company Leaders
- Google, Apple, Microsoft, Reddit, OpenAI
Consulting
80+ Consulting Executives
- McKinsey & Co., Deloitte, EY, KPMG, BCG
Consumer Products
70+ Alumni at Consumer Companies
- Amazon, Estée Lauder, LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, Haribo, Bombas
Financial Services
910+ Finance Executives
- Blackstone, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley
Government
700+ Officials
- European Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Trade Commission, United States Senate
International Organizations
60+ Officials
- World Bank, International Monetary Fund, NATO, United Nations, World Trade Organization
Not-for-Profit
120+ Leaders at Non-Profits
- Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, International Refugee Assistance Project, American Civil Liberties Union, Everytown for Gun Safety, International Olympic Committee
Pharmaceuticals
50+ Executives in Pharma
- Moderna, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Hansa Biopharma
At Cleary, we are looking for lawyers capable of the highest levels of excellence in law, business, diplomacy, and beyond. That’s why for more than 80 years, Cleary has been turning out not just exceptional lawyers, but outstanding leaders.
Contact Information
Donna Harris
Global Director of Recruiting, Inclusion & Culture
Shaan Saeed
Senior Legal Recruiting Manager - U.S.
Meaghan McNamara
Legal Recruiting Manager - Washington, D.C.
For more information on our Bay Area, New York and Washington, D.C. offices, please visit or contact: