Global Firm, Collaborative Culture
Our deals are cross-border, our clients are international, and our more than 800 attorneys work in 11 offices around the world. A “small, big firm,” we’re known for being collegial and supportive while always challenging ourselves to deliver exceptional results. Lawyers from our global offices work together on complex, high-stakes matters and impactful pro bono work, and truly enjoy collaborating to serve clients and our communities and to grow in their careers.
Leading
We’re recognized for our top-tier practices such as financial restructuring, litigation, transactional and finance. Our work involves advising established, leading brands and up-and-coming innovators, from major retail names like J. Crew to wellness companies like Talkspace. Our work is honored with prestigious awards, including practice of the year and deal of the year awards. Some of our practices, like our Transportation and Space Group, even take us out of this world.
Committed to Our People and Communities
We invest in our lawyers by providing unparalleled professional development opportunities, starting with 10 immersive weeks in the summer, through practice-specific training and our exclusive Milbank@Harvard program, which offers best-in-class training on finance, leadership, strategy, and management with Harvard faculty. Visit our Career Development tab to learn more.
In addition to providing high quality, differentiated legal services, Milbank invests in a welcoming and vibrant workplace experience that celebrates community and connection. It is important to us to cultivate spaces that enhance the experience of all attorneys and support a high-performance culture, benefiting our clients, colleagues and the communities that we serve.
Our pro bono work is another essential part of this commitment. We expect each of our lawyers to commit at least 25 hours to pro bono a year – most greatly exceed this amount. Our pro bono projects aid clients with appeals and resentencing, securing educational opportunities, promoting police accountability, and assisting children with asylum, and help to sharpen our lawyers’ skills while making an impact on our communities. Our Litigation partner Tawfiq S. Rangwala was named “Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year” for 2021. Click below to watch a video about our work on the important issue of juvenile sentencing.
Milbank at Hudson Yards
We’re always looking for ways to innovate and drive our business forward. In early 2019, we relocated to New York’s dynamic new Hudson Yards neighborhood. Visit our website to learn more about how our award-winning space reflects our collaborative culture, or check out our profile (and take a look around) by reading our profile in Interior Design magazine.
A Q&A with Alexandra Paslawsky, Director of Legal Recruiting at Milbank LLP
What advice would you give a law student interviewing for a summer associate position?
Preparation is key. Law students should learn about the firms they’re meeting with – the work they do, the latest cases and transactions, their key practice areas. A lot of this information can be found on a firm’s website or in news articles. It’s relatively easy, a firm’s website features most of this information. They can also attend events and receptions held by the firms they’re interested in. Interviewees will be able to meet the lawyers and the recruiting team, which is a great way to learn about what the firm values. It can also be beneficial to speak with friends and colleagues who have been interviewing; their insights about the process can be invaluable. During the interview, they should be ready to speak about some challenging legal issues that they find interesting. The goal is to be professional but not too formal, prepared but not robotic. Also, reviewing your resume is important to make sure it accurately reflects your experience—and check for typos.
How do pre-OCI activities affect the process?
Pre-OCI activities have become more prevalent in recent years, and firms are trying to adapt to the changing landscape. The increase in pre-OCI can be advantageous for law students because it allows students to have more control in the process. By participating in pre-OCI, students can network with attorneys and legal recruiting personnel and learn more about the firms they’re interested in. This allows students to get an earlier start in the process and possibly get earlier decisions. Working at your own pace can go a long way in alleviating some of the anxiety.
Can you offer any guidance on how law students can best approach their summer program?
It’s so important to come into a summer position with eagerness and an open mind. It’s an exciting time – and the perfect time to learn and ask questions. There are several important skills that a summer associate will work on during the program, like research, writing, and formulating arguments, and it’s easy to fall into the law school mentality of thinking 10 steps ahead. Yet it’s also crucial to “be present.” That is, be an active participant in this unique experience and take it all in. Staying engaged and being curious are important aspects of putting one’s best foot forward and making a great initial impression with the lawyers and colleagues you’ll be working with – people will remember that.
Why should a law student choose Milbank’s summer program?
Our summer program is a microcosm of life at Milbank. Professional development is a key aspect, just as it is for our regular associates. Summers rotate through three practice areas, participating on client calls and meeting, drafting documents and researching critical issues. There also are opportunities to meet lawyers in practice groups that summers are not rotating through and to inquire about other types of work that may be of interest. The real-world experience is supplemented with in-depth trainings, informative lunch-and-learns, insightful guest speakers and meaningful mentor relationships. Our social events are similarly engaging and geared toward building important connections, community, and belonging at the Firm. The goal for our summers should be to meet as many people as possible and be exposed to everything Milbank has to offer. After the 10 weeks, they will have sharpened their skills, met new friends, expanded their network, and created some wonderful memories.