Our Survey Says
VAULT'S VERDICT:
Norton Rose Fulbright has gone through a lot of changes in its extensive history, and it’s still a prime landing spot for associates. Recruiting focuses on academic achievement, top law schools, experience, diversity, and an interest in international matters. Firm settings are comfortable, friendly, and inclusive, and associates enjoy excellent relations with partners, who welcome questions and care about associate growth. Formal training is extensive, and associates are assigned mentors, but the greater benefit comes from open doors and hands-on guidance. Lateral hires feel that onboarding is exceptional, with training and regular check-ins. Challenging work comes early, though some associates feel pigeonholed with tasks for which they’ve already demonstrated competence. This impacts the perception of whether projects are distributed equitably, especially since partners often handpick associates for cases based on familiarity and past experience. Norton Rose Fulbright has a “compliance requirement” of 1,600 billable hours, but otherwise, the threshold for bonus eligibility is a reasonable 1,900 hours. Lockstep salaries and bonuses match the market, and as an added bonus, the firm mandates and pays for a week-long vacation if an associate bills 200 hours in each of three consecutive months. Recent tech updates have improved in-office and remote work efficiency, but certain systems require attention. Wellness initiatives abound, and the firm encourages associates to take personal and family time outside of the office. The firm’s pro bono program is scant, with a cap of 50 hours that count as billable, while diversity efforts in hiring and with affinity groups are well received, even though the firm lags in retention and overall representation. Associates feel they are hired with an expectation of making partner, but if not, internal counsel roles and plenty of external options exist.
1301 McKinney St.
Suite 5100
Houston, TX 77010-3095
Phone: (713) 651-5151
Global Chief Executive: Gerry Pecht
U.S. Managing Partner: Jeff Cody
U.S. Hiring Partner: Judi Archer
Total No. Attorneys (2023):
3K - 3.5K
No. of Partners Named 2023:
9
Billable-Hour Requirement:
1,800
California; New York; Texas; Washington, DC, Chicago, IL:
1st year: $215,000
Minneapolis, MN; St. Louis, MO:
1st year: $180,000
Meredith Bond
Senior Manager, Entry Level Recruiting
(214) 855-7470
meredith.bond@nortonrosefulbright.com
Alice Bolander
Senior Lateral Recruiting Manager
(512) 536-2414
alice.bolander@nortonrosefulbright.com
No. of U.S. Offices: 12
No. of International Offices: 41
Austin, TX
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
San Antonio, TX
San Francisco, CA
St. Louis, MO
Washington, DC |
+41 international offices
Antitrust and Competition
Banking and Finance
Corporate, M&A and Securities
Dispute Resolution and Litigation
Employment and Labor
Financial Restructuring and Insolvency
Intellectual Property
Real Estate
Regulations and Investigations
Risk Advisory
Tax
*See firm website for complete list of practice areas and industries.