FAQs | Questions about careers at McDermott Will & Schulte

While processes vary firm to firm, McDermott Will & Schulte’s hiring process typically includes an online application. If selected to move further, there will be a recruiter screening followed by interviews with would-be team members. We value both technical skills and cultural fit within candidate screenings, keeping with our Always Better philosophy. Timelines vary by role, but most candidates hear from us within a few weeks of applying.

At McDermott Will & Schulte, we encourage candidates to approach interviews with curiosity, confidence, and authenticity. Research our firm’s values and practices, and be ready to discuss your experience and how it aligns with our Always Better culture. It’s also great to show up prepared with questions about the role and team.

Working at McDermott Will & Schulte means being part of an award-winning law firm culture built on authenticity, collaboration, and innovation. We boldly champion your career with meaningful work, top-tier compensation, and professional development that goes beyond traditional expectations. At McDermott, we celebrate individuality and foster an environment where everyone can bring their true self to the table.

Our culture is more than a promise – it’s action. We regularly survey our people through annual engagement and “happiness” check-ins to understand how they’re feeling and continuously improve their experience. This commitment to care and excellence has earned McDermott top recognition across the industry:

• Vault consistently ranks us among the very best firms across categories such as culture, compensation, training and professional development, technology and innovation, quality of work, wellness, and overall associate satisfaction
• Chambers Associate rankings placed us in the top 10 law firms for associate satisfaction; retention; career development; and diversity, equity, and inclusion – a reflection of how seriously we take growth, belonging, and long-term success
• USA Today named us a Top Workplace
• Fortune ranked us 14th among the 100 Best Large Workplaces for Women, highlighting our equitable work environment
• Financial Times named us the Most Innovative Law Firm in North America, showcasing our leadership in technology, diversity, people policies, and legal innovation
• We were also recognized as a finalist for Law Firm of the Year as part of The American Lawyer Industry Awards 2025, highlighting the firm’s commitment to excellence, forward-thinking legal service delivery, and transformative client partnerships

At McDermott Will & Schulte, we’re leading the way in responsible, ethical, and effective AI usage across the legal industry. We have made significant firmwide investments in AI technology, making it one of our top strategic priorities. Our goal is to help our lawyers and business professionals use AI responsibly and in ways that deliver more value to our clients.

We have a dedicated AI leadership team that monitors industry trends, evaluates emerging generative AI tools, and develops best practices for law firm use. This team also provides ongoing training, resources, and hands-on guidance to ensure our lawyers and business professionals understand how to apply AI in legal practice, from document review and research to workflow automation and knowledge management.

Our Office of the General Counsel oversees all AI adoption to ensure compliance, data security, and ethical use of AI in the legal industry. This ensures that every use of AI at the firm is responsible, client-focused, and in line with the highest professional standards.

From day one of your career at McDermott Will & Schulte, you will have the opportunity to learn and work directly with AI tools. We provide structured training that helps our lawyers and business professionals become subject-matter connoisseurs in generative AI in law, giving them a competitive edge.

McDermott Will & Schulte is at the forefront of AI innovation in the legal industry, using technology to drive smarter, faster, and more strategic outcomes for clients. We are helping to shape the future of legal innovation in AI through our foundational role in launching and investing in the specialized tech fund that drives AI development, demonstrating our commitment to technology investment and strategic leadership in AI for law firms.

Our firm doesn’t just follow industry trends – our partners wrote the book on AI law and business. Led by Jason Krieser and Shawn Helms, AI Law and Business is a treatise covering US state and federal laws on AI as well as international laws and industry standards. (Listen to this episode of the “Legal Speak podcast to hear more from the authors.)

We also build actionable resources for both internal stakeholders and clients. Our AI Toolkit provides companies with a strong foundation for AI governance by addressing the strategic, legal, ethical, regulatory, and governance implications of AI. Likewise, the report AI and the Next Frontier: Understanding What’s Ahead offers detailed summaries of AI’s implications across business transactions, privacy and cybersecurity, intellectual property, antitrust, consumer protection, employment, healthcare, and insurance (plus governance and policy guidance for organizations looking to engage effectively in a rapidly evolving AI landscape).

Beyond foundational resources, our Artificial Intelligence Law Center serves as a dynamic hub and features regularly updated events, webinar recordings, related insights, legislative activity, and policy initiatives. Our cross-practice AI team continuously monitors AI’s evolution – tracking legal implications, its business impact, and emerging trends – ensuring the resources we offer remain current and authoritative.

We complement these resources with rich multimedia: Webinars and recordings like “AI: The Next Level” (ABA conference), “Getting in Sync with Health Tech,” and “Enterprise AI Adoption: Best Practices for Scaling AI Within Your Business” bring real-time insights from industry experts and McDermott Will & Schulte practitioners to underscore our acumen in AI legal education.

And our approach is always evolving. By continuously updating our website with fresh thought leadership, events, and legislative tracking, we ensure the firm stays at the forefront of legal AI trends and maintains the most relevant, practical resources for clients and professionals alike.

McDermott Will & Schulte’s summer associate program is consistently ranked as a top 10 program by Vault, reflecting our commitment to professional development, hands-on legal experience, and mentorship. This 10-week program provides a comprehensive introduction to life as a McDermott Will & Schulte associate, offering exposure to real client work, collaborative team environments, and the firm’s diverse practice areas, including corporate law, healthcare and life sciences, intellectual property, litigation, tax, and energy law.

Summer associates are assigned meaningful, high-level work that prepares them for practicing law at top-tier firms. Every summer associate is paired with a partner mentor and an associate mentor who provide guidance, full-spectrum feedback, and coaching.

Mentorship ensures that participants receive the support they need to grow professionally and build confidence in their legal skills. Our summer associate program integrates real-world legal experience with exposure to cutting-edge practice areas like healthcare law, life sciences law, and corporate transactional work, offering a platform for law students to explore their interests and gain hands-on legal experience with high-profile clients.

In addition to substantive work assignments, the program includes networking and social events, connecting summer associates with partners, associates, and other team members outside of the office. These events help build long-lasting professional and personal relationships while fostering a sense of inclusion, collaboration, and belonging within the firm.

Year after year, participants note that our program provides a rigorous, career-launching experience that is unmatched by peer firms. Summer associates leave with practical legal skills, mentorship connections, and a deep understanding of law firm culture, positioning them for a successful career at McDermott Will & Schulte or beyond.

McDermott Will & Schulte offers a market-leading compensation structure that rewards excellence, impact, and collaboration. We are committed to providing competitive lawyer salaries that meets or exceeds the Cravath pay scale for associates who meet our billable hour requirements. Our standard expectation is 2,000 billable hours per year, ensuring that our associates have clear performance targets while maintaining a sustainable work-life balance.

We use a merit-based compensation system endorsed by our Associates’ Committee and firm leadership, which allows high-performing associates to earn substantial incremental bonuses above the base salary for exceptional contributions. In 2024, 67% of associates earned bonuses above the Cravath scale, with top performers receiving bonuses up to $100,000 above market, reflecting our commitment to rewarding excellence in both billable work and overall contributions to the firm.

Our bonus-eligible hours include a variety of contributions beyond standard client billing, such as:

• Billable client hours and firm-as-client work
• Up to 100 pro bono hours
• Up to 75 professional development hours
• Up to 25 mindfulness and wellness hours
• Up to 25 diversity and inclusion hours

This approach ensures that associates are recognized and rewarded for holistic contributions to the firm, including leadership, professional growth, community engagement, and commitment to inclusive initiatives.

By combining competitive base salaries, merit-based bonuses, and a broad definition of billable hours, our compensation structure is designed to attract, retain, and motivate top legal talent while supporting career development and a healthy, inclusive work environment.

At McDermott Will & Schulte, we believe that well-being is essential to excellence. The firm is recognized as a leader in mental health and wellbeing support in the legal industry. We were the first law firm to allow up to 25 billable hours toward mindfulness and wellbeing activities, highlighting our commitment to integrating mental health into daily professional life.

Our goal is to provide stigma-free support and resources that help our people navigate life’s challenges, reflecting our commitment to being Always Better.

McDermott Well is our award-winning program led by a licensed mental health clinician, certified executive coach, and former practicing lawyer with 15 years of experience. Our program leader is Mental Health First Aid-certified, serves as a Mental Health First Aid instructor, is multiculturally competent, and actively supports the LGBTQ+ community.

McDermott Well provides a wide range of confidential and therapeutic support, including:

• Guidance on life challenges, crisis support, and therapeutic referrals
• Stress management and burnout prevention
• Wellness goal setting, achievement, and accountability
• Self-esteem, self-efficacy, and confidence building
• Support for perfectionism and legal practice sustainability
• Reintegration and support after extended leaves of absence
• Parenting and caregiver support
• Mental health counseling and referrals
• Substance use and addiction support and referral

By embedding mental health and wellbeing into our firm culture, McDermott Will & Schulte ensures that our lawyers and business professionals receive comprehensive, confidential, and proactive support. Our programs are designed to enhance work-life balance, professional growth, and personal resilience, setting a standard for wellbeing in the legal profession.