Legal Professionals

Many young professionals today want to work differently. They want a good mix of work-life balance and challenging work. McDermott therefore felt it was its duty to offer a new form of work:

Since summer 2017, we’ve been offering a 35-38 hour model for associates—including those already employed by us. This provides fixed working hours and is tailored to the needs of the associates. This ensures that work doesn’t interfere with other areas of life, making leisure time easier to plan.

In this model, associates also take on demanding tasks, just like all other colleagues. They also participate in all continuing education events as well as international and national associate retreats.

Several associates are currently working successfully in this model.

To get to know our colleagues even better, we regularly organize events, e.g.:

• Joint visits to the theater or opera
• Wine & Cheese evenings
• Christmas party
• Company outing
• Summer Festival
• National and international lawyers’ meetings
• Welcome Lunches
• Referendum evenings
• Pro Bono

At least one partner is responsible for the practical training of each associate. In the day-to-day management of cases, the associate also works with a variety of counsel and partners.

In cooperation with Bucerius Education GmbH, we offer our associates the following events:

• Junior Associates: Presentation skills and other soft skills
• Mid-Level Associates: Client Relationships/Building Client Relationships
• Senior Associates: Negotiation
• Corporate Finance (for everyone)
• Internal McDermott Academy by trainers from London in small groups
• Specialist lectures and workshops by partners, counsel or associates

It is not for nothing that McDermott Will & Emery is nominated as  Law Firm of the Year for Diversity .

Diversity and inclusion are highly valued at McDermott. A diverse range of nationalities work together as a team on a daily basis within our firm. Our international Diversity Committee, comprised of partners, counsels, and associates, is divided into the subgroups “Racial/Ethnic,” “Gender,” “LGBT,” and “Differently Abled,” and ensures that our global diversity strategy is continuously developed and implemented worldwide.

The global work of the Diversity Committee is supported at each location by Diversity Sponsor Partners who organize events, present new initiatives locally, and serve as points of contact for all employees. McDermott’s stated goal is to create a working environment that offers everyone the opportunity to develop optimally – regardless of origin, age, gender, religious affiliation, ideology, sexual orientation, and physical ability. 

In order to actively promote a culture of diversity and participation, we offer diversity programs at our locations, such as the Female Mentoring Program.

Diversity is not only desired at McDermott, it is also lived every day!

McDermott Women’s Summit 2018

We are looking for excellent lawyers who are excellent communicators and value open collaboration. We want to work with people who are confident without being arrogant.

We make it easy for you to start as an associate at McDermott: From the very beginning, you’ll be assigned a partner as a mentor who will support, train, and encourage you throughout your entire career as an associate. You’ll participate in the firm’s mentoring program to further network within McDermott and develop personally and professionally.

In the daily handling of mandates, the associate also works with a large number of partners and counsel.

Training and continuing education program:

• Continuing education program in cooperation with Bucerius Education GmbH
• Corporate Finance Seminars (balance sheets, etc.)
• External seminars
• Funding: Specialist lawyer and tax advisor

We offer trainee lawyers the opportunity to work as part of their legal traineeships and elective placements, as well as part-time positions. They also have the option of completing their elective placements in one of our offices abroad.

Students should have at least four weeks of time for an internship and have completed the midterm examination with an average of at least 9 points. The internship consists of the direct involvement of the interns in our daily client work and intensive supervision and training by partners, counsel, and associates.

View open positions at McDermott.

Contact Legal Recruiting 
Lizete da Costa
Head of HR Germany
Ldacosta@mwe.com

A note to recruiters: McDermott does not accept unsolicited online profiles from recruiters. Recruiters should contact us personally through our HR department.