Overview
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery earned the highest marks in Vault Law’s 2022 Quality of Life, Diversity, & Summer Associate Program Rankings. McDermott claimed the No. 1 spot in the rankings of the Best Law Firms to Work For, the Best Law Firms for Diversity and the Best Summer Associate Programs.
“This past year was a difficult one for everyone in the legal industry, but it appears that McDermott responded in all the right ways,” said Mary Kate Sheridan, Vault’s Senior Law Editor. “Associates rave about the firm’s culture and say the firm continued to foster connections virtually throughout the pandemic. They also feel the firm is supportive of associate wellness, offering—among other perks—25 hours of billable credit for mindfulness, and believe the firm is invested in diversity, equity and inclusion. Clearly, the firm’s efforts have bolstered associate satisfaction.”
In addition to the Overall Best Law Firm to Work For ranking, Vault’s quality of life rankings include 16 subcategories. This year, there is a new No. 1 firm in every quality of life subcategory. Continuing its trend at the top, McDermott clinched gold in a whopping 13 of the 16 subcategories: Associate/Partner Relations, Business Outlook, Career Outlook, Compensation, Firm Culture, Formal Training, Hours, Informal Training, Quality of Work, Satisfaction, Technology & Innovation, Transparency and Wellness.
Vault produces rankings in four individual diversity categories: Diversity for Individuals with Disabilities, Diversity for LGBTQ+ Individuals, Diversity for Women and Racial & Ethnic Diversity. McDermott ranked No. 1 across each subcategory. One McDermott associate shared, “The firm promotes diversity on all fronts and has regular programming to bring awareness as to how we can increase our efforts in terms of D&I.”
McDermott took the prize for the Best Overall Summer Associate Program and also shared the top spot in the Best Summer Associate Programs for Career Development subcategory.
Vault Law annually ranks the most prestigious law firms based on the assessments of lawyers at peer firms. The rankings are compiled based on Vault’s Law Firm Associate Survey in which more than 20,000 associates rated and commented on various work life aspects, including Overall Satisfaction, Firm Culture, Hours and Compensation.
Read the full Vault rankings here.
About McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective—and often unexpected—solutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.