McKee Nelson LLP

Law Firms

VAULT RANKINGS 2010

#16 Office Space

GENERAL INFO

Headquarters: Washington, DC
2 offices
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THE BUZZ…

"Hot and cold, mostly cold"
"Fun but specialized"
"Too bad about the credit crunch"
"Tax experts"

NEWS AND UPDATES

Vault's Scoop

ABOUT THIS COMPANY:

McKee Nelson LLP was acquired by Bingham McCutchen in August of 2009.

History

This brash young firm--just seven years old--has been making waves in Washington since its founding by Bill McKee and Will Nelson, two partners formerly of King & Spalding's tax department. In 2001, the firm had D.C. talking when the two Williams single-handedly lured away 14 securities lawyers from Sidley Austin Brown & Wood's D.C. office. And this year, 14 partners named by Chambers USA 2006 as America's Leading Business Lawyers. What's more, the firm has just made its debut on the National Law Journal's list of the 250 biggest law firms in the country. The firm employs more than 175 lawyers and its 2005 revenue per lawyer ranks it in the top five of the nation's most profitable firms. The firm's clients include a number of Fortune 500 businesses and virtually every major Wall Street investment bank; its impressive roster of attorneys include many practice group leaders from their prior firms, a former IRS Chief Counsel, numerous former IRS and Justice Department tax litigators, the co-authors of the leading treatises on partnership tax and partnership agreement forms, and the authors of the leading securitization treatise.

From the Community

REVIEWS

Inside opinions that matter, collected by Vault from employees at companies around the world.

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SALARIES

McKee Nelson LLP salary & compensation reviews include all signing and year-end bonuses, vacation time and other perks and reimbursements that make up total compensation.

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SURVEY SAYS

High bonuses, demanding hours

McKee Nelson's D.C. compensation packages have some associates' heads spinning on their necks. The salary and bonuses are "amazing," says one. "Highest compensation on the street, hands down," crows another. A third notes, "The firm chooses to be a market leader on compensation and makes salary and bonus adjustments on its own initiative, without grumbling or pressure from associates." An industrious first-year associate adds a scholarly perspective, remarking, "An industry comparison of salaries in this geographic area shows that McKee Nelson is at the top of the spectrum." A rare sobering note comes from one insider, who notes, "It was a little disappointing to see that our salaries and bonuses have slipped back to market, as they both used to be above market."

DISCUSSIONS

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McKee Nelson LLP Perspective

McKee Nelson LLP HIGHLIGHTS

Focus, focus, focus

McKee Nelson's rise from boutique firm to heavyhitter can be attributed to its sharp focus on key practice areas, particularly tax, capital markets and litigation/enforcement. Today the firm serves a spectrum of industries, including financial services, pharmaceutical, energy and consumer products, counting among its clients General Mills, JPMorgan Chase, SLM Corp, Lehman Brothers and Dow Chemical.

The little boutique firm that could

In less than a decade, McKee Nelson has grown from a two-lawyer boutique to a specialist heavyhitter. Today the firm employs over 200 attorneys, and in 2006 it was one of only four Am Law Second Hundred firms to post revenues per lawyer in excess of $1 million. The firm's success can be attributed to a sharp focus on key practice areas, particularly tax, capital markets and litigation/enforcement. From its two offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., McKee Nelson serves a spectrum of industries, including financial services, pharmaceutical, energy and consumer products, counting among its clients General Mills, JPMorgan Chase, SLM Corp, Lehman Brothers and Dow Chemical.

Q&A WITH McKee Nelson LLP

Q:
According to insiders, what are some of the best aspects about working at McKee Nelson?

A:
"The firm's culture since Day One has been one of openness regarding the decisions by partners and the partners generally treat the associates as valued colleagues rather than subordinates."

Tips from the inside

Hiring Process

If you want to claim a desk at McKee Nelson, it helps to have stellar numbers from a big name school. "Very competitive. Hiring committee is picky," warns one insider. "Most of the associates went to top tier law schools," observes another. And the hiring attorneys "look for top GPAs" at those schools. In short, "Rolls Royce credentials valued," as one attorney elegantly phrases it. But it's not enough simply to present a transcript as richly appointed as a luxury car. "[F]it is very important" as well. You'll "need strong writing skills, an entrepreneurial spirit and a personality." What kind of personality? A "positive, easy going personality."

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