It takes a committed, global team to deliver the excellence in service and innovative thinking our clients expect. Cultivating creativity to harness the very best ideas comes from respecting and valuing everyone’s voice, and creating a shared enjoyment in all that we do. At Dechert, we believe that building community within the workplace and with our clients – whether multinational companies or pro bono causes – is the key to success. It’s about building a firm where people are trusted and empowered to do their very best.
Respect
At Dechert, we are dedicated to seeking and nurturing diverse viewpoints and experiences in order to develop the highest caliber of talent, leadership and service. Championing diversity isn’t just a catchphrase for us – our efforts include a longstanding commitment to combatting systemic racism and advancing social justice. Active diversity initiatives include the Global Women’s Initiative and the Asian, Black, Family, Latino, LGBTQ+, Middle Eastern and Veteran affinity groups. During our annual Diversity and Inclusion week, members participate in a variety of engaging and enlightening events. We strive to be better allies and more inclusive leaders within the firm, across the legal industry, and in our own neighborhoods, cities and countries. Dechert is proud to be recognized as a leading law firm:
- Great Place to Work® Certified, 2020, 2019, 2018
- Great Place to Work's Best Workplaces for Parents™, 2020
- Fortune Best Workplaces in New York, 2020
- Great Place to Work’s Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services, 2020
- Perfect score in the corporate equity index (CEI) and named one of the best places to work for LGBTQ equality. Human Rights Campaign, 2020
- Diversity Leader Award and Diversity Team Award. Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2020
- Top Companies for Executive Women. National Association for Female Executives, 2020
- Best Law Firms for Women, Top 100 Companies for Women, Best Companies for Dads, Leading Inclusion Index Company on the Diversity Best Practices Inclusion Index. Working Mother, 2020
- Most Outstanding Firm for Diversity and Inclusion. Chambers Europe, 2019
Watch this video to learn about the value of diversity and inclusion to Dechert’s culture.
Learn more about Diversity and Inclusion at Dechert.
Empowerment
Dechert is fully committed to empowering you with top-notch training and development programs. As a summer associate, you are encouraged to find your passion and cultivate your skills. You can choose to focus on one practice area or try out several, and you are encouraged to participate in various training programs. As an associate, you will partake in our robust mentoring and critical skills curriculum in addition to practice-specific training programs. We even have a dedicated in-house Career Development Coach. As part of our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture where innovation is encouraged, Dechert annually recognizes individuals nominated by their colleagues as exceptional teachers, legal innovators, and diversity champions with $10,000 awards. Learn more about Associate Development at Dechert.
Excellence
Our lawyers counsel the most sophisticated companies in the world on their most challenging matters. Recent matters include a multijurisdictional investigation with Airbus, advising CVS Health on antitrust issues related to its merger with Aetna, and representing Blackstone, Court Square Partners, GIC, and Royalty Pharma on various transactions around the world. Leading publications, including Chambers Global, recognize us globally as a top firm for international arbitration, corporate investigations, anticorruption, investment funds – hedge funds, life sciences and agribusiness (2019). Financial Times recognized Dechert as one of the Most Innovative Law Firms for Legal Expertise in North America (2019). For further recognition, you can learn more about Dechert’s Awards and Rankings here.
Pro Bono
Dechert’s longstanding commitment to pro bono is ingrained in our firm’s culture and widely seen as setting the standard for international law firms. Our lawyers are required to perform 25 pro hours per year (and many do much more). Associates’ pro bono hours count towards their bonuses. Globally, Dechert lawyers performed more than 90,000 pro bono hours last year, equivalent to 5.5 percent of billable hours. We have more than 1,500 open pro bono matters at any given time, to which we devote the same energy, enthusiasm and resources as our commercial matters.
Through our pro bono efforts and Dechert Days of Service, we’ve dedicated time and talent to a wide range of worthy causes – the right to vote, freedom of speech, and the right to live free from discrimination, violence and persecution. Dechert’s pro bono service has been recognized:
- #1 firm for international pro bono work, The American Lawyer 2020
- National Public Service Award, Business Law Section of the American Bar Association
- National Law Journal Pro Bono Hot List
- Philadelphia Bar Foundation’s 2020 Pro Bono Award
- Public Interest Law Initiative (Chicago) 2020 Pro Bono Recognition Roster
Learn more about Pro Bono at Dechert.
Community
Our ultimate goal is for you to experience what it’s like to be a part of our warm and supportive community. Dechert offers a world of opportunity through our global platform – from sports teams, sailing clubs, and choirs to cooking classes, Broadway shows, and volunteer programs. Learn to sauté in Boston, catch a musical in New York, or help with our global Day of Service events in our local neighborhoods. In 2018 and 2019, Dechert Summer Associates stuffed toys for the organization Rescue Buddies to be distributed to children experiencing traumatic events.
Photo from 2019 Summer Program Orientation