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Overview

Introduction

Consistently among the top law firms for quality of life, Paul Hastings prioritizes associate mentorship, training, and long-term career development. Lawyers seeking an amiable, collaborative atmosphere where hard work and client service are valued will likely be a good fit at the firm. Attorneys enjoy significant substantive experience early on in their careers at Paul Hastings and feel supported and mentored by the firm’s leaders. Commitment to diversity efforts and generous wellness resources are some of the many perks of working at...

Firm Stats


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Total No. Attorneys (2023)

1K - 1.5K

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No. of Partners Named (2023)

13

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Featured Rankings

Vault Law 100
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No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)

72


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No. of Summer Associates (2023)

84 total (1 3L returning; 76 2Ls; 7 1Ls)


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Base Salary

1st year: $215,000
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Vault Verdict

Paul Hastings wants well-rounded associates at the firm and looks beyond the traditional T14 schools to fill their rosters with people who will fit in. The culture at the firm is collaborative, friendly, and genuine, and people regularly interact with their peers both through firm-sponsored events and more informal gatherings. Partners at Paul Hastings prioritize professional growth and provide regular, ongoing feedback to help associates learn. Firm leadership is generally transparent regarding decisions, performance, and compensation. Substantive work assignments allow associates to gain early experience working on high-level matters and client-facing assignments. Paul Hastings recently upgraded its technology and gives associates the tools to complete their work when and where ...

Firm's Response

At Paul Hastings, our purpose is clear — to help our clients and people navigate new paths to growth. With a significant presence throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., we are recognized as one of the world’s most innovative global law firms. We understand the imperative for innovation, efficiency, and breakthrough performan...

About the Firm

Over the last few decades, Paul Hastings has grown from a mid-market U.S. firm to an international outfit with strengths in employment, tax, and business law and big-name clients in more than 80 countries. With offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo, the firm has become especially strong in Asian market dealings.

It Started with Three

In 1951, Harvard law grads Bob Hastings, Lee Paul, and Leonard Janofsky pooled their ambition to form a new firm in Los Angeles. They divided the workload three ways: Janofsky handled employment law matters, Paul dealt with litigation, and Hastings managed business law. In 1962, Charles Walker joined the trio as a partner, adding his name to the masthead and establishing a tax practice. Walker took a brief sojourn from the firm in the 1...

Associate Reviews

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  • “The culture at Paul Hastings is collaborative, friendly, and supportive. The firm frequently hosts team bonding events that further facilitate the collaborative environment at the firm. Lawyers and staff also interact frequently. For instance, the firm promotes mentorship pods, inclusive of staff, associates, and partners across all departments, to promote bonding across the firm.”
  • “Lawyers in our office interact frequently. If I ever need mentorship or guidance, all I have to do is ask. The day-to-day atmosphere is collegial, and I have been able to forge meaningful friendships with attorneys and staff.”
  • “It's a collegial and comfortable atmosphere; people are nice, genuine, and supportive.”
  • “Our firm strikes the perfect balance of social and professional, as it is co-workers who are looking to connect and care about one another deeper than just the surface, or in realms that only pertain to work.”

Why Work Here


Diversity at Paul Hastings LLP

"At Paul Hastings, we are committed to acting with integrity, valuing knowledge, and embracing diversity. To raise awareness in the market, explore best practices, and highlight our clients and their progress in advancing diversity, we often collaborate with our clients and the industry on thought leadership. In 2017 and 2018, the Firm worked with GC Magazine to produce the GC Diversity and Inclusion Report, an examination of innovative actions of the legal community. Building on this series in 2019, we teamed up with Minority..."

Getting Hired Here

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  • “The firm does a great job of hiring from a diverse range of law schools. The ‘T14’ is certainly highly represented, but it's a compliment to the firm's holistic hiring process that so many associates are from schools both outside the T14, and from schools that are outside the individual market for specific offices. The firm is interested in finding the best candidates who will fit in with the culture, no matter what school they attend.”
  • “It is not so much about checking the boxes at PH. Yes, our associates are stellar and incredibly well-rounded. That said, PH is more concerned with hiring the associate who will be [the] right cultural fit. PH DNA is, at its core, about collaboration in order to achieve client service excellence. Associates with a ‘me first’ mantra will not succeed at PH. Associates who are spotlighters will also not succeed at PH.”
  • “As a frequent interviewer, I'm told to look for individuals with a high GPA, who have a commitment to the practice group and area they are applying to, and who seem like a good personality fit.”
  • “Candidates should be personable, and have a sincere interest in the practice group for which they are interviewing. Folks here value the ability to socialize and be in touch with clients on a frequent basis.”

Perks & Benefits


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