LAWCROSSING FEATURED EMPLOYER OF THE WEEK
1. 800. 973.1177
Preston Gates & Ellis [Adam Feder] Preston Gates & Ellis is an international law firm that is based on the West Coast (specifically, Seattle) but has one office in Washington, DC. With 11 offices worldwide--including Beijing and Taipei, the two most recent additions--this 400-attorney firm has been in its present iteration since a merger between two prominent (and experienced) Seattle firms in 1990.
As a firm known for its exceptionally high
grades, an emphasis is put upon relevant
attorneys will have time for lives outside of
level of legal service and professionalism,
experience. Most importantly, though, a new
work. As with any other firm, those attorneys
Preston Gates represents major companies
hire must mesh well with everyone else in
will work extremely hard while on the job
with ties to the Pacific Northwest. These
that particular office. This team atmosphere
but in a relaxed environment. A nice balance
entities include T-Mobile, Starbucks, and
permeates all levels of experience and all
between life and work is achieved here.
Expedia.com. The Anchorage, AK, office
sectors of employment. New associates
successfully litigated for the State of Alaska
are paid market value for Seattle, but that
regarding the Exxon Valdez oil spill fiasco.
translates to the lower end most everywhere
Nearly $1 billion in civil settlements was
else. Attorneys are happy with the laid-back
awarded to the State of Alaska in a series of
attitude of the working environment and the
rulings. It has a broad-based, diverse prac-
flexibility it allows.
tice, with attorneys representing almost all specializations.
The firm very much endorses and encourag-
The firm’s major practice areas are corpo-
bono hours may count towards an associate’s
rate, litigation, and municipal finance. Its
billable hours for the year. That takes a little
municipal finance practice is one of the larg-
bit of the edge off the time crunch that most
est in the nation. Preston Gates was ranked
attorneys are sensitive to at major firms.
10th nationally (and second in the Western
Furthermore, the firm has named one of its
Region) among bond counsel firms by Thom-
partners as pro bono counsel, whose duties
son Financial Data Securities Company in
include devoting half of his time to pro bono
2003. Vault.com placed it 100th overall (and
pursuits and assisting other lawyers with
second in the Pacific Northwest) in its 2003
their own pro bono cases.
es pro bono work. In fact, as many as 50 pro
list of top law firms. Narrowing the gender and race gaps is The summer associate program, much like
something the firm focuses on. One third of
programs at other firms, aims to give law
all Preston Gates attorneys are women. To
students a real feeling of what it’s like to
break that number down even further, 25%
work for the firm. The summer associates
of the partners and 46% of associates are
can choose from assignments in all practice
females. These are fairly high percentages
areas, allowing them to learn their likes and
relative to the rest of the industry. Corre-
dislikes. They also partake in various social
spondingly, 14% of the firm’s attorneys are
outings, which are commonplace at most
from minority groups. Of particular note is
larger firms. The firm aims to employ all of
the fact that David Tang, one of the firm’s
its summer associates, but it does not make
previous managing partners, was the first
employment offers just to fill positions.
Asian-American managing partner of a major law firm in the U.S.
Preston Gates has a hiring process that is best described as rigorous. In addition to top
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Basically, Preston Gates is a firm where the