You might be surprised to learn that junior associates work on cutting-edge deals and disputes from day one. They have direct and frequent client contact soon after arriving here.

Junior litigators draft motions and briefs and take and defend depositions. In pro bono and smaller matters, they conduct trials and hearings.

Junior corporate lawyers draft and negotiate a variety of corporate agreements and play critical roles in the due diligence process and closings of prominent transactions.

We have no set timetable or hierarchy for associate responsibility except to increase the challenge steadily. The level of work assigned is limited only by an associate’s desire and capabilities. Mid-level and senior associates commonly handle a level of responsibility of a magnitude equal to that of partners in many other firms.

Corporate: Banking & Finance

We have one of the preeminent banking groups, and junior associates in our Banking and Credit Group work directly with partners and clients from day one to meet our clients' needs. Junior members of a deal team not only draft operative documents, such as security agreements, but also play an important role in the negotiation of commitment papers and credit agreements. In addition, junior associates usually play the lead role in coordinating the execution and delivery of closing documents, which means they receive substantial responsibility as well as direct client contact. As part of the closing process, it is not unusual for junior associates to lead conference calls and review documentation with opposing counsel. And due to the breadth of our client base, junior associates typically receive experience in a range of transactions, including leveraged finance, project finance and asset-based lending.

International Arbitrations for the Dominican Republic

We represent the Dominican Republic in the country’s first-ever international investment treaty arbitrations. The disputes stem from foreign investment in the Republic’s electricity sector and involve matters of national significance for the sovereign.

Although the arbitrations are still in their early stages, junior associates have already participated in client meetings and interviews of potential witnesses; worked closely with local counsel in the Dominican Republic to address questions of local law; negotiated with opposing counsel; drafted document requests; researched complex issues of public international law; and drafted submissions to the arbitral tribunal.

As the arbitrations progress, junior associates will be integrally involved in mounting an aggressive defense to the investors’ claims based on established principles of international and investment treaty law.

Corporate: Capital Markets & Securities

Our Capital Markets and Securities Group is extremely diverse and covers the full spectrum of offerings. The breadth of our practice, combined with the opportunity to experience serving both as issuer's counsel and underwriters' counsel early in an associate's career, creates an exceptional learning environment. Junior associates play an integral role in every securities offering we work on, with responsibilities including preparing and reviewing offering documents, leading the due diligence review of issuers, drafting legal opinions and managing closings. Junior associates work closely with partners and experience early client contact, which leads to a particularly rewarding experience.

Antitrust Litigation on Behalf of MasterCard

We represent MasterCard in a variety of antitrust proceedings that challenge the business practices of both MasterCard and Visa. Recently, we achieved a dramatic trial victory for MasterCard in a challenge to a Visa bylaw that prevented large Visa debit card issuing banks from switching to the MasterCard network.

The MasterCard trial presented junior associates with many opportunities to develop and hone their skills. For example, junior associates not only assisted with the preparation for key witness depositions, but also took some of the more important depositions in the case.

Junior members of the team also drafted pre- and post-trial submissions; helped prepare for and attended pre-trial conferences and oral arguments; drafted scripts for direct and cross-examination; helped to prepare witnesses for their trial testimony during mock sessions; and participated in the development of trial strategy at every step of the way.

Corporate: Mergers & Acquisitions

Junior associates in our Mergers & Acquisition Group are involved in a broad variety of public and private merger and acquisition transactions – including spin-offs, tender offers, and cash-for-stock mergers. Junior members are actively involved in all aspects of their deals, and have the opportunity to start drafting and negotiating early on – from confidentiality agreements to stock purchase agreements. Junior associates are also primarily responsible for coordinating the due diligence and closing process, which means they have early contact with clients, as well as lawyers in our specialty groups. Junior members find it particularly rewarding to see how all our corporate groups work as "one firm" to close a deal that will likely make the cover of the Wall Street Journal.

World Trade Center Insurance Litigation for Swiss Re

We represented global insurer Swiss Re in the landmark insurance litigation over whether the coordinated terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 constituted one or two “occurrences” under the terms of the applicable insurance policies. Following a ten-week trial in a courthouse just steps from Ground Zero, a jury rendered a verdict in our client Swiss Re’s favor. The Second Circuit affirmed the jury’s verdict in the fall of 2006.

The case offered outstanding learning opportunities for junior associates. Junior associates helped to research and prepare numerous written submissions both at the trial and appellate levels and assisted in the preparation of direct and cross-examination witness scripts. They played an active role during the court proceedings as well.

For example, during each witness examination, the junior associate assigned to that witness sat at counsel’s table and coordinated the accompanying trial graphics and publication of evidence to the jury. Junior associates also responded in real-time from the courthouse to evidentiary issues and jury questions as they arose during the course of trial. Finally, junior associates helped defend Swiss Re against an aggressive media campaign that sought to try the case in the local and national press.

Litigation

Our frontline role in a diverse array of the highest stakes lawsuits and governmental investigations reflects a versatility in commercial litigation that we believe is without peer. The talent pool across our offices enables us to field anywhere a cohesive team of trial lawyers with a depth and breadth of relevant experience, and provides opportunities for our associates to work on top litigations in a wide variety of practice areas, working closely with attorneys across the Firm. Junior associates play a meaningful role throughout all stages of litigations and investigations, with responsibilities that include preparing research memoranda; drafting discovery documents, pleadings, correspondence, and motions; assisting with and attending witness interviews, client meetings, court hearings, and meetings with government officials; and assisting with deposition and trial preparation. Our strong commitment to pro bono also allows junior associates to develop practice skills through a wide range of client representations.

Predatory Bidding Litigation for Weyerhaeuser

We represent international forest products company Weyerhaeuser in a number of antitrust litigations challenging the company’s purchasing practices with respect to alder sawlogs. Competitors accused Weyerhaeuser of paying an excessively high price for alder sawlogs in order to monopolize the market. Recently, the Supreme Court decided the seminal case in Weyerhaeuser’s favor, holding that predatory bidding claims must be evaluated according to the same standard used for predatory pricing violations.

From the start, junior associates have been involved not just in day-to-day case management, but also in the development of the legal strategy that led to a successful outcome for Weyerhaeuser. The case has presented a bonanza of research and writing opportunities for the youngest members of the team. Junior associates have assisted in the preparation of motions to dismiss, motions in limine, summary judgment motions, proposed jury instructions, post-trial motions for judgment as a matter of law, appellate briefs and other submissions.

Junior associates have also frequently been asked to think on their feet and make independent judgment calls. For example, when a serious issue was raised during trial regarding whether improper comments were made to the jury, junior associates on the team were immediately called upon to research the issue and draft a motion for a mistrial to be filed in court the next day.

Executive Compensations & Employee Benefits

Our Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group, or ECEB, has a sophisticated practice, representing public and private companies, as well as their executives, in all matters relating to compensation and benefits. The breadth of our practice, with significant aspects covering tax, securities, corporate and employment law, allows junior associates to develop an expertise in more than one area of the law and work closely with other groups within the firm on a regular basis. Being principally responsible for assisting on all compensation and benefits aspects of public and private merger and acquisition transactions, as well as on-going, day-to-day compensation and benefits issues, junior associates are involved early on in negotiating and drafting employment and severance agreements, management equity arrangements, transaction documents and deferred compensation arrangements, and obtain significant client and partner contact throughout their firm experience.

Hostile Takeover of Endesa

We represented both the initial bidder and the successful bidder in the takeover of Spain's largest electricity company, Endesa. The battle for Endesa’s control was one of the most significant hostile takeover contests in European history.

The takeover effort spawned a series of fast-paced U.S. litigations. Due to the speed at which these cases progressed, junior associates had the unique opportunity to see cases from start-to-finish and participate at every stage of the game. For example, junior members of the team had the chance to meet with the client and an expert witness to prepare their affidavits. In the process, they gained insight about the business that proved crucial for our case strategy.  Junior associates also researched and drafted numerous pleadings and client memoranda, and helped to develop creative and novel securities law-based theories on which our clients' claims could be grounded. 

In addition, junior associates with foreign language skills monitored foreign press coverage of the takeover battle and reviewed documents and pleadings from the ensuing litigations in Spain and the European Union.

Personal Planning

The Personal Planning Group represents some of the most affluent families in the US and internationally, creating and administering sophisticated tax planning and business succession strategies. We represent fiduciaries and beneficiaries of large and well known estates and trusts. We are a small, close knit department with a team feel. Our junior associates are essential to every project and benefit from early and frequent interaction with our clients, their family office professionals and other advisors. Even our most junior associate takes primary responsibility for drafting documents like wills, trusts, sale documents for intrafamily transfers, LLC agreements for family entities, and court petitions relating to our estates and trusts. Our junior associates closely monitor the rapid statutory changes in our area and make reports to the department that help us stay on the cutting edge of our industry. Our junior associates are among the most knowledgeable among their peers in our practice area and have received high praise for their bar association work, including their presentations as featured speakers at bar sponsored CLE courses, on committees submitting comments to government bodies, and as members of various working groups and committees.

Tax

Our tax department provides assistance to a wide range of clients, working closely with all of our firm's corporate groups in structuring, analyzing and negotiating complex corporate transactions including mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, the formation of private investment funds, real-estate investments and offerings of financial instruments. Our tax department fosters a collaborative working environment dedicated to client assistance, and junior associates are an integral part of this team. Over time, junior associates develop a broad base understanding of the technical aspects of tax law and develop key practice skills, such as interfacing with clients and opposing parties and managing the tax aspects of transactional matters.

Real Estate

Our Real Estate Group handles a diverse set of transactions including the acquisition and disposition of single assets, portfolios of assets and real estate companies, distressed real estate and workouts, mortgage and mezzanine financing, debt restructuring, and joint venture agreements. Junior associates play an important role in every deal, with responsibilities including reviewing existing real estate and loan documents, drafting operative assignment agreements and ancillary loan documents and coordinating the execution and delivery of all closing materials. Junior associates work closely with partners and senior members of the deal team and experience substantial responsibility and client contact early in their careers.