The Scoop

King is so money King & Spalding enjoyed a banner year financially in 1999. Once again, K&S ranked as the highest-grossing law firm in Atlanta by a wide margin. Associates enjoyed some of the benefits of that success, seeing their compensation increase considerably during the year. The firm raised first-year associates' salaries in its headquarters office by $25,000 to a cool $100,000 per year and threw in a $10,000 signing bonus to boot. It also followed the scale increases in other cities and reportedly is contemplating offering discretionary bonuses for associates making "extraordinary non-billable contributions." A $40,000 associate retention bonus has been rumored as well.

Getting Hired

Dinner before callbacks

When it comes down to it, claims an associate, "selectivity is based on grades. After that, if you breathe, you can get hired." One insider offers the following as a guideline: "If you had a 3.2 at a tier-one or tier-two law school, you'll get a job." Many attorneys speak of regional recruiting problems. "We have more trouble recruiting in New York than in Atlanta," reports one source. Another continues, "King & Spalding seems to be hiring more students from local and regional law schools. I think K&S undersells itself at the Top 15 law schools." Most aspects of the interview process are described as "pretty standard," including the on-campus screening interview and expenses-paid trip to Atlanta. The firm tries to make candidates feel comfortable by "bringing [them] down the night before for dinner with two or three associates."

More interviews than at most firms

Where K&S's interviews diverge from most is in their sheer number. Candidates undergo "eight to 10 interviews with a mixture of partners and associates," most of whom "are on the hiring committee." If the candidate indicates certain areas of interest, the firm attempts to get interviewers from that area. Each interview lasts roughly half an hour. The interview day includes lunch with "two or three associates." The tone of interviews "depends on the individual" interviewer, but in general, "no one's playing games or hiding the ball."

The pressure is not as great as it might seem, though, says one insider: "If you make it to a second interview, you've really got to annoy people not to get an offer." Indeed, "it seems to be a seller's market" as "lately the firm has been digging deeper into the pool of recruits." This is good for applicants but perhaps not ideal for the overall health of the firm. Says one source, "There's been a dramatic downward spiral in the past few years in terms of selectivity."

Our Survey Says

Southern comfort

"The best word to describe K&S is 'Southern,'" claims one insider in King & Spalding's New York office. Others prefer terms such as "traditional," "old-school," and "conservative." While some might perceive this environment as negative, most insiders see it as an asset. "I believe, and I also believe few would argue otherwise, that King & Spalding sits at the apex of the legal community in Atlanta." Therefore, attorneys "constantly have quality work for big-league clients." An insider continues, "K&S is a great place to work. You do first-rate work, work with first-rate lawyers, and there is a great deal of respect for the fact that you have a life outside the office."

Fresh lawyers

All the King's men (and women) must enroll at K&S University, the firm's "in-house training program." Graduates describe it as "a great training program the firm offers with lots of hands-on experience." An insider reports that "the training here is excellent, especially in comparison to other large firms. Equally important, the partners at K&S really expect the associates to participate fully in all training events, even to the point where it may reflect negatively upon you if you decide to blow off the events." Moreover, many associates find "individual mentoring provided by partners is unique and highly valuable."

Long-distance partners mean little camaraderie

"There is no great divide here between the partners and the associates as one finds at other firms," reports an insider. "In my opinion, the partners really do value the associates and treat them well." Associates take pleasure in being treated as "resources to build for the future" rather than "resources to be used up." Furthermore, "[partners at K&S] go out of their way to solicit my advice and be exceedingly gracious." One particularly well-fed source reports that he goes "to lunch with partners regularly and finds them to be good guys to hang out with." A Washington associate who has had experience dealing with partners at the firm's headquarters notes, "treatment by partners within the Washington office is terrific. Treatment by long-distance partners in Atlanta is much more big-firm."

Kings without queens

King & Spalding is most often taken to task for its treatment of women. "There are very few women with families here," begins one Houston associate, "and the firm does not promote or encourage any kind of alternative work program." Although the firm "recently started offering part-time," female associates note that "generalizations regarding women and marriage and/or childbirth still exist. Also, being a young woman often works to your disadvantage because people - usually older men - mistake you for a paralegal or secretary." Others note that K&S is "a tough place to balance a family, especially [if you are] recently married. Most of the divorces in the past year involve young female associates." Moreover, "there is no mentoring by female partners, as far as I can tell. Counsel are much better mentors. The part-time options are practically non-existent and not discussed. The lack of communication on these issues is deplorable. The of counsel position is now almost entirely women and the non-equity partner position almost entirely men. I have also noticed that it is absolutely possible to telecommute, yet it is not an open option. This would be a great opportunity for K&S to better accommodate lawyers with families, at least a few days a week."

Diversity: a numbers game

When questioned about minority issues at the firm, an associate notes simply, "Look at the numbers." Another reports, "I do not think we have even one corporate partner here who is of a racial minority. The minority associates I know talk about the disparity and the overall lack of a mentoring program with respect to racial minorities at our firm and how they believe it serves as a limitation to their advancement here." A DC attorney finds the "number of minority attorneys in the office to be embarrassingly low." Insiders concur that "efforts to recruit more minority associates could be stronger."

Similar attitudes are apparent in K&S's treatment of gays and lesbians. "There is, unfortunately, little in the way of acceptance here," says one source. An Atlanta-based attorney observes that "most of the gay attorneys remain very much in the closet. Other firms in town have more gay attorneys - many more."

Long live the King

All in all, associates at K&S are reasonably satisfied with their experience at the firm. "The work can be very stimulating. An associate also has some control over her destiny," states one insider. Another sums up by stating, "Overall, I find the work to be challenging and interesting and I enjoy the people I work with. It is really a nice place to come every day."

Employment Contact

Patty Blitch Harris
Hiring Coordinator
(404) 572-4990

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Alston & Bird;Long Aldridge;Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan;Troutman Sanders;

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