Clifford Chance

Careers

Where bright
minds meet

USA

Build on what you already know in an environment that gives you every opportunity to reach your full potential

We are committed to professional development and making sure our junior attorneys have the resources needed to develop technical and business skills. Practical experience in new areas of law and legal products, different marketplaces, involvement in business development, and knowledge management projects are all examples of the kind of opportunities and high-quality mentoring that you find at Clifford Chance. We also expect our young lawyers to contribute early and to contribute often. We strive to do better, which includes helping those around us to do and be better as well.  

Teaching is part of the job and a responsibility all of our lawyers take seriously. There is a shared firm-wide understanding that, no matter the level of seniority, we never stop learning. We are committed to professional development and making sure our junior attorneys have the resources needed to develop technical and business skills. 

Our incoming first-year law clerks/associates join a transactional pool, where they are assigned work on a flexible basis. They enjoy broad exposure to many different kinds of work and to partners and associates across all three transactional practice areas. The program also ensures that they have the opportunity to see their matters through to completion. Associates remain part of the pool for three years, after which we anticipate that they will begin to gravitate toward their preferred practice area. This is coordinated by a dedicated assignment manager who is not only responsible for allocating assignments and balancing workloads, but who also takes a genuine interest in each associate's preferences and development needs to ensure that their work assignments align with their long-term career objectives.

Ultimately, the key factor for creating long-term job satisfaction for everyone across the board is to be challenged. Isn't that what you expect from a legal career when you graduate?

Our lawyers work on some of the largest, most innovative transactions and lawsuits – matters with the potential to take the world in new directions. We make a difference, make headlines, and even manage to make a little history along the way. We have a rich practice mix that accommodates a broad range of interests, passions, and skills.

I want to be challenged

Those who fit in best at Clifford Chance want to be contributing members of a team, and our associates count on the opportunity to make contributions early and often.

Corporate/Transactional

Our transactional work involves supporting large multinational businesses in their day-to-day dealings. 

This work covers a wide spectrum of US and cross-border matters relating to capital markets and complex financial products, banking, project finance, financial restructuring and insolvency, M&A, private equity, real estate, tax, and ERISA.

Litigation

Our litigation practice includes both domestic and international matters. We focus particularly on regulatory advice, investigations, and complex commercial litigation in target sectors – antitrust, securities, compliance, banking, and healthcare. 

On both the civil and criminal side, we offer a depth of trial experience to clients and, as a result, a depth of trial opportunities to our younger lawyers that is unusual for a large firm.

Who we work with

Our clients include the largest American and international banks and investment banks, corporations, and insurance companies. We have a world-leading practice representing international banks in sensitive, cross-border regulatory investigations.

Read more about our practice areas.

Find out more

What will I do as an associate?

Partner Lori Bean talks about what kind of work and client contact you can expect as a junior associate.  

Will I get a variety of work?

Associates talk about the broad and varied work that they have had exposure to.

Will I get meaningful work?

Partners Kathleen Werner and Tom Schulte talk about the kind of work you can expect as a summer law clerk, and the learning and development opportunities you will have at the firm.