We attract elite talent who share an insatiable intellectual curiosity. This makes Irell a fantastic place to hone your craft: the pace is fast, the stakes are high and creativity is highly valued.
Working at Irell
Our lawyers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, but share a common passion for excellence. When you join our team, you will find yourself among a group of smart, creative professionals dedicated to creating the most innovative solutions for our clients.
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Real Trial Experience
Irell associates work on trials early and often. Thanks to our lean staffing model, every litigation team includes junior associates in substantive roles, from strategic planning all the way through trial. It is not uncommon for our newer lawyers to go head-to-head with opposing counsel.
Client Contact
You will be involved directly with clients from day one. In fact, we expect our junior associates to meet with clients face-to-face, take calls and handle depositions.
Fast Track to Partnership
We have a very short partnership track—typically just seven years.
Collegial, Not Hierarchical
Due to our highly selective hiring practices, we have a relatively low ratio of associates to partners, which fosters early responsibility for associates. We focus on staffing matters so that associates work directly with partners and clients, rather than through the layers of intermediaries that are inevitable in many large firms. Associates are encouraged to join committees and play a critical role in helping shape firm policy.
A Collaborative Culture
We offer a collaborative work environment where cases are typically staffed by small, interdisciplinary teams of three to six lawyers, which typically include a senior partner. This gives junior associates great insights into the thinking of senior lawyers as well as regular professional feedback on their own work.
Pro Bono Opportunities Abound
Our Pro Bono Committee helps match associates with opportunities to fulfill their passions—and pro bono hours for associates are counted equally with client billable hours. Associates are involved in a broad array of pro bono matters that range from domestic violence to mortgage fraud, actions against slumlords and landmark social justice cases.
Ongoing Training Opportunities
We believe that associates learn the most through hands-on participation, which is why we add them to trial teams soon after they join the firm. In addition to our commitment to early responsibility, we provide a weekend retreat for all new associates and a series of ongoing education and training opportunities, including deposition training, litigation workshops and lunch seminars on issues and best practices for working with clients.
A Great Place to Work
Although we are competitive with larger firms, we operate like a small firm and boast a relaxed, collegial work environment. Many of our staff and partners have been with the firm for decades. Children and significant others are invited to firm events, and we enjoy the bonding that takes place each year among the firm’s extended family.
Competitive Compensation
Associate salaries at Irell are highly competitive. Our base annual salary for first-year associates is currently $225,000, plus a bonus for judicial clerkships.
Hear from Our Lawyers
“As a new lawyer, I’m so grateful to work at a firm that has given me the opportunity to contribute substantively from day one, while also receiving invaluable mentorship and guidance. The balance of responsibility and support empowers me to grow professionally, learn from seasoned experts and truly make a difference.”
Emily Risdon
Newport Beach
“On every team I have been a part of I have felt like a valued member and been trusted with important substantive tasks—from drafting dispositive motions and deposing expert witnesses in discovery, to taking witness examinations at trial. I have always been given the freedom to find my own voice as an attorney, while also being given the training and guidance to succeed.”
Jordan Nafekh
Los Angeles
“The attorneys are serious about the work, while leaving space for fun activities and allowing folks to show up as their full selves in the office. The work is dynamic, and I appreciate being involved in substantive tasks; however, the best part of the job is getting to work with brilliant, driven and respectful colleagues who are patient and encouraging while I am learning so much at the start of my career.”
Taylor Hatridge
Washington, DC
Our summer program offers law students meaningful, hands-on experience working alongside our lawyers on substantive matters while gaining insight into the culture and practice of the firm.
