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Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering is a Washington, DC-based firm with strong ties to the city's power structure. The firm has represented a host of government agencies and two presidents and has an award-winning pro bono practice. Wilmer now has 350 attorneys in six offices (Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York, London, Brussels, and Berlin). Firm history: two Democrats and a ton of government agencies Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering was founded in 1962 in Washington with 19 lawyers. The firm soon established itself as a DC powerhouse and founding partner Lloyd Cutler has represented Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Another famous Wilmer partner is Kurt Schmoke, who joined the firm in December 1999 after serving three terms as mayor of Baltimore. Wilmer attorneys have continued the government service commitment, representing the World Bank, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the CIA, the National Security Counsel, the United States Air Force, the IRS, and the Department of the Treasury. A number of Wilmer partners have left the firm for senior positions in government agencies including the Department of Justice and the SEC. Wilmer government contacts extend beyond the federal level. In August 1999, the city of Atlanta selected Wilmer to be one of three firms advising it on a suit brought by the Southeast Legal Foundation, which alleged that the city's affirmative action program is unconstitutional. Partner John Payton, leader of the Atlanta team, represented the city of Richmond, Virginia in a similar suit, Richmond v. Croson, in 1989. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against Richmond, a landmark decision that has paved the way for more challenges to affirmative action programs. Corporate clients Of course, Wilmer doesn't just represent government agencies. The firm advises companies from a variety of industries in most corporate practice areas, including antitrust, bankruptcy, electronic commerce, employee benefits, international trade, and securities law. One antitrust client is Bayer A.G., whom Wilmer advised in the U.S. and Europe on its acquisition of Lyondell's plastics business. The firm is representing America Online in Europe in its merger with Time Warner. In another huge case, Wilmer filed a "friend of the court" brief in February 2000 on behalf of the Association for Competitive Technology, a computer industry trade group opposed to the antitrust suit against Microsoft. (The trade group has ties to Microsoft.) Moral controversy According to The Washington Post, in March 1999 Wilmer partners hotly debated a proposal to represent several German firms, including Siemens AG and Krupp AG, charged with using slave labor during World War II. The Post reported that a group of Wilmer partners and associates, including one associate whose grandfather was forced to work for one of the German companies, objected on moral grounds, saying such an association would soil the firm's name. The firm eventually decided to take the case, saying it could help broker an agreement similar to the one it had orchestrated on behalf of Swiss banks that held money belonging to Holocaust victims. The decision to represent the German companies was most likely based on a majority decision. Wilmer was cited by The Legal Times for giving all partners an equal say in firm business, unlike other firms that are moving toward leadership by a managing partner or an executive board. Swish! Wilmer also played a significant role in bringing Michael Jordan back to basketball. The firm represented Lincoln Holdings, a holding company that owns most of the NHL's Washington Capitals and a small stake in the NBA's Washington Wizards, when the teams owners were trying to convince the basketball legend to buy a piece of the teams. Other Wilmer clients from the sports world include the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the team's owner, Jerry Jones. Landmark pro bono The firm is also well known for its work in the pro bono arena. In 1982 it successfully represented the NAACP against a Mississippi hardware company which claimed that the NAACP's boycott violated antitrust laws. The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware that the boycott was protected speech. Share the wealth Going against the trend among DC firms of adopting discretionary pay scales for associates, Wilmer is staying fast to its policy of lockstep compensation. (Fearing competition between lawyers and between different departments, the firm organizes its partner compensation in similar lockstep fashion.) In lieu of the large bonuses offered at rival firms, Wilmer instituted a profit-sharing plan in 1999 for associates with two or more years of service. Mid-level associates were well-rewarded for their loyalty - third- and fourth-years received a bonus of $11,600 on top of their base salaries while associates with five or more years of service got twice that sum.
Not as tough as they used to be Wilmer has traditionally been one of the most selective firms in terms of hiring. But "because WCP is seeking to expand, it seems that it may be easier now to get hired than it once was," says one source. "In particular, we are taking more people who did not clerk. However, I still think that the associates are top-quality." Most insiders concur that while "there is a grade cutoff that slides up or down depending on where you went to school," it is much easier to get into Wilmer than in the past. Corporate attorneys specifically are in high demand. "Most associates still have very good academic credentials, but corporate associates are often an exception," says another contact. Also, "some securities associates with only so-so credentials get in if they have useful experience, like time spent at the SEC." The interview: "it's more of a chat" The hiring process begins with a screening interview. Those making the cut will hear within a week and move on to the next round of half-day interviews with four to six attorneys, both partners and associates. Interviews last around half an hour each and will usually connect candidates with attorneys in a substantive area of interest. Candidates can expect to hear from the firm within seven to 10 days. The firm insists that those receiving an offer are under no deadline to make a decision. "It's more of a chat," says one Wilmer insider about the firm's interviews. "I've never heard of any questions about substantive law or anything like that." That insider explains: "Generally we'll only bring in people with superior resumes, so the interview is really just to see how they interact." Another agrees and adds that there should be "no sense of being grilled or tested." Accordingly, Wilmer associates generally will go through the candidate's resume and pick out things that look interesting. Laterals should expect to discuss their prior legal experiences and "what they're interested in, what they're looking for." Note that discussion of substantive issues of law will likely appear in the lunch following a morning of interviews. Says one contact: "That kind of thing frequently comes up during the lunch interview, say, if a student has just worked on a law review article or done some research for a professor. I would say there's a 50/50 chance you'll talk about something like that during lunch conversation, although it's generally pretty casual."
Well-rounded Wilmer Wilmer associates tend to agree on the firm's culture. The words "relaxed," "friendly," and "casual" come up repeatedly. "Lawyers at the firm are fairly well-rounded people," says one associate. "The lawyers here generally don't pigeonhole associates. Also, the firm is not competitive internally, probably because our pay scale still isn't linked that strongly to hours." Another contact says that "the firm remains an intellectual environment as opposed to a fire-breathing frat house. As a consequence of the great success of the securities enforcement and litigation practice [however], the older, genteel culture is gradually being supplanted by a more aggressive culture that requires longer hours and encourages less intellectual rumination." Long partner memories While Wilmer associates report a friendly environment, some criticize the firm's organizational structure. "In terms of partner-associate relations, the firm is extremely hierarchical," one insider reports. "Senior associates do not run cases and do not supervise other associates." Additionally, because of the firm's historical commitment to recruiting top candidates, Wilmer can be "nerdy" or "academic," say insiders. "Many Wilmer partners, especially the homegrown ones, see themselves as intellectuals," says one contact. "In terms of workload, they are usually attentive to detail. When an associate makes a mistake, partners remember - forever."
Good pay, better bonus structure Wilmer associates report being pleased with their pay. The firm avoided the bad feelings that surfaced at other firms regarding associate raises. "I like the way Wilmer handled the recent pay raises, both by seeking associate input and by keeping the billable minimum very reasonable - 1,800 hours - and including pro bono hours in the 1,950 required for a bonus," one source says. The bonus structure is especially well-received. "[Wilmer's] unique bonus structure allows high compensation with low billable requirements," says one insider. Recent bonuses were $15,000 for at least 1,800 hours and longevity bonuses can be expected after two years. Try your luck at the raffle "There are many opportunities for sports tickets, discounted gym membership, weekly [socials] and meals when you're here past 8 p.m.," reports a Wilmer associate. The tickets, notes one source, "are raffled off and are extremely hard to win - I have never won yet." Summer associates seem to get the best of the social events. "The summer events are fantastic," says one associate. If you're happy and you know it, you probably work at Wilmer "No job is ideal. This one has its good and bad points but as far as law firms go it is pretty good," one insider says in what can only be construed as a compliment in the legal industry. In all seriousness, Wilmer lawyers seem to be more satisfied than those at other firms. "Big firm life does not get better," says one insider. Wilmer insiders seem most pleased with the quality of the firm - in terms of both the clients and the attorneys. "The partners are very intelligent and very nice to associates," one contact says. "The work is also great." Another attorney raves that "I have all the benefits that I looked for in a small firm - a high level of responsibility and constant work with clients - coupled with the resources of a major firm." One associate chose Wilmer because he "wanted exposure to cases with social (rather than just monetary) consequences. I have found that at Wilmer." Another lawyer chose the firm "because I liked the people and the kind of work they do and [because] they have a 'free market' system for distributing work."
Cheryl B. Shigo Lawyer Recruitment Administrator (202) 663-6368
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