Kirkland & Ellis LLP

"You will be treated like you're less competent and less talented than your male peers, and often will be treated as though you're a paralegal/secretary or more junior associate. There's an "old boys" club atmosphere that is hard to escape - the male partners tend to do lunch with and utilize/promote the male associates more, there are inappropriate jokes and comments made (especially by the male partners), and there was more than one unofficial event at a burlesque bar when I was there. Maternity leave and vacation/sick time is generous, but it seems frowned upon to use it. Most of the men have stay-at home wives (and many partners are on their second or third marriage), so there's generally a lack of understanding and compassion if you have a child-related issue. The men brag about missing the birth of their kids and the few women who stick around tend not to have families or contribute the the workaholic/anti-family culture by doing crazy things like traveling to trial 2 weeks before their due dates or sending briefs a day after giving birth."

"I've worked here for 3 years and there are a lot of female associates but almost no female corporate partners. The Company says that it is a meritocracy, which I agree with and believe is the right way to reward people, but the industry and business model do not allow for women to "do both" - be successful at home and successful on the job. Senior partners have stuck their head in the sand on this matter. Women who take maternity leave are essentially expected to quit after they come back. There is no real possibility to come back part time from what I've heard. Ultimately, the billable hour plays such a critical role in a person's success (even at associate levels) that it almost entirely stands in the way of women making partner if they choose to try to be "successful" at home."

"You will work long hours with little to no prospect of promotion. You will be tone-policed by your supervisor if you advocate for yourself and your career. You will watch male supervisors comment on a female attorney's body in front of an entire room of staff. You will watch your male colleagues, with less education and less experience, get paid more than you and promoted faster, even though you're on the same case and doing the same work (and even though your supervisors remark on how much more competent an employee you are)."

"The firm does have good policies when it comes to flex time and maternity leave. That said, the advancement of female attorneys pales in comparison to their male counterparts, and the culture as a whole seems more inviting to men than women. However, I'm unsure to what extent this firm is worse than others in this regard."

"Long hours. Lots of resources. Hard-working people."