Axinn

As specialists in all things litigation, DC’s Axinn offers a compact team and mAXImal salary package…

About the Firm

In all walks of life, being a trendsetter is worth bragging about. But, as most readers will be aware, salary scales in BigLaw are a particularly BigDeal. In 2025, Axinn raised its salary scale to $250,000 for first year associates while simultaneously adjusting its compensation model so that associates receive a market-rate base level bonus with the potential to earn considerably more on top.

That earning potential makes sense when you know what kind of firm Axinn is - specializing in litigation, antitrust and intellectual property, one of the big draws of Axinn is the combination of a compact team with the prestige of an impressive client roster. As one associate put it: “It’s a boutique firm that has the same clientele as the BigLaw firms.”

“…when you’re getting exposed to a lot of really great experiences, usually at a high volume, it’s truly the best…”

“I don’t know any of my friends at law school who are in litigation and are having the number of opportunities that I am,” one told us, “when you’re getting exposed to a lot of really great experiences, usually at a high volume, its truly the best. It’s a huge differentiator from other firms.”

This caliber of work is echoed in both Chambers USA and Chambers Global rankings, where the firm receives recognition for its antitrust work in California, DC and New York (the latter a top-tier nod), as well as top intellectual property and general commercial litigation rankings in Connecticut. Anchored in the capital, this national firm calls Washington, DC home, with further offices in Hartford, San Francisco, and New York.

Axinn is recognized as a Strong Performer for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Summer Program

Getting substantive work as a summer associate can be a bit of a lottery, but associates were quick to point out that it’s something of a priority at Axinn. One told us that, “you actually make a contribution and a difference,” while another added, “summers get added to case teams the same way a first year would,” which is the most surefire way to prepare for real life at the firm. “Sometimes, summer associates spend their summer getting wined and dined, without doing substantive work,” one associate at the firm explained, “whereas our summers get a true experience of the type of work and the amount. There’s no sticker shock, they know what to expect.” This included plenty of legal research and writing memos. We heard that there are a number of social events that give summers a chance to get to know each other, including tours of the local area, yoga, and pizza-making classes!

Strategy & Future

As Axinn’s managing partner Jeny Maier highlights, “our teams are intensely collaborative; we bring in people at all levels who are exceptional at what they do. We empower our associates to contribute from day one.” For Maier, this translates to opportunities for a fresh generation of lawyers to make a difference and contribute, and “that’s something we expect, value, and want to see.”

Also on Axinn’s radar is how the firm can best make use of the development in AI: “Axinn has been investing in deliberately working to develop our AI capabilities; we do that in a way that is secure and truly designed to strengthen our ability to deliver the highest quality legal work,” said Maier.

The idea, Maier adds, is for the technology to do some of the grunt work that paves the way for a lawyer’s technical expertise: “it’s certainly not a replacement for good legal judgment.”

Read more from Jeny Maier under the 'Get Hired' tab.

The Work

The general consensus was that work allocation isn’t a uniform process. Each group has two staffing coordinators who will often assign an associate their early tasks, but this evolves over time and partners will reach out to associates directly: “I was staffed on cases by the head of my practice group, and other partners I had worked with came into my office and said: ‘Hey, we need your skills on this case’.” Axinn’s antitrust group takes on the largest number of junior associates, with the remainder split between intellectual property and litigation.

“Here it’s less about your rank and more about what you’re competent enough to do, I’ve been bought into things that usually seniors are handling.”

Career Development

“You could go to a big firm where you get lost in the shuffle or come here where you get substantive responsibility on the first day,” said one source. This was the consensus from all interviewees at Axinn too. “A lot of firms start to invest in professional development when associates are older and further in their career, and Axinn does a good job of opening things up early,” echoed another.

Axinn offers formal programs that are geared towards personal development, and associates described getting involved in part of pitches directly with clients, writing and research training, deposition training and hearing training.

While most associates praised these programs, they all discussed finding the informal prompt sessions more useful, “a lot of classroom-style stuff wouldn’t cut it for me, the on the go training is great.” Junior associates are paired with an associate and partner mentor who are always available to advise associates on areas they feel less confident in.

Hours & Compensation

“Business is booming and those targets aren’t hard to hit.”

As you’ll often find in a career in law, associates did feel that that their schedule could be both demanding and rewarding: “Business is booming and those targets aren’t hard to hit.” Alongside the 2,000 billable hours requirement, associates can dedicate 150 non-billable hours towards development, pro bono, CLE’s, training, writing and presentations.

In antitrust and litigation, where practice groups are larger, meeting the requirement is rarely an issue. However, in the smaller IP group, some associates said it can be challenging to reach the target at times.

Associates typically work nine hour days, though 15-hour stints aren’t uncommon when matters heat up: “I didn’t expect the hours to be as heavy as they have been,” one source told us. However, those intense periods rarely last more than a month, and we heard that peers step in when it gets overwhelming.

“People here genuinely care, they check in on you and recognize that you’re working heavy hours,” one associate explained. The firm’s recent salary increase, at the time of writing positioning the firm above market, was well-received. “It’s a huge drive for associates” said one interviewee.

Axinn is recognized as a Strong Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

According to one associate, a lot of Axinn’s culture is built on longevity: “It’s not a place for people who want to get a paycheck and move on to other things, everyone is here for the long run.”

Associates defined the general culture as being open and having a sense of togetherness. When discussing the dynamic between juniors and seniors, associates were quick to mention how everyone is approachable, one added that “I think every firm has a degree of hierarchy in the structure, but at Axinn, it’s a little more deconstructive than other firms.” Associates are allowed to work from home two days a week and are required to self-report when in the office.

Regarding the NY office, associates explained that it has adopted a flexi style, allowing associates to work in communal areas of the firm if they wish; “it all feels open and available” said one source.

Pro Bono

Those we spoke to agreed that there was plenty by way of pro bono on offer at Axinn, covering work on prisoner rights, custody, asylum, veterans and LGBTQ+ matters. We heard that almost 80% of associates at the firm partake in pro bono cases, as one source surmised, “even though you could take on more pro bono cases, the 150 hours cap limits how much a lot of people do as you don’t get credited for anything after that,” though plenty do move beyond this.

A weekly email is sent around to associates to sign up to matters, and there is a pro bono tracker which contains a list of all ongoing ones as well.

Inclusion

Associates felt that “the firm makes a pretty big effort for affinity groups,” groups which include a Women’s Initiative group, African-American, Black Lawyers, Jewish and a Pacific Islander’s group. As one associate put it: “They are active and meet frequently” adding that “all committees are open to everyone.” Sources also praised how the firm provides associates with funding for sponsorship towards creating affinity groups.