Greenberg Traurig

I see palm trees of Green, 15 overseas offices too. Greenberg Traurig has brought a little bit of the magic city with it worldwide.

About the Firm

On its website, the firm has a bit of fun with its own initials, playfully reframing ‘GT’ as standing for ‘go-to.’ It’s a neat summary of the brand: unmistakably BigLaw, but with personality. As one associate put it, “culturally it’s not what you’d expect at a Big Law firm.” Despite its size and international reach, insiders described Greenberg Traurig as having a small firm feel, with each office feeling very different from the next, and we heard junior associates are often granted more autonomy than you might expect. With roughly 3,100 attorneys across 51 offices worldwide, GT’s largest offices remain in the US, particularly in Miami (where it all began), New York and Chicago.

“It’s a good place for people who want to take their career by the reigns.”

The firm prides itself on its entrepreneurial flair and takes a modern approach to business and “on-the-ground” decision-making. Partners are referred to as ‘shareholders’ – a subtle nod towards how the firm thinks about each lawyer’s place in the firm’s management and direction. At the associate level, insiders explained that this translates into a high level of partner interaction and real client exposure: “Matters tend to be staffed quite leanly in my practice,” one junior litigation associate explained, leading to “a lot of great experience early on. I’ve attended strategy meetings and done a lot of client-facing work on some matters that are really important.” As another neatly summarized: “With GT you can make of it what you want. It’s a good place for people who want to take their career by the reigns.”

Real estate is something of a speciality at Greenberg Traurig, with top Chambers USA rankings in Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Texas and nationwide. There are further top-tier nods in areas like government contracts, leisure and hospitality, and retail US-wide, alongside praise for the firm’s work in sectors such as energy, healthcare, space, transportation and public finance. Chambers Global flags its cross-border reach in both transactional and disputes practices. For juniors eyeing a global platform with fewer layers and a smaller firm feel, GT aims to be exactly what its nickname suggests: a go-to.

Summer Program

The summer program at GT provides summer associates with an introduction to the firm’s tech and file management systems, “it meant that when I joined as an associate there was less to figure out on the spot under pressure. I felt less intimidated when I started a year later because I’d done a lot of the things already and it felt more familiar.” The firm puts on a number of social events from ping-pong tournaments to cooking classes, sporting events and a boat tour: “I’d say make the most of everything that’s offered, both the work and the social side,” one associate told us, “they’re a great way to build relationships and feel part of the firm early on.”

Strategy & Future

Greenberg Traurig has positioned itself to keep pace with rapid technological change, and that message doesn’t seem to just be marketing gloss. While the firm’s ‘Adapt. Act. Advance.’ mantra is front and center on its website, associates say it rings true internally. One junior associate told us that the firm “places a lot of emphasis on embracing AI” by “being ahead of the curve and at the cutting edge of new developments.” This translated to a lot of AI training sessions, and we heard that 25 hours of AI training count towards associates’ billable hours target.

“We’re encouraged to go out and network and brand ourselves as the next generation of specialists in the legal industry…”

At the associate level, juniors are also encouraged to think beyond their immediate workload. Interviewees spoke about being brought into business development early, with a focus on networking and personal branding: “We’re encouraged to go out and network and brand ourselves as the next generation of specialists in the legal industry,” one associate explained. While shareholders still lead client development, the general consensus was that juniors are given a front–row seat to how the firm grows, and how they might contribute to that growth over time.

The Work

A significant portion of junior associates are concentrated in the firm’s areas of strength - practices like real estate, corporate and litigation. Work allocation varies by team, but most juniors reported receiving work directly from partners rather than through a formal staffing system. Several saw this as a plus. One noted the benefits of partner-led staffing: “A centralized system can’t always see the stage you’re at with work.” As a result, proactive associates tend to thrive, as “you’re definitely encouraged to reach out to people for work.”

Career Development

Associates at GT described a career development system that combines formal training with learning through day-to-day work. Junior associates are paired with mid-level or senior mentors, and most interviewees said that while the structure is helpful, much of their development still comes from asking questions and seeking guidance as needed: “People are open to helping you if you ask for more guidance,” one associate noted, adding that the steady level of support has the result that: “the day-to-day feels very consistent and very good for long-term growth,” especially for those who appreciate a steady development path rather than being “thrown in the deep end.”

“…the day–to–day feels very consistent and very good for long–term growth…”

Training programs received broadly positive feedback. “I’ve been really impressed by the training,” one associate remarked. A lateral associate pointed to early participation in a litigation skills academy where partners were directly involved in coaching. Others mentioned business-development sessions that provided pragmatic tips on building a practice. These more formal components sit alongside significant early exposure to client work: we heard that juniors often attend strategy discussions and are entrusted with responsibilities that give them insight into how matters progress.

Associates noted that progression at the firm is fairly transparent. The path to partnership is competitive at any law firm, but some associates told us that GT discusses it during firmwide calls. As one corporate junior explained: “There’s no guide that they send you, but you can really piece it together through talking to people.” Others highlighted that the firm “tries to make it as straightforward as possible,” with mentorship systems and opportunities to demonstrate growth. Longevity among senior lawyers also stood out to some associates. One noted that the partner they worked with has been at the firm for three decades, and their predecessor for just as long.

Hours & Compensation

From what we gathered in interviews, Greenberg Traurig expects associates to step up during busy transactional periods or litigation cycles. That said, associates consistently pointed to a degree of flexibility around how those hours are worked. “There is a general expectation to be in the office, but there’s a lot of flexibility if you need to leave early or come in late,” one junior explained. Generally speaking, associates described hours similar to “9am to 6 or 7ish,” with an hour or so added on to the end of the day during busier periods.

We heard the exact pay structure varies from office to office, but “they are up front about compensation and what it takes to be elevated. They go through it on firmwide calls.”

Culture

As anyone only half listening in a Zoom meeting will tell you, it’s all about balance: “Everyone’s really friendly and ambitious, and it’s a good balance of the two,” one associate explained, “it’s definitely not like the horror stories you hear about at other big firms.” In fact, associates relayed that colleagues at the firm enjoy spending time together.

“I wish I’d had the opportunity to do this as a 1L!”

As you might expect from a firm of its size, we heard that the exact culture at GT can be very office specific: “Every office is its own firm in a way,”one associate explained, “because there are so many offices and they let each office determine what is best for itself.” Some associates described being expected to be in the office five days a week, while some reported more flexible hybrid working policies. People all had very positive things to say about the culture though. One associate, when asked if it was easy to make friends at the firm, said “definitely 100%. It’s the most wonderful place I’ve ever worked.” Many described busy social calendars, with associate happy hours, Thanksgiving lunches, ugly sweater contests, and regular outreach events, including initiatives aimed at connecting with law students across the firm. As one lateral put it, “I wish I’d had the opportunity to do this as a 1L!”

Pro Bono

Juniors are encouraged to get stuck in to pro bono matters early at GT. There is a 25 hour requirement and up to 100 hours can be included as billables. As one associate told us: “You’re definitely encouraged to do pro bono work. We constantly have people reach out to us, and the shareholders are connected to non-profits.” While pro bono opportunities are widely available, associates also have the freedom to shape their own experience, where being proactive and taking initiative comes in handy. Assignments are “up to the associate,” and the group “would be happy for you to take something on your own initiative but you do have to seek that out for yourself.”

“You’re definitely encouraged to do pro bono work. We constantly have people reach out to us, and the shareholders are connected to non-profits.”

That said, prospective associates never have to worry about being left entirely to their own devices: “You go to a supervising shareholder,” one associate explained, “which is nice because they provide a mechanism to get involved.”

Inclusion

As one associate put it: “It does feel like a culturally diverse workplace which is important.” The firm’s survey data provides some context, with a significant percentage of lateral hires from the last five years being women or diverse attorneys. The firm also has several affinity groups which are open to all lawyers at the firm.