Sheppard Mullin

Feeling lost in Big Law? Let this Sheppard guide you to a firm full of great development opportunities and a strong Cali culture.

About the Firm

Ever watched a show and thought two characters were just made for each other even before the writers seemingly did? We certainly have, as it’s not too dissimilar here at Chambers Associate when connecting students to the right law firm. Lots of firms say similar things to students, but you actually need the right alignment on culture, career development, and type of work, amongst others, to make the right match. And that doesn’t happen by accident!

“Every firm says they’re the best, right?” one insider reasoned, adding “but when I spoke to people that weren’t at the firm, but knew of it and could be honest, they said there’s a real emphasis on associate learning and investing in you long term.” This impression didn’t come from nowhere, as Sheppard’s Chief HR talent officer Bess Sully tells us a bit more about the ethos that underpins the firm’s culture: “You are not a number here, and you won't be treated like one. We set high expectations, but we also invest heavily in you, and we need that commitment in return.”

“I wanted more sophisticated clients and cases; Sheppard has that in spades.”

Indeed, since bursting out on the legal scene in California, Sheppard has since spread its Cali vibes far and wide with 12 offices and a further four abroad. That evolution has only bolstered the work on offer at the firm as one junior notes: “I wanted more sophisticated clients and cases; Sheppard has that in spades.” Our sister guide Chambers USA echoes that assessment with around 40 departments receiving accolades including litigation, general commercial, energy, corporate, healthcare, IP, and real estate.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Junior Satisfaction and The Elite for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey. The firm is also recognized as The Elite for Junior Satisfaction in Chicago, Texas, Northern California and Southern California specifically.

Summer Program

When our interviewees were placed on the firm’s summer program they bounced around a few practice groups. But times, they are a-changin, as new summers are locked into one practice area for the duration of the program. “You have to really know what you want to do before then,” one source explained, “that can be tough, but the firm wants committed people.” However, with the accelerated timing for recruitment, the firm may be more flexible with this moving forward.

Interviewees praised the substantive work on offer during the program as they highlighted the “opportunities to go to court and depositions and things like that.” There are social activities that are, of course, designed to “get to know both the firm and its people better.” In New York summers can enjoy a Broadway show, whilst those in San Francisco stretch their networks and their calves whilst they hike. Overall, the program is curated to set you up for associate life: “It’s a lot more about the work so you know what’s expected when you join.”

Strategy & Future

Sheppard’s overall incentive is less about expansion and growth, and more about solidifying its position on the board. “We focus on our clients and our people,” begins Sully, “that culture is part of the way the firm has grown out and grown up.” This approach has paid dividends internally as insiders felt “every year we’re doing better and better, and we’re becoming a more respected firm nationwide.”

One thing the firm is looking to tackle head-on is artificial intelligence and how it can impact the efficiency of attorneys and business services at Sheppard. “We have a chief knowledge and innovation officer leading the charge on how the firm is embedding AI in work and daily functions,” reveals Sully, showing they’re not shying away from what’s on the horizon, “We are launching a comprehensive AI leadership program that will touch all levels of the organization, challenging everyone to think about their roles, their work and the future through the lens of innovation.”

Read more from Bess Sully under the ‘Get Hired’ tab.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for AI Integration in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

The Work

Sheppard’s lean teams and small associate classes mean that associates are front and center from the start. “Once you start working with certain clients and partners, you’ll just continue to get sent work from them,” one junior explained, “it’s always really easy to get staffed here.”

On the occasions where that is not the case, the firm still has somewhat of a centralized backup as “we have a survey that monitors our workload over a three-month period.” This led insiders to feel work allocation was “associate driven” but with a safety net if required.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Work Allocation & Autonomy in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Career Development

If you want to know Sheppard’s approach to associate development, then “it all starts with how we recruit” as “our summer classes are so small that there’s an expectation they want you to stay long-term.” So, what’s a firm to do to keep its associates interested? For starters, first years are shipped off for a week-long bootcamp at one of the offices to learn the basics of their practice. They are also inducted into the New Lawyer Academy which focuses on their professional skills – essentially building the foundations for them to be a good associate. Training doesn’t stop upon their return with sessions on tech, litigation discovery, and giving depositions coming over the months that follow. “It all comes at a really timely point,” one interviewee beamed, “you often get that real hands-on experience not long after.”

The firm has a formal mentorship program in which juniors are assigned a partner and an associate mentor which insiders revealed that associates can switch out every year. “It’s very much on you to develop that relationship,” one source acknowledged, “I get enough mentorship informally to be honest.”

On that note, informal guidance seemed baked into this Sheppard’s pie with juniors praising the “time people take explaining things to me to make sure I understand everything is extremely helpful, it makes a huge difference.”

Though partnership wasn’t necessarily forefront of mind amongst the juniors we spoke to, it was something still pretty clear to them: “They’re very transparent about partnership, they’ve set out that path to us.” This path opens up in associates’ seventh year when they are given the opportunity to join the partnership college – a clear track to making partner. Another source emphasized a culture of openness around this, explaining that “while partnership isn’t a huge focus for juniors, you can ask any question and get an answer.”

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Career Development in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Hours & Compensation

Sheppard’s billable target has an assortment of buckets associates may pull from. Starting at 1,850 for client hours, the firm also has unlimited pro bono and 75 hours for training, recruiting, diversity and inclusion, and innovation. Most lauded was the 40 hours of “paid time off” which was known as the Unplug and Recharge time where associates can take some time off to prioritize their wellbeing. “I’m not going to be hurting for hours at all,” one insider buzzed, “it’s a very attainable target.”

To be eligible for the bonus, juniors have to hit 2,000 hours from that array, but they were pleased to report that first years have their hours pro-rated to their last six months to they are in for a shot of getting one. That being said, a fair few people don’t always make bonus but “as long as the work is being done, the firm is happy.”

With both the bonus and the salary being market rate, sources were pleased that their hours remained relatively flexible as “my group is very understanding, if I leave the office at 4pm, I’ll log back on at 7pm and that’s all okay.”

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

“The firm really embraces everyone’s unique quirks, and that contributes to the culture”

Insiders were eager to shoutout the “really tight bond” associates have with one another, adding that “the firm really does care about personalities, not just credentials.” How easy it is to talk to people came up more than once, with an environment that fosters collaboration and warmth. “The firm really embraces everyone’s unique quirks, and that contributes to the culture,” pondered one source, “it makes the workday a lot better!”

Social occasions were both associate led and firm organized with such occasions as taco Tuesdays, beer tasting, happy hours, holiday parties, 5k runs, and practice group retreats. “It’s all optional, but the opportunities to get together are there,” considered one interviewee.

We talked to juniors in a variety of offices including LA, DC, and New York and they all had their own song to sing when it came to their own office perks. LA-based attorneys were harping about their “completely renovated and brand new” office, but it was quietly competitive amongst sources over whose office reigned supreme. Such benefits included cold brew machines, gyms with stipend memberships, free food, and an in-house barista – “it’s like having a Starbucks without the need for bucks!” The in-office policy stood at three days a week, but most of our sources leaned closer to four or five so didn’t see it as much of an ask.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as The Elite for Culture in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Pro Bono

The firm has clear incentives in place to promote pro bono work as the firm mandates a 20-hour minimum for all associates with nothing but upside after that as there is no maximum to the number of pro bono hours one can bill. “You can do anything you want to do, and I’ve done plenty so far,” one source relayed, “all you need is a partner that will work with you and supervise you.”

Juniors spoke of a wide variety of matters on offer but highlighted immigration work as a clear standard bearer for the firm’s pro bono matters with other causes including disability rights, non-profits, criminal cases, prisoner rights, legal clinics, housing, and veterans work. Aside from the obvious moral implications and the driving billable motivation, sources also praised the work experience that pro bono provided. “You get more leeway to draft on pro bono,” one insider revealed, adding “it’s a really helpful learning experience.”

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Pro Bono in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Inclusion

Juniors felt that the firm fostered an inclusive environment and pointed to the wide array of affinity groups as the foremost example. “It helps put an emphasis on inclusion which is consistent with the culture here,” explained one source, adding that “they’re each open to everyone at the firm.” The groups include a Diversity & Inclusion Attorney Network, the Women Lawyers Group, Out at Sheppard, and Veteran’s at Sheppard. Associates also spoke of the events that each group puts on including lunches, firm-wide zoom calls, and annual retreats.