What do we mean when we talk about "the Jones Day way"? We mean a set of practices and attitudes about our work, our clients, and ourselves that lets us deliver better service to our clients, eliminate the rivalries and competition that often arise in large law firms, and facilitate the development of our lawyers. It's a philosophy of legal practice that we believe sets us apart from our peer firms. And it's the primary reason Jones Day was rated "Number One for Client Service" by the BTI Consulting Group in three of the last five years, was the most-mentioned law firm in Corporate Counsel's 2005 survey of "Who Represents America's Biggest Companies" and in 2009 was the second most admired law firm according to more than 4,000 corporate directors who took part in a FTI Consulting/Corporate Board Member survey. Broadly speaking, the Jones Day way means six things:"One Firm Worldwide." Jones Day is not a constellation of individual offices and practices, but rather a unified firm working together to deliver coordinated legal services to our clients in the most effective, efficient way possible. Clients do not "belong" to individual Partners, or even particular offices or practices. Rather, every client is a client of the Firm, and we draw on the legal resources best suited to address the client's problems, wherever they are located in the Firm. In addition, we operate as a single profit center, meaning that the success of each office in any given year depends on the strength of the Firm as a whole. Our structure fosters a culture of teamwork and discourages competition among offices and lawyers.One Managing Partner. Jones Day was decades ahead of its time in giving overall responsibility for the Firm's direction to a single Managing Partner, rather than having the Partners vote on all matters of Firm strategy and governance. While the increasing size of modern firms has prompted many of them to follow our lead in adopting a "CEO" structure, Jones Day was already there in 1913. Since then, seven Managing Partners have led the Firm's transformation to a national and then global firm, providing a steady, coherent strategic vision for our progress. With 32 offices worldwide, more than $1 billion in annual revenues, and a blue-chip client list, we think the results speak for themselves.No branch offices. Because we are completely integrated, we have no "branch" or "satellite" offices and no headquarters. While we take great pride in our Cleveland roots, the fact is that Jones Day was one of the first firms to expand beyond a single state, opening our Washington Office in 1946. The two principal governing committees that advise the Managing Partner-the Advisory Committee and the Partnership Committee-consist of lawyers from nearly every Jones Day office, and the lawyers who lead our 22 practices are similarly spread across the Firm. This Firmwide orientation helps us better serve our clients and focus more strategically and effectively on the development of the Firm.Compensation and confidentiality. Many firms still operate under some version of the "eat what you kill" approach, in which partner compensation is tied closely to business development, with complicated formulas based on "client origination". Not Jones Day. We recognize that Partners and associates alike contribute to the Firm in a variety of ways, and our lawyers are compensated according to their overall contributions. At the same time, our lawyers honor a culture of discretion about matters related to compensation; unlike other firms, we do not publish each lawyer's billable hours and compensation for the entire Firm to see. By keeping compensation matters private, we avoid the jealousies and rivalries that can arise from a zero-sum spoils system based on client credit.A culture of respect. The Firm characteristics described above attract a particular kind of lawyer to Jones Day. We seek lawyers who are concerned not with maximizing their individual position in the Firm, but with delivering the best service possible to our clients, with colleagues whom they value and respect. These lawyers take great pride in their work, they lack pretension, and they show respect and consideration to everyone in the Firm-Partners, associates, and staff alike.Time to explore. Jones Day has long recognized that many new lawyers coming out of law school remain uncertain of which particular practice area they want to pursue. In addition, like all relationships, we believe it takes some time for an individual to find the best personal fit within the Firm. Moreover, we believe that the variety of exposures a lawyer can encounter during his or her first year at the Firm provides valuable experience and makes that lawyer more well rounded. Accordingly, in 1981 Jones Day created the New Lawyers Group ("NLG"), which provides our newest lawyers with the opportunity to gain exposure to different practice areas and lawyering styles before making a commitment to a specific practice. All lawyers joining our domestic offices from law school – and judicial clerks, at their election – become members of the New Lawyers Group for about a year before joining a practice group. Please select an office location to learn more.What does all this mean for a new lawyer? It means that, consistent with our culture of teamwork and mutual support, you will work on teams that span multiple offices and practices, guaranteeing exposure to a variety of lawyers and different styles of practice. It means that the success of your particular office will depend not on the cycles of the local economy, but on the success of a fully integrated, global law firm with remarkable stability.
Jones Day offers experienced lawyers a superior platform from which to develop their practices. Our global footprint has always attracted lawyers whose practices have outgrown firms with more limited visions and resources. And our innovative "One Firm Worldwide" concept to client service attracts lawyers searching for a more client-focused, collegial and team-oriented environment in which to practice.
At Jones Day, you have the opportunity to be part of a Firm that has repeatedly earned the No. 1 ranking for client service by the BTI Consulting Group, an award that is based on survey results from Fortune 1000 corporate counsel. We received that award yet again in 2009. And since the award's inception, Jones Day is the only firm to have earned the top ranking multiple times, and has never been out of the top five. We are proud of our unwavering commitment to client service, and expect our newly-hired lawyers to share our dedication.
We recognize that changing firms or positions is an extremely difficult decision and, accordingly, we make every effort to assure that our new lawyers are comfortable in their new surroundings. We not only teach them our traditions of client service, but we actively integrate them into the Firm and individual practice groups. After all, our One Firm Worldwide concept depends on effectively integrating all of our attorneys -- from the new law school graduate to the most-experienced lateral partner. In a survey on lateral satisfaction conducted by the international attorney search firm, Major, Lindsey & Africa, Jones Day was cited among the best law firms overall in successfully integrating new lateral partners. Read more about it here.
Depending on the specific needs of our offices and practice areas, we hire accomplished attorneys at various levels of experience. And we always welcome inquiries from lawyers who share our commitment to client service. To learn more about the services we provide, view our areas of practice. If you are interested in joining us, please make an on-line inquiry through our Current Opportunities page, or contact the Hiring Partner at one of our 32 locations throughout the world.
Your development into an exceptional lawyer is a journey, not a destination. That journey starts the first day you walk in the door at Jones Day and will continue throughout your career. Whether during your Summer Associate summer, your earlier years at the Firm, or later in your career at Jones Day, the professional development and training opportunities available to you are unparalleled.
Informal TrainingDespite the merits of formalized CLE and other training programs, for most of our lawyers the best and most effective training comes from their daily interactions with their peers. Whether its drafting a deal document, taking a deposition or trying a case, the opportunity to do your best work and then receive constructive criticism from a more experienced colleague offers unparalleled benefits to your professional development. You will learn how to write more concisely, ask questions more clearly, organize a brief better and make arguments more persuasively. The immense skill set of our lawyers is truly a rare asset and one that makes each of us better.
Formal TrainingIn addition to the daily interactions and development noted above, the Firm also boasts an extensive slate of formal training activities. These formal trainings include:
Associate Development ProgramJones Day’s investment in its attorneys is not limited to training programs. As a supplement to our training efforts, the Firm implemented the Associate Development Program which is designed to promote thoughtful career planning and structured career development. The central component of the program is participation by each Associate in personalized, one-on-one conferences with practice leaders in which he or she can set long and short-term goals and develop an action plan to achieve them.
MentorshipWe recognize that there is no substitute for the direct and sustained involvement of our senior lawyers in assisting more junior lawyers in managing and developing their careers. Towards this end, each office maintains a mentorship program. In most instances, each Associate is paired with at least two mentors. One who is a more senior Associate and one who is a Partner. The aim is to provide two avenues for the Associate to raise concerns or ask questions, and to provide two distinct perspectives to that Associate based upon the experience, practice and perspective of the mentor lawyers.
Annual ReviewsA final component to our development program is the annual review process in which each Associate is given detailed feedback on his or her performance throughout the past year by the senior lawyers who have supervised the Associate’s work. Each supervising lawyer prepares a written evaluation of the Associate, focusing on strengths, weaknesses, and suggested areas for improvement. The evaluations are discussed with the associate at the end of the year and are used in determining compensation for the following year. At this time, specific development opportunities are formulated for the coming year based upon combined input from the supervising lawyers and the Associate.
Consistent with its position as a premier global law firm, Jones Day offers competitive salary packages by individual geographic market. Associate compensation for lawyers at Jones Day is reviewed annually in connection with our evaluation process. Salary determinations are based upon merit, considering an individual's total contribution to the Firm, individual development and effectiveness.BenefitsApproved Leave. The Firm provides four weeks of vacation and a reasonable amount of sick leave per year. Vacation days are pro-rated if the employee begins late in the year.Back-up Child Care. The Firm provides backup child care in the event that the regular care-giver is not available. A nominal daily charge may be required.Bar Expenses. The Firm pays for Bar review courses and the Bar Exam fees associated with becoming admitted in the jurisdiction in which the associate will practice. These payments are in addition to the summer living stipend.Blackberry. The Firm will reimburse the monthly fee and up to $200 to cover the costs of a blackberry device. Associates are eligible for a replacement device every 24 months. Part-time/Flex-time. A variety of flexible and part-time arrangements are available to meet the needs of individual lawyers. Associates may propose a part-time arrangement, and such arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis.Professional Association Membership. The Firm pays the annual dues for the primary State Bar membership and for one local bar association.Professional Development/CLE. The Firm offers a variety of in-house courses which are pre-approved to meet mandatory CLE requirements and also reimburses for certain outside seminar expenses.Relocation. Reasonable moving and travel expenses are covered for incoming associates who live more than 50 miles from the office.Summer Living Stipend. In addition to other payments and reimbursements, the Firm pays a stipend to assist with living costs for recent graduates who are sitting for the Bar Exam.Paid Medical, Maternity and Family Leave. The Firm provides salary continuation in the event of a major illness or medical condition, including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, as follows: full salary and benefits for up to the first 13 weeks of continuous disability and 75% of salary and full benefits for up to the 14th through 26th weeks of continuous disability. For routine childbirth (including cesarean-section births), the Firm will assume an eight-week disability period, unless we are notified that the Associate is disabled for a longer period. Further, in the event an Associate has a newborn or newly adopted child, or a child with a serious illness or medical condition that necessitates the Associate's absence from the office to care for the child, the Firm provides up to four weeks of paid family leave with fringe benefits continuing as though actively at work. Thus the available leave for routine childbirth generally includes an eight-week paid medical leave and a four-week paid family leave, for a total of twelve weeks paid leave, and with approval, up to an additional 12 weeks of unpaid leave with benefits continued at the Associate's expense.
INSURANCE AND OTHER BENEFITS:
Approved Leave. The Firm provides four weeks of vacation and a reasonable amount of sick leave per year. Vacation days are pro-rated if the employee begins late in the year.Back-up Child Care. The Firm provides backup child care in the event that the regular care-giver is not available. A nominal daily charge may be required.Bar Expenses. The Firm pays for Bar review courses and the Bar Exam fees associated with becoming admitted in the jurisdiction in which the associate will practice. These payments are in addition to the summer living stipend.Blackberry. The Firm will reimburse the monthly fee and up to $200 to cover the costs of a blackberry device. Associates are eligible for a replacement device every 24 months.
Dress Code. The expectation as to appropriate work attire varies by office.
Part-time/Flex-time. A variety of flexible and part-time arrangements are available to meet the needs of individual lawyers. Associates may propose a part-time arrangement, and such arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Professional Association Membership. The Firm pays the annual dues for the primary State Bar membership and for one local bar association.
Professional Development/CLE. The Firm offers a variety of in-house courses which are pre-approved to meet mandatory CLE requirements and also reimburses for certain outside seminar expenses.
Relocation. Reasonable moving and travel expenses are covered for incoming associates who live more than 50 miles from the office.
Summer Living Stipend. In addition to other payments and reimbursements, the Firm pays a stipend to assist with living costs for recent graduates who are sitting for the Bar Exam.
Paid Medical, Maternity and Family Leave. The Firm provides salary continuation in the event of a major illness or medical condition, including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, as follows: full salary and benefits for up to the first 13 weeks of continuous disability and 75% of salary and full benefits for up to the 14th through 26th weeks of continuous disability. For routine childbirth (including cesarean-section births), the Firm will assume an eight-week disability period, unless we are notified that the Associate is disabled for a longer period. Further, in the event an Associate has a newborn or newly adopted child, or a child with a serious illness or medical condition that necessitates the Associate's absence from the office to care for the child, the Firm provides up to four weeks of paid family leave with fringe benefits continuing as though actively at work. Thus the available leave for routine childbirth generally includes an eight-week paid medical leave and a four-week paid family leave, for a total of twelve weeks paid leave, and with approval, up to an additional 12 weeks of unpaid leave with benefits continued at the Associate's expense.