second tier Chicago firm - Associate Mayer Brown Employee Review

very good Team and people

a lot Of work (just to full this space)

Beautiful office space and decent perks. Provides solid industry exposure and can be a useful stepping stone early in your career to gain experience before moving to a more sustainable work environment. The benefits are good too. Parental leave options (18-weeks) which is rare nowadays.

Extremely poor work-life balance and a culture that often prioritizes billable output over employee wellbeing. Leadership and management can feel disconnected from the realities of staff workloads and operational challenges. Systems and internal processes are noticeably outdated, creating unnecessary inefficiencies and compliance concerns. Training is inconsistent, and support varies significantly by team. There is also a very noticeable hierarchy between attorneys and support staff, with accountability standards that do not always feel equitable. Many paralegals and support employees are expected to absorb unreasonable workloads with limited recognition or institutional support, contributing to high burnout and turnover. It is frustrating to see a firm generate significant revenue while continuing to rely on outdated systems and understaffed support structures instead of investing meaningfully in operational infrastructure and employee retention. Many of the day-to-day challenges staff face feel preventable with better resource allocation and modernization.