Pros
As advertised, Ropes has a collegial atmosphere where the general rule is that everyone, including associates and staff, is treated with respect. I have not been yelled at in my years at the firm, and generally feel that I am respected as a peer. It's also a culture that greatly discourages in-fighting and back-stabbing. Work is interesting and challenging, and if your skill set is progressing appropriately, generally the responsibility and workload increases as quickly as you can handle it. Plenty of client interaction early on. In the normal course, associates become quite marketable outside of the firm within several years because of their experience and the Ropes brand. Compensation is market in all U.S. cities.
Cons
Although compensation is market generally, Ropes is not a compensation leader, and has historically followed the pack. Hours can be oppressive, depending on practice area. Also depending on practice area, some of the firm's clients are extremely demanding (which is the flip-side of high hourly rates that drive compensation). Lay-offs / performance-driven reductions have occurred throughout the economic downturn, although appear to be tapering off now that the job market is picking up and the attrition rate returns to normal levels. Partnership prospects, as with most (all?) peer firms, are slim.