Sidley Austin reviews

4.1

67% would recommend to a friend

(686 total reviews)
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Brian Fahrney | Yvette Ostolaza

69% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Sidley Austin has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 686 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Sidley Austin employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Legal industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

686 reviews
1.0
Jun 27, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The office location is convenient.

Cons

As an admin assistant, prepare to be treated like a disposable resource rather than a valued team member: - Micromanagement is rampant, with supervisors scrutinizing every minor detail, making it impossible to work without constant pressure; managers leave VERY little room for autonomy or creativity. - Bullying from supervisors and higher-ups is common and has resulted in an extremely hostile work environment where bickering and backbiting is a common every day experience. Feels like you're back in the 7th grade - The company culture is toxic to the core, with upper management completely indifferent to the well-being of their employees. - Expect to have your self-respect and dignity shattered as you are subjected to constant humiliation and unfair criticism. - There is a complete lack of respect for the dignity and self-worth of administrative staff. Don't have a JD? You will NEVER belong here. - High turnover rates among admin assistants due to the unbearable work conditions. -Favoritism is rampant, with certain employees receiving preferential treatment while others are ignored and undervalued. - There is zero support for career growth or professional development – you're stuck in a dead-end job with no prospects. - Unrealistic expectations and constant pressure lead to burnout. - The overall morale is incredibly low, with employees frequently expressing dissatisfaction and a desire to leave. - The onboarding process is a nightmare, VERRRRY minimal training and guidance, managers will never check-in with you, setting new employees up for FAILURE from DAY ONE. - Innovation and creativity are stifled, as the company will continue to stick to outdated practices and resist any change or improvement Health and safety concerns are ignored, with little regard for mental health support. When I asked the Director of Wellness for help, she told me to 'look for other opportunities' AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

2.0
Mar 6, 2022

Avoid. That's it; that's the tittle.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The money depending on the role is better than some other places and currently they have free food in the cafeteria. That's it.

Cons

Undynamic, rigid, stale, isolating, backwards company. This place is stuck 20yrs in the past and is straight out of the movie Office Space. It's so unbelievably mind numbing. The office politics in laughably pathetic and petty - more than usual. Multiple things I was told in the interview turned out to not be true. Micro managers galore. I honestly don't see how this place is going to survive as anyone who has perspective and seen how modern companies operate are going to head for the door after their first week at Sidley and Austin. I can keep going but you get the point. Even if you're desperate for a job, don't bother here.

2.0
Nov 4, 2021

Better firm culture elsewhere.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They just remodeled. Nobody cares.

Cons

They spoke about taking a compassionate approach during the pandemic but now that they have everyone back in the office - that is definitely not the case. This is not the place to come to whether you’re an associate or part of the support staff. Many mid-level associates are disgruntled and leaving. Staff is unhappy as well. They are taking a very firm approach that there is no flexibility at this point during the pandemic. They need to have in-person control and it is sad that the pandemic hasn’t changed anything.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 686 Reviews

Glassdoor has 768 Sidley Austin reviews submitted anonymously by Sidley Austin employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Sidley Austin is right for you.