Wilson Elser reviews

3.7

69% would recommend to a friend

(646 total reviews)
avatar

Dan McMahon

82% approve of CEO

80% positive business outlook

Wilson Elser has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 646 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Wilson Elser 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

646 reviews
2.0
Oct 18, 2017

Partner

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A great place to be to get useful experience and move on to a different law firm.. If you have no desire to earn a lot of money or have your intangible contributions valued, this is your type of firm.

Cons

No camaraderie, only internal competition among partners. Rampant padding of hours encouraged by the firm's minimum requirement of 2200 billable hours annually for associates. No recognition of intangibles and other leadership qualities that make certain law firms truly great . A stifling, negative atmosphere for all employees and partners, except the chosen few at the top of the pyramid who take home most of the profits. Opening more and more offices but the profits per partner do not increase, only the gross collections do. Toxic at all levels of the partnership. Executive Committee membership depends on who you work for and how much business you bring in, not on great client service and quality of work or the many intangibles that should be, but are not, valued. Very unprofessional.

1.0
Apr 3, 2016

Abusive

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are some really good lawyers here, great resources, and specialized departments.

Cons

I know several strong and intelligent Associates who regularly look for new jobs to avoid crying daily. If you are assigned to the wrong partner, your life will be a living hell. Your life outside of work has no meaning, and you will be expected to cancel even the most important events with no warning (even if they start at 8 at night and there is no court deadline at risk) based on the whim and schedule of your partner. Some partners also permit no discretion for their Associates, even those who have considerable experience. Most Associates leave within two years, and many shorter than that.

2.0
Mar 14, 2018

Not Ideal

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Large firm, experience builder, lots of time off (you're going to need it)

Cons

Over all this firm does not care about it's employees. What is best for the firm always comes first, they lack a sense of humanity. There are a few decent managers but it is not the standard. Benefits are unimpressive and they charge you a hefty fee to add a spouse if they have access to health care through their employer. Decent staff below management level don't seem to stick around too often. If you are looking for someplace with bells, whistles, up to date technology and relatively happy people keep looking.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 646 Reviews

Glassdoor has 674 Wilson Elser reviews submitted anonymously by Wilson Elser employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Wilson Elser is right for you.