WHY WORK HERE

Our emphasis is on quality, not quantity. We staff leanly. This means many of our associates get to work on trials.

We try cases for some of the most successful companies in the world including:

• Google
• CNA
• Micron
• Samsung
• Coca-Cola
• Morgan Stanley
• SONY
• Colgate-Palmolive
• Northrop
• HTC
• DIRECTV
• Grumman
• Symantec
• Dow Chemical
• Pfizer
• Cisco
• Genentech
• Roche
• Motorola
• IBM
• Home Depot
• Seiko
• Qualcomm
• Epson
• AIG
• Johnson & Johnson
• Shell Oil
• American Express
• Mattel
• Chevron
• Barnes & Noble
• Zurich

and many others. They hire us because they know that—unlike the "litigation departments" at most big firms—we try cases. They hire us because they like the work and the people they work with.

There is no place for the rigid hierarchies and bureaucracies of more conventional law firms. We believe unnecessary rules stifle creativity and prevent motivated new lawyers from serving clients. Our lawyers expect to play a major role in significant cases—and we make certain that they do.

Our goal is to provide every associate the opportunity to master the skills needed to be comfortable in a courtroom.  To that end the firm offers the opportunities described below.

Additional Associate in Trial
The best way to learn how to try cases is to work on them.  We place an additional junior associate on every trial and arbitration team—at no cost to the client.  The additional associate is given an in-court role, for example, preparing and/or displaying graphics, reviewing deposition testimony, revising cross-examination outlines, managing exhibits, and assisting the other team members with any other needed tasks.

Hear what some previous associates have to say about this invaluable experience:

In-House Trial Advocacy Courses
The firm offers associates three trial advocacy training programs taught by the best trial advocacy instructors in the country—our own partners.  Many firm partners have taught advanced trial advocacy at law schools like Harvard, USC, Berkeley and Stanford.  Others have taught the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (“NITA”), and in other programs such as the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute.

Basic Trial Advocacy
Using materials and mock case files from NITA, associates participate in a 50-hour program of demonstrations, lectures and practice exercises, which include extensive use of video review.  This program culminates in a full-day mock trial using jurors hired by the firm.  The participants try a case from the voir dire of potential jurors through trial to verdict.

Advanced Trial Advocacy
This program is offered in alternate years to all associates who have taken the basic trial advocacy course.  As the name implies, this course focuses on other more complex areas of trials such as examining experts, controlling obnoxious witnesses, and advanced use of graphics.

Deposition Skills
After completing the Basic Trial Advocacy course, associates can participate in the firm’s Deposition Skills program.

Appellate Advocacy
Led by name partner Kathleen M. Sullivan (former Harvard Law School Professor and Dean of Stanford Law School) this program focuses on mastering the skills—both written and oral—that are needed to be an effective appellate advocate.

Quinn Emanuel is dedicated to providing pro bono legal services to individuals and organizations throughout the world. We seek out pro bono opportunities that will get associates hearing and trial experience. Up to 100 hours of pro bono work are counted towards bonuses based on billable hours. Associates are welcome to initiate pro bono projects, subject to obtaining partner approval and sponsorship.

The firm has a longstanding relationship with Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Harvard Law School's Criminal Justice Institute, Public Counsel, and the Alliance for Children's Rights, among many other organizations, to provide a variety of pro bono legal services.

Quinn Emanuel has provided pro bono legal services in a number of distinguished cases in a wide variety of subject areas. Click here if you would like to see examples.

Quinn Emanuel also has a longstanding commitment to supporting meaningful causes around the world through its charitable foundation. Over the last 13 years, the firm has donated millions of dollars to a variety of causes, including natural disaster relief, cancer research, veterans services, legal aid services, violence intervention, and education. Click here to see examples of charitable projects in which the firm has been involved.

The best proof of our commitment to diversity is that so many minority group lawyers with outstanding credentials join us. Over 20% of our lawyers are minority group members. 74 of our 298 partners are women and 47 are minority group members. Seventeen of the firm's 57 core Practice Groups are headed by women, and 11 of the firm's branch office managing partners are women. We are proud to be the first AmLaw 100 Firm with a woman named partner (Kathleen Sullivan) and in 2024, ten of the fourteen elected lawyers to the firm’s partnership were women.