We want people to join us who not only are bright and talented, but who also place a priority on teamwork and cooperation in serving the needs of our clients. The sophisticated practice of law is very demanding on your time, your intellect, your emotions and your personal life - from our perspective, too demanding on an attorney in the long term unless you can enjoy the people with whom you work!

In explaining why he chose to come to Schnader, one associate recently stated that a "big factor was the clear commitment the Firm has to treating its associates as real people instead of just as warm bodies to fulfill the Firm's needs." Another associate commented "[my] experience exemplifies Schnader's willingness to accommodate attorneys who seek to balance career and family as long as quality of work and commitment to the Firm and its clients are not sacrificed."

Those observations succinctly capture the essence of our philosophy for the recruiting, development and retention of associates, beginning with our selection of students for our summer program. As one of our former summer clerks who now is a Schnader associate has explained:

"... I came to Schnader as a summer clerk because I was looking for a firm that celebrated, not merely tolerated, people with differing backgrounds, training and experience. I have stayed at Schnader because it remains the only firm where I have seen that top-level legal work and friendly people are not mutually exclusive."

To hear more about the perceptions of our associates about the work environment here at Schnader, including the full statements from which the above quotes were excerpted, please refer to our Associate Testimonials.

In a nutshell, we would summarize the work environment at Schnader like this:

Will you work hard?
Absolutely.

Will you need to work nights and/or weekends?
Yes. When your work demands it but never just for "face time."

Will I be able to have a personal life and still succeed at the Firm?
Of course. A self-fulfilled lawyer is a better lawyer.

Will Schnader be an interesting and collegial place to work?
Ask our associates. Please refer to our Associate Testimonials.

Will you have the opportunity to engage in pro bono work and service to your community?
Most definitely, it is one of the deepest and most cherished values of the Firm.

If this sounds like a place where you would like to practice law, we encourage you to continue reading about us.