FAQ

What is the interview process?

The firm interviews applicants at more than 35 law school campuses and conducts regional interviews throughout the country.  In addition, we solicit resumes from interested students through the career services offices at dozens of other law schools. After initial interviews at law schools, the Hiring Committee extends invitations to visit Steptoe at the firm’s expense.  We prefer to include an applicant’s law school transcript in our initial review, and we therefore request an unofficial copy of the transcript from all candidates as a routine matter.

What is the compensation structure?   What are some of the benefits Steptoe offers?

Steptoe seeks to maintain salaries and benefits for both associates and summer associates that are competitive with those offered by other major Washington-based firms.  Summer associates also receive an allowance for travel expenses.

Incoming attorneys are reimbursed for household moving and travel expenses in accordance with a policy that is available upon request.  Incoming attorneys just graduating from law school, who will be starting work shortly after completion of the District of Columbia bar exam, or of another bar exam on which an application for waiver into the DC Bar may be based, also receive a stipend to assist with bar review, living, and other expenses while preparing for the exam.

The firm also offers discretionary, work effort, and business origination awards to recognize the contributions of our associates in providing top-quality legal services to the firm’s clients.

Does Steptoe have a pro bono program?

Yes; Steptoe attorneys have a long and distinguished tradition of service in government and on the boards of civic and charitable organizations. We also are deeply committed to the importance of pro bono service as a means of contributing to our community, and are routinely ranked as a national leader in providing such service.

What is the firm's commitment to diversity?

Steptoe is committed to recruit the best and the brightest attorneys from law schools around the world.  The firm regularly sponsors and attends minority conferences, receptions, and job fairs.  Steptoe attorneys are actively involved in Black Law Students Association (BLSA) events and Hispanic National Bar Association recruiting fairs in chapters across the country.

In addition, the firm periodically contacts law school placement directors to seek their advice and request their assistance in encouraging minority candidates to consider joining Steptoe. Our attorneys volunteer at a number of law schools for mock interview programs. Steptoe has also sponsored and assisted in the coordination of the Annual Washington, DC, Minority Summer Associate Reception since its inception.

In 2005, an informal group called MAS, or Multicultural Attorneys at Steptoe, held its inaugural luncheon in the Washington, DC office.  MAS meets on a monthly basis to support diverse attorneys in matters relat­ed to retention, advancement, and business development. Additionally, Steptoe has an in-house Women’s Forum that provides support to our women attorneys at all levels in connection with career advancement and business development.

Please visit our Firm Profile section to learn more about Steptoe’s commitment to diversity.

Will I have access to training programs, even beyond the required CLE?

Yes; Steptoe conducts a comprehensive in-house training program covering a full range of lawyering skills.  This program includes seminars and workshops designed specifically for new attorneys, as well as training activities open to all of our lawyers.  In-depth workshops coordinated by outside experts include topics such as negotiating techniques, deposition skills, and trial advocacy, as well as seminars on client relations, legal ethics, legal writing, business development, and similar topics.  In addition to this firm-wide training program, each practice department sponsors training programs relevant to its areas of focus. 

How is Steptoe organized?

Our organizational structure fosters a team approach to solving legal problems within and across five broad practice departments:

1. Business Solutions, which includes corporate securities and finance, tax, and property.
2. Litigation, which includes appellate; commercial; ERISA, labor, and employment; government contracts; insurance, mass tort, securities, toxic tort, and white-collar crime.
3. Regulatory & Industry Affairs, which includes antitrust & competition, electric power, environment & natural resources, government affairs & public policy, pipeline, and transportation.
4. International, which includes international regulation & compliance, international trade, and worldwide arbitration and dispute resolution.
5. Technology, which includes intellectual property, Internet/e-commerce, and telecommunications. 

What does the Paralegal Program consist of?

Steptoe’s multi-tiered program includes project assistants, paralegals, senior paralegals, paralegal specialists, and law clerks.  With a paralegal-to-attorney ratio of 5:40, Steptoe paralegals provide a diverse set of skills to deliver efficient and cost-effective services to attorneys and clients.

Steptoe utilizes our paralegals fully, and they assume many of the routine tasks that would otherwise be handled by attorneys and billed at their rates:

• Project assistants focus on the organizational phases of litigation discovery, traveling to outside agencies, and courts, as well as performing research.
• Paralegals perform factual research and assist with all phases of the discovery process, including trial preparation and trial attendance, or assist with our many regulatory and business practices.
• Senior paralegals take on more complex assignments with a more general level of supervision.
• Paralegal specialists have expertise in particular practice areas such as energy regulation, insurance litigation, and toxic tort, and work at a high level on complex matters.
• Law clerks perform legal research and complete writing assignments.

Does Steptoe have any special programs for foreign attorneys?

Yes; the Foreign Legal Consultant Program is designed for foreign lawyers who wish to experience US legal practice before returning to their countries of origin.  It is not designed for lawyers seeking a permanent position in the United States.  Accordingly, foreign legal consultants are not expected to take a US bar examination, and the period of the associateship will be limited to nine to 12 months; extensions of this period will not ordinarily be granted.

The foreign legal consultant salary is currently $100,000 a year.  In many cases, the foreign lawyer may be able to mitigate tax burdens significantly as a result of agreements entered into between the United States and other nations.

Whom should I contact if I have more questions?

We appreciate your interest in Steptoe & Johnson LLP.  If you have any questions about our attorney recruiting process, please contact us directly.