Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Founded in New York and Washington, DC in 1946, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has approximately 1,110 attorneys across 15 offices.
Openings
2L Summer 2028 · Class of 2029Opening Soon
Opens
Nov 1, 2026Deadline
Not announced
Cleary Gottlieb pays $225,000+, the same as 159 of the 197 firms that publish pay.
Listed firms by announced first-year comp
| First-Year Comp | Firms |
|---|---|
| Above $225K | 18 |
| $225K | 159 |
| Below $225K | 20 |
Source: firm announcements. 197 listed firms publish a first-year figure.
About Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cleary Gottlieb has operated internationally since its founding in 1946. Its own account emphasizes a single integrated partnership, with offices in major financial centers sharing resources across borders. The firm distinguishes that structure from a domestic firm using overseas offices mainly as satellite locations.
The practice brings together lawyers across industries, jurisdictions and legal disciplines on domestic and international business problems. Cleary describes developing local talent in the countries where it operates as part of that approach. Its international identity therefore involves the composition of teams and the way the partnership operates, as well as the location of its offices.
Cleary's published governance model also provides useful detail. It describes seniority-based lawyer compensation, partnership participation in important firm decisions, and committees handling day-to-day matters. Associates participate in committees covering subjects such as professional development, recruiting and inclusion. These organizational features are more concrete than broad claims about culture and help
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explain the firm's emphasis on collective responsibility for client work and institutional decisions.
Rankings
Latest published editions. Each links to its source.
Size and Standing
- $1.9B gross revenueAm Law 100, $1.9B gross revenue: #32 (opens in a new tab)
- Lawyers in 10 countriesGlobal 200, Lawyers in 10 countries: #38 (opens in a new tab)
- 1,110 attorneysNLJ 500, 1,110 attorneys: #42 (opens in a new tab)
- PrestigeVault Law 100, Prestige: #16 (opens in a new tab)
Associate Life
- Score 4.26 of 5Midlevel Associates Survey, Score 4.26 of 5: #26 (opens in a new tab)
- Best city resultMidlevel Survey, San Francisco, Best city result: #13 (opens in a new tab)
- Vault Best to Work For: #21 (opens in a new tab)
- VaultFormal Training, Vault: #7 (opens in a new tab)
- VaultInformal Training, Mentoring & Sponsorship, Vault: #10 (opens in a new tab)
- VaultAssociate-Partner Relations, Vault: #11 (opens in a new tab)
Vault Practice Rankings
- Antitrust: #1 (opens in a new tab)
- International Practice: #9 (opens in a new tab)
- Project Finance: #11 (opens in a new tab)
- Securities/Capital Markets: #11 (opens in a new tab)
- Tax Law: #12 (opens in a new tab)
- General Corporate Practice: #16 (opens in a new tab)
- Mergers & Acquisitions: #16 (opens in a new tab)
- Banking & Financial Services: #17 (opens in a new tab)
Practice Strength by Market
Every band below appears on this firm’s Chambers USA 2026 profile, checked September 26, 2026. Where Chambers splits a table into The Elite and Highly Regarded, every Elite firm ranks above every Highly Regarded firm.
Scroll sideways to see recognition.
| Practice | Market | Recognition, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
Antitrust | District of Columbia | Band 1 |
Antitrust | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Antitrust: Cartel | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Capital Markets: Investment Grade Debt: Issuer Counsel | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Corporate Governance | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Derivatives | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | New York | Band 1 |
Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Compliance) | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsThe Elite | New York | Band 1 |
Mining & Metals | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Private Equity: Fund Formation | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Tax | New York | Band 1 |
Tax: Corporate & Finance | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Artificial Intelligence | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Capital Markets: Equity: Issuer Counsel | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Capital Markets: Investment Grade Debt: Manager Counsel | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: CLOs | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Corporate Crime & InvestigationsThe Elite | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Executive Compensation: Mainly Executive Representation | New York | Band 2 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | New York | Band 2 |
Litigation: Securities | New York | Band 2 |
Real Estate: Mainly Corporate & Finance | New York | Band 2 |
Securities: Regulation: Advisory | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Securities: Regulation: Enforcement | Nationwide | Band 2 |
Antitrust | California | Band 3 |
Banking & Finance | New York | Band 3 |
Bankruptcy/RestructuringThe Elite | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Bankruptcy/RestructuringThe Elite | New York | Band 3 |
Capital Markets: Equity: Manager Counsel | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | New York | Band 3 |
Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance & Enforcement) | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Financial Services Regulation: Financial Institutions M&A | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Private Equity: Buyouts | New York | Band 3 |
Private Equity: Buyouts: High-end Capability | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Real Estate | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Securities: Litigation | Nationwide | Band 3 |
Banking & Finance | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrounds | Band 4 |
FCPA | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement & Investigations) | Nationwide | Band 4 |
International ArbitrationThe Elite | Nationwide | Band 4 |
International Trade: CFIUS Experts | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Technology | Nationwide | Band 4 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | California | Band 5 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | District of Columbia | Band 6 |
International Trade: Export Controls & Economic SanctionsHighly Regarded | Nationwide | Band 2 |
50 reported ranking rows
Facts verified by BigLaw Bear, narrative by the firm. Figures carry a source link where we hold one; prose is Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s own.
Firm Highlights
Summer Program
Program features
- Summer Pay
- $225,000+Announced by the firm (Oct 2026)
- Total Summer Associates
- 12818 1Ls, 110 2Ls. Class of 2025Source
- Program Length
- 10 weeksSource
- Early Interviewing
- YesApplications are expected to open November 1 and are reviewed on a rolling basis. Screeners are virtual; callbacks are four 30-minute meetings, virtual or in person. Decisions can take up to two weeks because the firm is consensus-based. A student who applied for a 1L plus 2L position and does not get the dual offer is automatically considered for a 2L offer.Source
- Assigned Practice Areas
- Case by case, through a staffing coordinatorCentralized staffingSource
- Recruiting Contact
- Kyle HarrisPartner, Hiring Chair (New York)
Practice Areas
Cleary says summer associates "may request assignments from among all of our practice groups" and that "work is assigned based on your practice area preferences and the current needs of our clients. Since there are no formal rotations, you may explore different practices without being required to rotate among groups." Summers can also spend two weeks at an investment bank or public interest organization, or four weeks in an overseas office.
Inclusion
Cleary says it builds belonging through organizational partnerships, affinity groups, working groups and committees, heritage month celebrations, and sponsorship and mentorship programs. Firm-sponsored programming is open to all.
Pro Bono
How pro bono work is assigned
Pro bono at Cleary is voluntary rather than mandatory; the firm says it fully supports the voluntary efforts of all lawyers and staff. Five full-time pro bono attorneys run the practice. The one-year Cleary Gottlieb Fellowship Program places New York first-year associates at legal services organizations or nonprofits.
More about Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
The summer opens with the two-week Cleary Gottlieb Summer Academy. Summer associates are paid a prorated first-year salary, currently $225,000. Each office (New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.) hires its own summers. Mentoring runs through junior associate siblings, Summer Program Committee mid-levels, senior lawyer mentors and a Summer Program Co-Chair. The firm reimburses reasonable travel, meal and hotel costs for in-person callbacks.
Schools Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Hires From
3 schools name Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton on its own employer or placement pages. These lists are not exhaustive.