Sidley Austin LLP
Sidley Austin counts approximately 2,300 attorneys in 20 offices worldwide. Founded in Chicago, IL in 1866.
$225,000+
Market base, no firm announcement (as of Sep 2026)
Not reported: Partnership Track.
Openings
2L Summer 2028 · Class of 2029Open
New York, Washington, DC, Century City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Dallas, Miami, San Diego
Opens
Opened Nov 1Deadline
Not announced
Select offices.
Materials: Cover Letter · Law School Transcript · Undergrad TranscriptSuited assessment is required; the law transcript should be sent after fall grades are released.
1L Summer 2027 · Class of 2029Opening Soon
Opens
Not announcedDeadline
Not announced
Materials: Cover Letter · Law School Transcript · Undergrad TranscriptSuited assessment is required; the law transcript should be sent after fall grades are released.
Fellowship / ScholarshipClosed
Opens
Closed this cycleDeadline
Not announced
Closed
About Sidley Austin
Sidley is an elite global law firm. With 2,300 lawyers, annual revenue of US $3.4 billion, and experience that spans almost 160 years, we have established a reputation using Built to Win℠ legal strategies in successfully representing clients in more than 70 countries on complex transactional, restructuring, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters.
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With 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial and financial hubs across the world, our perspective and our reach are truly global. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 80 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape.
The firm strives to maintain an environment focused on teamwork and cooperation, and values the skills and knowledge that each individual brings to a project. Our lawyers and professional staff collaborate at all levels and treat each other with genuine respect. We believe our culture sets us apart from many other firms and enhances the experience, development and career satisfaction of our lawyers and staff alike.
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.
| Practice | Market | Recognition, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
Accountant and Auditor Liability | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Banking & Finance | Illinois | Band 1 |
Banking & Finance | Texas | Band 1 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: ABS | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity | Illinois | Band 1 |
Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense | New York | Band 1 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | Illinois | Band 1 |
Energy Transition | Nationwide | Band 1 |
Environment | District of Columbia | Band 1 |
False Claims Act | Nationwide | Band 1 |
153 reported ranking rows
Rankings
Request a CorrectionLatest published editions. Each links to its source.
Size and Standing
- $3.7B gross revenueAm Law 100, $3.7B gross revenue: #6 (opens in a new tab)
- Lawyers in 9 countriesGlobal 200, Lawyers in 9 countries: #6 (opens in a new tab)
- 2,045 attorneysNLJ 500, 2,045 attorneys: #12 (opens in a new tab)
- PrestigeVault Law 100, Prestige: #11 (opens in a new tab)
Associate Life
Pro Bono and Inclusion
Vault Practice Rankings
- Environmental Law: #4 (opens in a new tab)
- Government Relations: #7 (opens in a new tab)
- Products Liability: #7 (opens in a new tab)
- Project Finance: #7 (opens in a new tab)
- Health Care: #8 (opens in a new tab)
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: #9 (opens in a new tab)
- Life Sciences: #10 (opens in a new tab)
- Media, Entertainment, & Sports: #10 (opens in a new tab)
Show All 26
- Securities/Capital Markets: #10 (opens in a new tab)
- General Corporate Practice: #11 (opens in a new tab)
- Mergers & Acquisitions: #11 (opens in a new tab)
- Real Estate Law: #11 (opens in a new tab)
- Banking & Financial Services: #12 (opens in a new tab)
- Clean Tech/Renewable Energy Law: #12 (opens in a new tab)
- Private Equity: #12 (opens in a new tab)
- Securities Litigation: #13 (opens in a new tab)
- Energy, Oil, & Gas Law: #14 (opens in a new tab)
- International Practice: #14 (opens in a new tab)
- Labor & Employment Law: #15 (opens in a new tab)
- White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations: #16 (opens in a new tab)
- General Commercial Litigation: #16 (opens in a new tab)
- Appellate Litigation: #17 (opens in a new tab)
- Privacy & Data Security: #18 (opens in a new tab)
- Antitrust: #19 (opens in a new tab)
- Tax Law: #19 (opens in a new tab)
- Intellectual Property: #27 (opens in a new tab)
Practice Areas
Sidley says that "in most offices, you are able to choose your own assignments and create a workflow that best suits your professional interests." In Chicago, summers "have the freedom and flexibility to select your assignments and manage your workload." Training includes writing seminars, mock trials and mock negotiation exercises.
Inclusion
Sidley says lawyers, law students and business professionals from all backgrounds are supported through educational programs, mentoring, professional development and affinity initiatives that are open to all. The Built to Succeed Scholarship pays $50,000 to selected 2L summer associates, half on joining as a summer and half on joining as a full-time associate.
Pro Bono
- Summers Can Take Pro Bono
- Yes
- Average Hours Per Attorney
- 80 hoursAm Law pro bono rank #33Source
How pro bono work is assigned
Sidley runs six firmwide pro bono initiatives: the Capital Litigation Project, the Political Asylum and Immigrants' Rights Project, the Veterans Advocacy Project, the Emerging Enterprises Program, Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties, and the Pro Bono Project for the Arts. Summer associates may assist on ongoing pro bono projects.
More about Sidley Austin
Sidley uses the Suited assessment as a required part of its recruiting process and publishes its New York City AEDT bias audit. Each summer associate gets partner and associate mentors and advisors. The 2026 program mixes local office programming with national firm events, from professional development seminars and pro bono panels to inclusion and well-being sessions. The firm lists a recruiting contact per office.