Sidley Austin LLP
Sidley Austin counts approximately 2,300 attorneys in 20 offices. Founded in Chicago, IL in 1866.
$225,000+
Market base, no firm announcement (as of Sep 2026)
Not reported: partnership track.
1L Summer 2027 · Class of 2029Opening Soon
Opens
Nov 1, 2026Deadline
Not announced
2L Summer 2028 · Class of 2029Opening Soon
New York, Washington, DC, Century City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Dallas, Miami, San Diego
Opens
Nov 1, 2026Deadline
Not announced
Fellowship / ScholarshipClosed
Opens
Closed this cycleDeadline
Not announced
Closed
1L events: Built to Succeed Foundations: virtual sessions for 1Ls on the 1L year and the recruiting process.From the firm’s page, checked Sep 27, 2026 · source
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.
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
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from many other firms and enhances the experience, development and career satisfaction of our lawyers and staff alike.
Rankings
Latest 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 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 |
|---|---|---|
Accountant and Auditor Liability | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Banking & Finance | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Banking & Finance | Texas | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: ABS | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&A: Takeover Defense | New York | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy Transition | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Environment | District of Columbia | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
False Claims Act | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance & Enforcement) | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance) | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Healthcare | District of Columbia | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory | District of Columbia | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Hedge Funds | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
International Trade: Customs | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Life Sciences: Regulatory/Compliance | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General Commercial | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General Commercial | Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth & Surrounds | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: Securities | Illinois | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | California | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
National Security | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Private Equity: Buyouts: Mid-Market | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
REITs | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Transportation: Aviation: Transactional | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Transportation: Rail (for Railroads) | Nationwide | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Appellate Law | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Bankruptcy/Restructuring | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: CMBS | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: CRE CLOs | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: RMBS | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: Single Family Rental | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Structured Products | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate Crime & InvestigationsThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | Texas | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Derivatives | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
E-Discovery & Information Governance | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Environment | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Environment | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Environment: Mainly Transactional | Texas | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Healthcare | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
HealthcareThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Immigration | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory | New York | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
International Trade: Trade Remedies & Trade Policy | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Investment Funds: Investor Representation | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Life Sciences | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial | California | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: Securities | California | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: Securities | New York | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: Securities | Texas | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | District of Columbia | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Media & Entertainment: Transactional | California | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Offshore Energy | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Privacy & Data SecurityThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Private Equity: Buyouts | Texas | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Product Liability & Mass TortsThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Projects: LNG | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Real Estate: Mainly Corporate & Finance | New York | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Securities: Litigation | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Securities: Regulation: Enforcement | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax | California: Southern | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax: Corporate & Finance | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Technology | California | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Transportation: Road (Automotive) | Nationwide | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
Advertising: Litigation | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Antitrust | Illinois | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Artificial Intelligence | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Banking & Finance | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Bankruptcy/Restructuring | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Bankruptcy/RestructuringThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Debt & Equity | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Debt & Equity | Texas | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Equity: Issuer Counsel | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Equity: Manager Counsel | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Investment Grade Debt: Issuer Counsel | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Investment Grade Debt: Manager Counsel | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: Securitization: CLOs | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate Governance | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | California: Los Angeles & Surrounds | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrounds | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&A | Maryland | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity | Florida: South | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy: Electricity (Finance) | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation) | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
ERISA Litigation | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Hedge & Mutual Funds | Massachusetts | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property: Litigation | District of Columbia | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property: Patent | New York | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Labor & EmploymentThe Elite | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Life Sciences | Massachusetts | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | District of Columbia | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | Massachusetts | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsThe Elite | New York | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations | Texas | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Private Equity: Buyouts | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Private Equity: Buyouts | New York | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Private Equity: Fund Formation | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Real Estate | Illinois | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Real Estate | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Registered Funds | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Securities: Regulation: Advisory | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Sports Law | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax | California: Northern | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax | New York | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Technology | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Technology & Outsourcing | Illinois | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite | District of Columbia | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Venture Capital | California | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Venture Capital: Fund Formation | Nationwide | Chambers Band3 Reported year: 2026 |
Antitrust | District of Columbia | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Antitrust | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Banking & Finance | California | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Banking & Finance | New York | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Bankruptcy/Restructuring | Texas | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Climate Change | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&AThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy: Electricity (Transactional) | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
FCPA | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Financial Services Regulation: Financial Institutions M&A | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Immigration | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation | California | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
International ArbitrationThe Elite | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Leisure & Hospitality | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General CommercialThe Elite | New York | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Media & Entertainment: Litigation | California | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Real Estate | California: Southern | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Startups & Emerging Companies | Nationwide | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Tax | Texas | Chambers Band4 Reported year: 2026 |
Antitrust | New York | Chambers Band5 Reported year: 2026 |
Bankruptcy/RestructuringThe Elite | New York | Chambers Band5 Reported year: 2026 |
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation | Nationwide | Chambers Band5 Reported year: 2026 |
Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy | Nationwide | Chambers Band5 Reported year: 2026 |
Corporate/M&AHighly Regarded | New York | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Litigation: General CommercialHighly Regarded | Florida | Chambers Band1 Reported year: 2026 |
Labor & EmploymentHighly Regarded | Illinois | Chambers Band2 Reported year: 2026 |
153 reported ranking rows
Facts verified by BigLaw Bear, narrative by the firm. Figures carry a source link where we hold one; prose is Sidley Austin’s own.
Firm highlights
Summer program
Program features
- Summer pay
- $225,000+Market base, no firm announcement (as of Sep 2026)
- Total summer associates
- 198Reporting year not confirmedSource
- Program length
- 10 weeks
- 1L applications
- 1L events onlyBuilt to Succeed Foundations: virtual sessions for 1Ls on the 1L year and the recruiting process.Source
- Assigned practice areas
- No, free marketFree marketSource
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.
Schools Sidley Austin Hires From
8 schools name Sidley Austin on its own employer or placement pages. These lists are not exhaustive.