business development specialist

attorney

business development manager

legal secretary

coordinator

WilmerHale

I worked at the WH NY office for 18 years .  One of the hardest decisions I made was to leave (relocated)  because I would have surely worked there until I retired.  The WH culture provides an environment where  you are hired based on your experience and your potential for growth.  They encourage you to  collaborate  with your peers in your respective office as well as across all WH offices.  They appreciate your commitment and hard work, which doesn't go unseen  and have  implemented various recognition  awards to show their appreciation.  I worked in an administrative role, but I can say the attorneys of WH, are some of the best in the world.  It was truly a privilege to have worked there. From the managing partners to the maintenance associates, the WH culture is to be professional, respectful and to provide the best customer service to our internal clients (co-workers) as well as to all external clients.  WH is about providing great work via teamwork, but they also encourage  attending social events and enjoying time with your colleagues.  WH is the only law firm that I am aware of that offers a two month sabbatical after 10 years with the firm and then another two on your 20th year with the firm.  WH offers a great benefit package thats comparable to most employers.  I would surely recommend someone looking for a great place to work, to run to WH and pray that you could be a part of this amazing firm.

There’s a certain kind of culture here that’s difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it—highly credentialed, outwardly polished, and quietly draining. The work itself is rarely meaningful or intellectually rewarding in the way it’s often sold. Instead, it feels like an endless cycle of urgency around tasks that lack any real sense of purpose.

What stands out most is the people. Not everyone, of course, but enough to define the environment. There’s a pervasive low-grade hostility—passive-aggressive communication, lack of basic respect for others’ time, and a noticeable absence of genuine collegiality. Collaboration feels performative at best and adversarial at worst.

Hours are long in the way that suggests inefficiency rather than necessity. Expectations are often unclear until they suddenly aren’t, and then you’re left scrambling to meet standards that were never properly defined. Feedback, when it comes, tends to be either unhelpfully vague or unnecessarily sharp.

There’s also a disconnect between leadership messaging and day-to-day reality. The firm talks a lot about values, development, and support, but those concepts don’t meaningfully show up in the actual experience of working there.

If you’re someone who thrives in a rigid, hierarchical environment and can tolerate a culture that leans cold and transactional, you may find it manageable. For anyone looking for engaging work, thoughtful mentorship, or even just a baseline level of human decency in the workplace, this will likely be a tough place to spend your time.

The firm is teeming with intellectual firepower and superstar attorneys, and tends to attract very high profile clients and "bet the firm"/existential matters. Its securities, litigation and regulatory practices are unsurpassed, although its transactional work lags behind (probably due to the firm's high rates). Given the vast amount of talent, experience, work ethic and academic pedigree, it's surprising just how incredibly friendly and teamwork-oriented the firm manages to be.

The culture is very strong and widespread, and those that don't fit tend to transition out. While very friendly and encouraging, partners also have extremely high standards and subpar work simply isn't tolerated. The words "no" and "infeasible" are seldom heard around the office, and everyone on staff has a can-do, high service quality attitude. Expect some stress and long hours, but not more than at other top firms.

The buildings/facilities are amazing, even awe-inspiring, but offices and hallways are closed off, thus leading to a feeling of isolation, and even desolation when you factor in the amount of people who spend a fraction of their time working remotely or are traveling. You won't find a better cafeteria or workplace gym in DC, but there are few areas for people to congregate or socialize throughout the day.

Pros:
Money is great. People are great. 
Good Firm if you keep your head down and say nothing.
Don't rock the boat. Be a bit dull and you'll be fine.

Cons:
No proper tracking of Computer Laptops.
No security software on Firm Laptops, hence they disappear.
Lousy XPS 13 and Port Replicator problems these past three years.
Company goes for the cheapest option and does not listen to advise from experienced Engineers and IT Techs.

McAfee Encryption Software on the Laptops Sucks.
Trend Micro Anti Virus Sucks.
Desktop Support needs a huge shake up.
Axio Assyst Ticketing System Sucks.
Computer Security Group Sucks

A typical day included going to class in the morning with renowned professors, lawyers and attorneys. In the afternoon organizing conference rooms with the Operations department. My manager was positive, supportive and taught us all about corporations. My coworkers were cooporative, and friendly at all times.

Hardest part about the job was leaving, obtaining a job of that status is hard in the real world, so being there and receiving that opportunity was great.

Most enjoyable part was being able to learn new things from new teachers each day as a part of our work curriculum and be paid for it.

A great place to work.  Typical day?  Greet all persons that you encounter.  Meet with your attorneys to see what's on the schedule for the day.  Since this is the only firm where I have worked, I learned everything about the workings of a large law firm.  Management decisions are made in the best interest of the firm.  Co-workers were friendly and willing to work as a team.  The hardest part of the job was the level of stress that both attorneys and administrative staff could incur to complete assignments.  The most enjoyable part of the job were the benefits, including a 2-month paid sabbatical after you have worked there for a certain amount of time.

WilmerHale's work enviornment at the service center and overall is toxic filled with favortisim and back-stabbing - if you are friends with HR you are in - you get chasized for asking questions or clarification from you fellow "co" workers and treated as an outsider if you do not fit in the cliques - attorneys make mistakes too but some how when  you work at the service center in the billing dept it is your fault no matter the circumustances and every time you talk to an attoney you are being crossed=examed even though you are just trying to help.

Typical day at work was assisting Partners, Associates in the Corporate Department.  Top-notch environment, with top-notch management.  Very organized, with organized hierarchial structure.  The hardest part of the job was no growth opportunities.  However, the most enjoyable part of the job was just being apart of the WilmerHale culture/environment as an integral and valuable employee.  It explains why I stayed up to 4 years.

Working at WilmerHale afforded me the opportunity to work with a handful of wonderful individuals.  The staff and the outside resources make the company a pleasant environment with moments of serious work productions but constant enjoyable laughter to help us through our day to day demands.  I have no regrets working for the firm.  It was an opportunity that afforded a learning position with the benefits of making lifelong friends.

I worked here for a few years. The company as a whole was doing well. The attorneys were great to work with in general as a support staff member. The working hours were what eventually did me in as my shift was not a "normal" work day time. I liked almost everyone I worked with, and the company did it's best to offer plenty of benefits and discounts. There is a monthly social with food and alcohol so that was always nice. 401k match is very high, also nice. Overall it was a positive experience with some frustrations but you'll have that anywhere!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Business development specialist 39 salaries reported	$103,736 per year
Attorney 9 salaries reported	$198,394 per year
Business development manager 8 salaries reported	$145,713 per year
Legal secretary 5 salaries reported	$114,184 per year
Coordinator 14 salaries reported	$97,879 per year

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