Vantaggi
Almost accross the board, senior shareholders, firm management and practice chairs are charismatic leaders, top-notch technical attorneys by every measure and extremely savvy businessmen.
Svantaggi
1. According to American Lawyer's 2009 rankings -- Of the country's 100 largest law firm's, GT ranked 10th in gross revenues.... and 96th in midlevel associate satisfaction. 2. Lack of communication from management, internally and externally: No (disclosed) associate compensation structure -- Compensation currently determined case-by-case, and only his own salary is disclosed each associate. Thus, associates have NO means to (1) self-assess performance alongside and against peers, or (2) hold management accountable for making fair and actually "merit-based" compensation determinations. NO specific structure, factors or components of "merit" valuation have been communicated to associates. Compensation determinations suffer from a complete lack of transparency, checks and balances, etc. Some rumor of gender disparity in salaries of male and female associates at the same level. Significant stealth layoffs in 2009 -- Layoff decisions were communicated department-by-department, office-by-office, around 1-3 attorneys at a time. Somehow the firm actually managed to avoid any real press or publicity regarding layoffs. The total number or percentage of associate layoffs has still not been communicated or discussed with the lucky, shellshocked remaining employees. While each departure created only a small ripple, the aggregate disruption feels more akin to the aftermath of a tidal wave. The current shareholder to associate ratio in several departments ranges from 3.3-4.0 to 1.0.