Rotations in Practice
The rotation system in practice provides the best post-graduate education a lawyer can get.
The rotation system systematically exposes associates to a broad range of disciplines, and a full suite of training, to develop highly skilled lawyers with a deep and wide level of understanding.
Our rotations are carefully managed by the Managing Partners of the respective departments. This group of partners schedules rotations with your professional development being the primary objective and to ensure that you are continually exposed to new areas within your department.
Corporate
The Corporate Department is divided into 13 practice groups, most of which consist of three to six partners. The groups are organized around specific areas of practice, such as mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, banking and credit, derivatives, general corporate advisory, financial restructuring and reorganization or intellectual property. Each corporate rotation usually lasts between 15 and 18 months. Over the course of each corporate rotation, an associate becomes highly experienced in that rotation’s area of practice. Throughout several rotations, an associate will confront a range of different challenges, master steep learning curves and develop into an experienced corporate lawyer fully versed in all facets of the corporate practice.
Rotations to Cravath’s London office are available to those interested in practicing U.S. law abroad and generally last 18 to 24 months. Associate rotations through the Firm’s U.S. practice within the London office are considered regular corporate rotations and occur at varying levels of seniority. Our London office represents clients in a variety of capital markets matters, SEC compliance matters, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and general corporate matters. In addition to associates rotating into the London office from New York, we have lawyers who are permanently based in London, including a robust UK practice that represents clients in European and cross‑border bank financings. In London, attorneys remain fully supported by the New York office via the Firm’s integrated systems, and one can experience the dynamism of a smaller office within a big firm practice.
Litigation
Over a series of rotations, an associate is exposed to all aspects of litigation, from pre-complaint investigation and analysis through interlocutory matters, discovery, trial and appeal, across a broad range of case types. Cravath litigators work in teams of partners and associates assembled in response to the needs of the complex cases we handle. Most litigation associates are assigned to one partner at a time, but will typically work with other partners during an assignment period because multiple partners often work together on particular cases. Associates also may be assigned to a small group of partners whose practices focus on Antitrust, Investigations or Intellectual Property. A litigation rotation averages 18 months. Each associate will work on a broad range of cases during the course of his or her work at the Firm.
Tax
Tax associates gain responsibility and autonomy while working with other lawyers in the Firm as well as directly with clients. Tax Department rotations are accomplished by rotating the responsibility for an associate’s work and training from one small group of tax partners to another group of tax partners. The rotations are designed to ensure that each associate experiences each area of our tax practice, avoiding concentration in a narrow specialty area. At the outset, an associate generally receives work assignments directly from one tax partner and works closely with him or her. Over the course of several rotations, each associate will work with all the partners in the Tax Department.
Executive Compensation and Benefits
Executive compensation and benefits associates work directly with the Department’s partners, as well as tax and corporate partners, on all aspects of our practice. From the beginning of their careers, our associates are immersed in the corporate law, tax, ERISA, securities law, corporate governance and other substantive legal areas of our work and are quickly exposed to the wide range of corporate transactions and matters handled by the Firm. Associates are encouraged to take on responsibility for drafting and negotiating agreements, advising clients and working with the other lawyers in the Firm.
Trusts and Estates
Trusts and estates associates work on a wide variety of issues for and with our private clients, under the guidance of the Department’s partners. Associates are trained in trust and probate law and learn to design and draft wills and trust documents. Because our trusts and estates lawyers advise individuals, private corporations, partnerships and charitable organizations in all aspects of their affairs, our associates are exposed to, and become highly experienced in, a wide variety of practice areas such as corporate law, tax law and estate planning.
