What's the Work-Life Balance Like at McDermott Will & Schulte?

Key Insight for Candidates

• Wellbeing Programs: The McDermott Well initiative and a credit-bucket model let attorneys count up to 25 wellness/mindfulness hours, alongside defined pro bono, JDEI, and professional development credits, toward the 2,000-hour target. This embeds wellbeing into workload calculations and makes hitting the target more attainable in slower periods.
• Autonomy Over Hours: A free-market staffing system paired with weekly availability surveys enables associates to signal capacity and steer toward teams and matters aligned with their working styles. This structure helps smooth peaks and valleys by giving juniors agency over when and how they take on work.
• Time Off Access: Partners and senior attorneys step in to cover matters so juniors can take uninterrupted vacations or handle personal conflicts. This norm increases the likelihood that planned time away is respected and truly off.

• Time Pressure: Despite generous credits, many groups expect associates to approach 2,000 client-billable hours and work can surge around deals or trials with late nights and some weekends. High performers are frequently sought out for new matters, which can accelerate workload intensity.
• Remote or Hybrid Limitations: Hybrid policies require multiple in-office days and tie bonus eligibility to meeting attendance averages. This linkage adds commuting friction and constrains flexibility during already demanding weeks.
• Scheduling Inflexibility: Administrative and support staff experience less scheduling flexibility and heavier, less structured workloads than legal teams. This disparity creates a more rigid day-to-day for non-attorney roles.