Is Cooley a good company to work for?

Cooley has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 411 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has increased by 1% over the last 12 months. 61% of employees would recommend working at Cooley to a friend and 80% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Cooley have been left by employees working as Practice Team Assistant , Legal Secretary and Associate .

Does Cooley pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Cooley employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Cooley. This rating has improved by 7% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Cooley?

61% of Cooley employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Cooley 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 4.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Cooley?

Associate (67) , Legal Secretary (21) , Paralegal (11) , Practice Team Assistant (10) , Associate Attorney (8) , Attorney (7) , Marketing Assistant (7) , Patent Agent (7) , Conflicts Analyst (5) , Marketing (4) , Associate Lawyer (3) , Legal Assistant (3) , Legal Assistant/Paralegal (3) , Manager (3) , Marketing Specialist (3)

What are the pros of working at Cooley according to real employee reviews?

"great people to work with" ((in 54 reviews)); "Cool clients and good culture" ((in 31 reviews)); "The provide great benefits and have supportive management" ((in 26 reviews)); "Great pay and good company" ((in 16 reviews)); "Great colleagues and top tier work" ((in 13 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Cooley according to real employee reviews?

"Long hours and long nights" ((in 18 reviews)); "Staff management also just doesn't support the staff at all" ((in 14 reviews)); "Little to no work life balance" ((in 7 reviews)); "Long hours (same for any law firm)." ((in 5 reviews)); "There are too many directors and too many managers." ((in 4 reviews))

What are employees saying about Cooley layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Cooley layoffs and their outlook for job security at Cooley in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Cooley locations?

San Francisco , New York , Palo Alto , Washington , San Diego , Boston , Reston , Los Angeles , Santa Monica , Chicago , Seattle , Buffalo , Gainesville , Coolidge , Dallas , Sunnyvale , Santa Barbara , Clinton , Las Lomas

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Cooley

Cooley reviews

About the Same as Other Big Law - Associate Cooley Employee Review

3.0

Aug 24, 2010

Associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good compensation; Good contacts with client companies for your in-house job after Cooley; some excellent partners, especially the most senior partners in the firm; many smart associates; excellent locations and ability to switch offices if needed; some lawyers in other departments are terrifically helpful

Cons

Partnership chances are minimal; despite supposed emphasis on training, seemed to lack sustained training for associates or partners, with no emphasis on attending outside seminars if no CLE requirement in your state; younger partners in management seem more focused on hanging out with their buddies in the various offices than connecting with other partners or associates; the usual office politics

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5.0

Jun 20, 2026

Guest services

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great work-life balance, lots of support and mentorship, and opportunity for growth.

Cons

Commute can be difficult, if you don't live nearby your office.

2.0

Jul 13, 2026

Attorney

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Hudson river view from the office is amazing - Modern sleek interior (like Virgin Airlines lounge) with various different working spaces (although none are private) - Interesting variety of clients, especially in the emerging technologies - as far as NYC options go, this is among the most casual environment without stuffy formalities (e.g. dress) - if you manage to find a good group of people in a high powered practice area and just work with them ALL THE TIME, you'll probably enjoy it - firm treats summer associates really really well (but don't expect it to carry over to being an associate) - is an early adapter for rolling out tech in various areas

Cons

- there is a TON of BS, hypocrisy and lip service from management to attorneys on things like DEI, hiring & retention, culture, transparency, etc. - firm can be vicious with stealth layoffs while gaslighting you to believe it's "unsatisfactory performance" - politics over performance: who (specifically, big partner) knows you / likes you matters more than your skills/performance when it comes to it - (promotions, layoffs, etc.) - Only partners get offices; others are in cubicles in an open space pit with no privacy or noise protection - regardless of what the firm touts about "Cooley culture," it's just another cold cutthroat BigLaw player trying to claw higher up AmLaw 100, not afraid of churn & burn through associates and less profitable partners alike - three words: white boys club.

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Jobs at Cooley

Associate Development Assistant (Business- East Coast)

Associate Director of Brand Strategy

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