Frequently Asked Questions

Holland & Knight seeks students of substance from diverse backgrounds with superior academics, leadership skills, involvement in extracurricular activities and demonstrated commitment to their communities. We look for candidates who have the desire and ethical foundation to be significant lawyers in the firm, in the profession and in the community. We have been very successful in hiring students who meet these criteria, and as a result, our firm as a whole reflects these characteristics.

Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 1,300 lawyers in 28 offices throughout the world. This ranks us among the largest law firms in the U.S.

Holland & Knight is a global firm. No single office is considered the "headquarters." The firm's technology links practice groups and lawyers at the local, national and international levels, enabling us to serve clients regardless of location.

Diversity is a Holland & Knight core value. The firm has distinguished itself among U.S. law firms as a leader in diversity, and our commitment to diversity is reflected in our recruiting efforts. Holland & Knight attends and sponsors many job fairs and events that support a diverse legal profession. We work hard to recruit and maintain a diverse workforce and to create an inclusive organizational culture and work environment that values and respects the contributions of all of our professionals. We are proud of the awards and recognition the firm has received for its accomplishments in the area of diversity and inclusion.

• Holland & Knight was recognized as one of only 27 firms to earn the Mansfield Certified Plus 2018 designation where women and minority lawyers represent at least 30 percent of a significant number of firm leadership roles and committees.
• Holland & Knight earned Gold Standard Certification from The Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for the eighth year in a row for its achievement in providing women attorneys with opportunities for financial success and positions at the highest level of firm leadership (June 2018).
• Holland & Knight received a "perfect score" on the annual Corporate Equality Index for 2019 by Human Rights Campaign (March 2019).
• Holland & Knight was named the "Best Firm for Diversity" at the 2017 Americas Women in Business Law Awards in recognition of its culture of diversity and inclusion. The firm also was honored for "Best Gender Diversity Initiative by a National Firm (North America)" and "Best in the U.S. West" for its support of women attorneys.

If you have an interest in learning about our litigation practice, you will be invited to observe depositions, court hearings and trials, and you might draft briefs, pleadings, motions and substantive research memorandums. If you have an interest in learning about our transactional practices, you might help the team by conducting due diligence, assisting with closings, sitting in on client negotiations and meetings, as well as preparing research memorandums. Summer associates also are given opportunities to work on pro bono projects.

Yes. Pro bono assignments can come from attorneys either in your local office or through the Community Services Team. Pro bono opportunities provide excellent training and experience.

Holland & Knight understands the importance of training in the development and advancement of your career. As a summer associate, you will receive formal and informal training. Our formal training programs will help you develop the skills needed to become a successful attorney. You also will have the opportunity throughout the summer to receive informal, on-the-job training working alongside our experienced lawyers.

We provide you with two mentors – usually one partner and one associate – who guide you through your summer program experience. Your mentors are available to answer your questions, from how the firm operates and the stylistic preferences of various partners to the best place to go for coffee near the office. Your mentors will help you to create and reach your career goals, connect you to colleagues, provide candid advice about work assignments, as well as teach you substantive and practical legal skills through direct experience and shadowing opportunities.

Summer associates receive two formal evaluations – one halfway through the program and the other at the end of the program. The Hiring Partner and Summer Assignment Coordinator in each office will sit down with each summer associate to go over their reviews and work performance. Feedback is important, and we encourage all of our summer associates to proactively solicit informal feedback from the attorneys with whom they regularly work. Receiving "real-time," constructive feedback will help you continuously improve your performance and hone your legal skills.

Holland & Knight's summer program is nine weeks. We believe that this period is sufficient to evaluate you as a future lawyer and for you to evaluate how you will fit in at Holland & Knight.

Holland & Knight intentionally keeps its summer program small relative to the size of the firm. This gives our summer associates the opportunity to experience a diverse range of assignments, to work with and meet as many lawyers as possible, as well as to become integrated into the firm. The size of the summer program varies by office.

The summer program is an integral part of Holland & Knight's hiring effort, and we hire the majority of our junior associates directly from our summer program. We strive to give our summer associates an accurate sense of what it is like to work as a first-year associate at the firm, and we hire each summer associate with the expectation that we will extend an offer for a full-time position at the end of the program.

• The economy is transforming business, which gives rise to new opportunities. The practice of law also is changing.
• Pursuant to the most recent IBISWorld's "Law Firms in the U.S.: Market Research Report," industry revenue is projected to increase at an annualized rate of 0.8 percent to $304.2 billion in the four years to 2021. The overall performance of the economy, an anticipated increase in corporate profit and an influx of new laws and regulations will aid revenue growth in the next five years. Expected increases in consumer disposable income also will aid smaller industry participants by increasing demand for services such as estate and trust planning. In addition, improving investor confidence will stimulate more activity in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offering (IPO) markets, facilitating higher demand for corporate legal services.
• Increasing M&A activity will expand our target base, and a rebounding real estate market will continue to bolster revenue. Also, greater demand for niche practices such as cybersecurity and data privacy tied to high growth sectors like technology and healthcare will boost our competitive advantage. With the coming legislative changes, our government relations advisors are in high demand to assist our clients in staying abreast of new or modified regulations, as well as representing their interests on Capitol Hill.
• Substantial investments in industry and client-target initiatives are positioning the firm to use its strengths to extend relationships with existing clients and draw new business. Holland & Knight has moved from selling by single attorneys to cross-selling the entire firm. These efforts have allowed the firm to expand relationships in key markets such as Charlotte, Texas and London, as well as open new avenues for growth in areas such as Stamford.
• Holland & Knight continues to seek U.S. and Latin America growth opportunities, including increased activity in corporate M&A, maritime transactions and construction.

• Last year, Holland & Knight posted record gains in revenue and profits. The firm achieved those results through the unwavering commitment of our lawyers and staff to provide exceptional client service.
• We remain conservative with our operations and finances. With no long-term or short-term debt, we are on very sound footing for growth.
• Holland & Knight is well-positioned to take advantage of economic opportunities, while providing attorneys with the resources needed to better develop their practices and assist clients will full-service representation.
• We pay particular attention to ensuring our clients are getting the quality legal services they need and desire. The legal field is an increasingly competitive industry, which requires lawyers to continually focus on serving clients. We understand that.
• We have streamlined and improved our administrative operations so we can operate more efficiently, and we utilize technology to help cut expenses.
• Our sound financial condition and improved financial performance, combined with our collegial culture, are key factors in our ability to attract exceptional talent.
• Our rates and fee structures provide excellent value-for-money, which clients are demanding more than ever.