Transparency

NEW YORK – Every morning when I walk out of the elevator on the 30th floor of the iconic GM building, I see giant glass windows on each side of the corridor, through which I can get a nice view of the city and Central Park. The office, which has been newly renovated, is very spacious and bright. Most of the office furniture is in silver, white or gray. The corridor and the rooms are partitioned by frosted glass walls and doors. All of the design speaks of a central value of the firm: transparency.

The firm adopts an open-door policy to facilitate communication among attorneys. On my second day of the summer program, I accepted a challenge from a first-year associate who asked me to walk into any partner’s office and introduce myself. As you may imagine, this can be a daunting task for any summer associate. But the open-door policy definitely makes it a lot easier. Indeed, partners and associates welcome you to swing by their offices to say hello. They are keen to get to know you and help you integrate into the group.

Transparency in the firm is not just about removing physical barriers; it is an attitude all Weil attorneys share. I once sent an email to three associates in the firm. The email, which had my notes attached from a previous meeting, stated that I was not confident that the notes would be helpful. Within seconds, I received a response from one associate advising me not to sell myself short. A few minutes later another associate sent a similar email to me. I was surprised by their speedy responses, and deeply moved by their candid and honest advice.

The firm is also transparent in the sense that attorneys talk about potential career opportunities outside the firm. Should your career move beyond Weil, there is an alumni program and a network of opportunities. There is no pretension or exaggeration. Every piece of advice I’ve received is practical and valuable.

Weil is a firm that truly values transparency. I’m glad that I’ve made the right choice to start my career here.