Careers

Who we are

At Cooley, we strive to create an inclusive, rewarding environment that allows our people to thrive professionally and personally. Our people-first philosophy, cooperative spirit and firmwide commitment to inclusion are central to our success and the driving force behind our global growth.

As one of the world’s greatest law firms, we are devoted to meeting the evolving needs of our clients through our commitment to building a community of high-caliber professionals who share our vision and values.

Cooley culture puts people first.

Find your path at Cooley

We believe that fostering a culture of personal and professional growth, inclusivity and collaboration creates opportunities and defines great careers.

Law student
Experienced lawyer
Judicial clerk
Paralegal
Business professional
UK trainee

Resources

Learn more about Cooley

Important policies

We're developing the next generation of talent.

Named to Seramount’s Best Law Firms for Women and Diversity for the 12th consecutive year (2023)

Honored with the Women in Law Empowerment Forum’s US Gold Standard certification for the 12th straight year (2023)

Achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for the seventh time (2023)

US Diversity Fellowships

As part of our dedication to maintaining a truly diverse workplace that values and celebrates differences, we offer diversity fellowships to outstanding law students.

2L Diversity Fellowship (new for 2024) – Award recipients will receive a paid 2L summer associate position and an award of up to $40,000 to assist with law school tuition. The application period runs from May 15 to August 15, 2024. Learn more

1L Diversity Fellowship – Award recipients will receive a paid 1L summer associate position and an award of up to $50,000 to assist with law school tuition. Learn more

Pro bono

Giving back is core to our culture, and doing pro bono work is a fundamental obligation of our profession.

Cooley's pro bono practice succeeds because of the dedication of our people and our teamwork.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Cooley is an equal opportunity employer. We believe our success is based on a diversity of people, teams and opinions.

True commitment to workplace diversity means offering all employees the tools, training and mentoring they need to succeed. It means embracing the importance of diversity on our client teams. It means enabling every individual to balance work and family obligations. It’s about fostering community involvement and participation in local and national diversity initiatives. It means leading by example in our profession.

Affinity groups

Many of Cooley's offices have an active Cooley Inclusion Alliance, which is managed directly by Cooley associates with the goals of providing associates with a forum and resource for support; enhancing retention, training and promotion; and identifying opportunities to join with clients and community members on initiatives and topics of interest. The Cooley Inclusion Alliance welcomes and encourages participation from all associates and patent practitioners.

Other firmwide groups include the Black Attorney Affinity Group and LGBTQ+ Affinity Group.

Careers contacts

Palo Alto

Elizabeth Love

Senior Legal Talent Manager - Palo Alto