Avantages
If you're on the administrative staff side, your experience here will depend largely on the group you work for. Your boss and colleagues will dictate your impressions of this place. If you're lucky, you'll join a group that is good for you. In my experience, salary is toward the upper end of the industry. There is very little room for upward mobility, as expected. There are plenty of people here who seem to have been here "forever." Standards are also very high, which is true throughout the firm. You will work hard here, but will also be afforded a reasonable work/life balance. In these respects, a career at Ropes can be rewarding. My star ratings reflect my opinions of my specific group. Dock 1 - 2 stars for my view of the firm as a whole.
Inconvénients
Every job has pros and cons. If you join Ropes, be absolutely prepared for some major cons that strike at your self worth. The firm is so large, many of the practicing attorneys will likely have no idea who you are, and won't care, either. In fact, many (not some) of the attorneys will likely treat you like trash. There are some who will not hesitate to let you know that in their eyes, you are worthless, despite not even knowing your name. The notion that everyone throughout the firm is treated with respect is a bold faced lie. I refer to not a single person or random one off experiences, but rather a system that makes it acceptable to treat its administrative staff in this way.