Pros
1) Smart, friendly and talented employees. There are some incompetent people that need to be managed out, but that's been true at all firms where I've worked. 2) Approachable senior management. I don't hold a position that will ever command any special treatment, but I don't find it difficult to get access to senior managers if/when I need it. 3) Respect for diversity - at least in the San Francisco office. I can't speak for the other locations. 4) Focus on community engagement. The San Francisco office is very civic-minded. 5) Decent benefits. No, this isn't Salesforce or Google, but benefits aren't bad by any means.
Cons
1) Non-existent work-life balance. There are a handful of people who mysteriously manage to keep to an 8 hour schedule. For the rest of us, 12-hour days are more the norm. If you go out on vacation, expect a massive backlog upon your return. 2) Average base salaries and unimpressive bonuses. Of course, this is all dependent on the function where you work. New hires all seem to be content with their comp packages, but over the course of 3-5 years you'll see minimal increases and may eventually find yourself below market. 3) Dysfunctional promotion structure. If you're hired at the Analyst or Associate level there's still room for you to grow, although it will take longer than you might like. At the VP or Director level, further advancement will take years. The process is based upon the visibility of your business unit, political clout of your line manager, willingness of that line manager to advocate for you with higher-ups, and the perception of your role in NY HQ. 4) Weak talent management/career development. Many managers have strong technical skills, but have no idea how to manage direct reports and help mentor them in their careers. Succession planning is also weak, which leads to external hiring over internal promotion. 5) Continual pressure to achieve more with less. In the last couple of years the mantra has been "raising the bar", which is essentially code for assigning the maximum amount of work to as few people as possible. 6) Highly political environment. Those who have been around a while can navigate the personalities, but if you're new to the firm you may be frustrated.