#1 Gig in Miami?

[Rootbeer]

My friends were having an argument over drinks about this.

Pal, maybe you should focus on the problem at hand.

Where did they put the Like button?

[Anonymous User]

which Miami firms like to hire federal law clerks? I graduated in 2012, I'm currently clerking for a district judge, and my wife and I are moving to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale when my clerkship ends (she's originally from there). No ties to the area and I don't speak Spanish (is that going to kill me?). I'm gonna blanket apply to the national firms, but what are the good litigation boutiques that have a knack for hiring former clerks?

[purpletiger]

The #1 gig is probably as a bench player for the Miami Heat, right? Just get to watch LeBron do his insanely efficient thing for 40+ minutes a game.

[Anonymous User]

Bump .has anything changed in the last year?

[IAFG]

Bump .has anything changed in the last year?

Nope I was right in 2011

Trophy wife to billionaire.

[downinDtown]

Bump .has anything changed in the last year?

Nope I was right in 2011

Trophy wife to billionaire.

IAFG = Ms. Cleo + Oracle.

And it's legally related if the billionaire is a lawyer, right?

[IAFG]

Bump .has anything changed in the last year?

Nope I was right in 2011

Trophy wife to billionaire.

IAFG = Ms. Cleo + Oracle.

And it's legally related if the billionaire is a lawyer, right?

george clooney's fiancee is an NYU -> S&C alum so i assume lawyer spouse is the new trendy thing for the rich and famous

get on it kids

[Anonymous User]

Bumping 1.5 years later...

Would love to hear if anyone has any updated input on best biglaw in Miami?

Salary has been pretty much covered (although wtf is with HK's non-lockstep ish?), so maybe we could touch on work-life balance (lol jk; although I've heard Boies and GT are worth mentioning negatively here even for biglaw relative to other Miami firms), partner prospects, specialties, firm culture, SA programs, anything else noteworthy?

Any more or updated info whatsoever would be sweet

[Anonymous User]

Anyone willing to say HK is just as good as GT these days?

[Anonymous User]

No, in every aspect, HK is a step behind GT.

[Anonymous User]

In Miami, it’s:

White & Case
Boies
GT

Holland & Knight



Everyone else (irrelevant)

[Anonymous User]

In Miami, it’s:

White & Case
Boies
GT

Holland & Knight



Everyone else (irrelevant)

Not so, at least for lit. Podhurst is way up there.

[Anonymous User]

Yeah agree with the PP. Podhurst is obviously great for plaintiff’s work, as is Colson Hicks. Black Srebnick for white collar (and non-white collar) crim. Hogan (and others) for international arb. Kozyak for complex commercial lit. In their respective categories, each of those firms is equal/superior to WC/GT/Boies Miami (though the lattermost is particularly strong for commercial lit). Gotta look at practice areas.

[Anonymous User]

No love for Bilzin even w/r/t Real Estate if you wanna be there long term? Heard they pay their partners better than anyone

[Anonymous User]

Yeah agree with the PP. Podhurst is obviously great for plaintiff’s work, as is Colson Hicks. Black Srebnick for white collar (and non-white collar) crim. Hogan (and others) for international arb. Kozyak for complex commercial lit. In their respective categories, each of those firms is equal/superior to WC/GT/Boies Miami (though the lattermost is particularly strong for commercial lit). Gotta look at practice areas.

So is HK the undisputed leader in anything or are they the Chris Bosh of Miami (tied with a lot of the leaders in multiple Chambers bands)?

[Anonymous User]

No love for Bilzin even w/r/t Real Estate if you wanna be there long term? Heard they pay their partners better than anyone

I’d put Bilzin below HK, Gunster and Akerman.

[Anonymous User]

In Miami, it’s:

White & Case
Boies
GT

Holland & Knight



Everyone else (irrelevant)

Not so, at least for lit. Podhurst is way up there.

They were asking about HK, so I just assumed corporate or RE.

Also don’t think it’s fair to compare firms with hundreds to firms with like 20.

But agree, Podhurst is good.

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, where do firms like Carlton Fields/Gunster/Akerman/Shutts rank in Miami?

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, where do firms like Carlton Fields/Gunster/Akerman/Shutts rank in Miami?

I think Akerman is the only one that pays Miami market ($160k). The others still pay $145k if I’m correct.

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, where do firms like Carlton Fields/Gunster/Akerman/Shutts rank in Miami?

I think Akerman is the only one that pays Miami market ($160k). The others still pay $145k if I’m correct.

I believe Akerman only takes laterals...

[Anonymous User]

Out of curiosity, where do firms like Carlton Fields/Gunster/Akerman/Shutts rank in Miami?

I think Akerman is the only one that pays Miami market ($160k). The others still pay $145k if I’m correct.

I believe Akerman only takes laterals...

Is that true? I thought I saw some junior associates on its site

[sflyr2016]

Info here is quite off. HK, Bilzin, Akerman and GT all start at 160. Gunster and Shutts pay less. Not sure about CF, but fairly confident they’re below 160 too. And the satellite offices vary—JD pays 160, W&C around 175, and KL, MWE, Weil, DLA, and Hogan are at 180.

As for lit, it’s too practice specific to generalize. Also, you shouldn’t really compare big firms to boutiques—they handle different kinds of cases, and often on different sides. As for real estate, GT, Bilzin, and Akerman are best.

[Anonymous User]

Info here is quite off. HK, Bilzin, Akerman and GT all start at 160. Gunster and Shutts pay less. Not sure about CF, but fairly confident they’re below 160 too. And the satellite offices vary—JD pays 160, W&C around 175, and KL, MWE, Weil, DLA, and Hogan are at 180.

As for lit, it’s too practice specific to generalize. Also, you shouldn’t really compare big firms to boutiques—they handle different kinds of cases, and often on different sides. As for real estate, GT, Bilzin, and Akerman are best.

I said Miami market is $160 because GT is at 160 and I think it has more associates than all of the firms with 180k salaries combined. JD now pays 170k.

I think all firms will have to eventually match the cravath scale (or milbank scale) to be competitive because more national firms continue to move in and offer cravath scale (which after like year 3-4 is significantly different than GT (I know of a GT senior who makes barely over 220)). A senior associate at a national firm paying market makes significantly more than nonequity partners at the 160 black box firms.

Also, Chambers rankings are probably best for everything. I agree you can’t compare GT and a boutique.

Even for Corporate, you can’t compare GT to anyone. Chambers has GT, HK, and Akerman as Tier 1 for corporate but there’s a huge gap between GT and the others in deal size. GT does a lot of large deals and HK and Akerman do mostly middle market. The other large firms don’t really do that much deal work from their Miami offices to really compare.

[sflyr2016]

Sure, the gap grows after first year. Obviously. But few make partner at the satellite offices. So your senior-associate friend “barely making 220,” has a much better shot a partnership. Also, nearly impossible to bring in work to satellite offices that require clients pay NY rates. Just won’t happen. And even harder when your business card reads “associate.”

Chambers is a good guide. Here’s the Fl link. https://www.chambersandpartners.com/guide/usa/5/12326/1. One should go by practice groups. Even by individual lawyers. Not what their out-of-state friends would think is more prestigious.

[Anonymous User]

Sure, the gap grows after first year. Obviously. But few make partner at the satellite offices. So your senior-associate friend “barely making 220,” has a much better shot a partnership. Also, nearly impossible to bring in work to satellite offices that require clients pay NY rates. Just won’t happen. And even harder when your business card reads “associate.”

Chambers is a good guide. Here’s the Fl link. https://www.chambersandpartners.com/guide/usa/5/12326/1. One should go by practice groups. Even by individual lawyers. Not what their out-of-state friends would think is more prestigious.

Good point. I think the large satellite offices charge NY rates which I believe are double Miami rates at the associate level.