Ventura/Santa Barbara

[FlanAl]

Just wondering if anyone knows anything about the legal market in either of these two counties. Obviously many Southern Californians wouldn't mind living a little north of LA and there really doesn't seem to be any info on these markets at all on this site. Any information would be great!

[kwais]

my guess is that Ventura has divorce/personal injury/real estate.
Santa Barbara has same plus a few small branch biglaw offices like Sheppard Mullin

[FlanAl]

thats about all I know. Any energy type stuff in ventura with the offshore drill located there?

[kwais]

thats about all I know. Any energy type stuff in ventura with the offshore drill located there?

perhaps, but I wouldn't imagine they would need lawyers on-site for that sort of operation. Houston, LA, NY would probably suffice.

[NoleinNY]

Pretty much this. There are some small tech companies in Ventura might need legal work, although they can probably just drive down the 101 to get some bigger firms to help them.

[FlanAl]

any idea what life is like for lawyers in these communities? i know these practice areas are generally considered "shit law" by TLS, but when there is no other game in town I wonder how the fair.

[Anonymous User]

Ventura doesn't have biglaw firms-- LA is down the street. Santa Barbara has real offices, as well as shadow/unlisted offices for firms. They don't recruit law students usually. The do take laterals. Their work is mostly "old money"-based with splashes of tech, military contractors, energy, start-up. Basically it is the mini-OC market. On a side note, if you want an even nicer place to live, SLO County is liveable and has been good for solos and small firms-- but it wont make you $$$.

[Anonymous User]

I'm from Ventura and know a few lawyers there; that's pretty much all my opinion here is based on, so take that for what it's worth.

Pretty much every lawyer I know who actually works in Ventura itself works in family law, trusts and estates, or small time criminal defense. Ventura County's "big businesses" are defense contracting, agriculture, and oil (with a little tourism), but none of that law happens in the county itself. If you're looking for legal practices that focus on that stuff, you should head to LA or further on down to San Diego. The smaller tech companies that I know people at all get their legal advice, when they bother to get it, down near LA.

In terms of set-up, It's all basically partnerships/solos. There is maybe one or two very small firms. By TLS standards, these things would probably all be shitlaw. That said, the people I know who do these things do quite well. None of the Ventura lawyers I know are anything less than upper-middle class. At worst. That said, I also don't know everyone. The folks I know who do divorce/family/etc. in Ventura seem to work around 70 hours a week. The T&E people closer to 50.

For people thinking of trying to head to Ventura because it's a suburb of LA, just...bear in mind that our "suburb of LA" status is pretty misleading. Ventura is a solid hour outside of LA, and the culture difference is huge. We have far more in common with our friends in the OC and in the Inland Empire than we have in common with LA. It's a beach town, but it's pretty conservative and it's very, very insular. So...might want to bear those things in mind.

[Anonymous User]

I graduated last year and live in Santa Barbara. It's a very small market with several satellite offices of larger firms (Sheppard Mullin, Stradling Yocca, etc.). I have a few friends at those offices, and they've said it's imperative to have a lasting connection to the area to get hired there. Lots of attorneys who get burned out in LA or SF love the idea of coming to Santa Barbara, but many of them get bored and leave after a few years; so firms are very circumspect unless you show a connection.

On the other hand, it's an incredible place to practice once you've established yourself. The bar is very small, the courthouse is a historic landmark, and the attorneys here are very collegial. There are a few solid small/mid-sized firms here, but don't expect to be pulling in $$$.

[FlanAl]

I'm from Ventura and know a few lawyers there; that's pretty much all my opinion here is based on, so take that for what it's worth.

Pretty much every lawyer I know who actually works in Ventura itself works in family law, trusts and estates, or small time criminal defense. Ventura County's "big businesses" are defense contracting, agriculture, and oil (with a little tourism), but none of that law happens in the county itself. If you're looking for legal practices that focus on that stuff, you should head to LA or further on down to San Diego. The smaller tech companies that I know people at all get their legal advice, when they bother to get it, down near LA.

In terms of set-up, It's all basically partnerships/solos. There is maybe one or two very small firms. By TLS standards, these things would probably all be shitlaw. That said, the people I know who do these things do quite well. None of the Ventura lawyers I know are anything less than upper-middle class. At worst. That said, I also don't know everyone. The folks I know who do divorce/family/etc. in Ventura seem to work around 70 hours a week. The T&E people closer to 50.

For people thinking of trying to head to Ventura because it's a suburb of LA, just...bear in mind that our "suburb of LA" status is pretty misleading. Ventura is a solid hour outside of LA, and the culture difference is huge. We have far more in common with our friends in the OC and in the Inland Empire than we have in common with LA. It's a beach town, but it's pretty conservative and it's very, very insular. So...might want to bear those things in mind.

would you mind sending me a pm so I can pm you?

[20160810]

Not a single SB firm did OCI at Davis, so I have no idea who's out there, but man would I love a job there, "shit law" or no.

[Anonymous User]

I graduated last year and live in Santa Barbara. It's a very small market with several satellite offices of larger firms (Sheppard Mullin, Stradling Yocca, etc.). I have a few friends at those offices, and they've said it's imperative to have a lasting connection to the area to get hired there. Lots of attorneys who get burned out in LA or SF love the idea of coming to Santa Barbara, but many of them get bored and leave after a few years; so firms are very circumspect unless you show a connection.

On the other hand, it's an incredible place to practice once you've established yourself. The bar is very small, the courthouse is a historic landmark, and the attorneys here are very collegial. There are a few solid small/mid-sized firms here, but don't expect to be pulling in $$$.

I'm assuming having gone to UCSB would be a substantial tie?

[20160810]

I graduated last year and live in Santa Barbara. It's a very small market with several satellite offices of larger firms (Sheppard Mullin, Stradling Yocca, etc.). I have a few friends at those offices, and they've said it's imperative to have a lasting connection to the area to get hired there. Lots of attorneys who get burned out in LA or SF love the idea of coming to Santa Barbara, but many of them get bored and leave after a few years; so firms are very circumspect unless you show a connection.

On the other hand, it's an incredible place to practice once you've established yourself. The bar is very small, the courthouse is a historic landmark, and the attorneys here are very collegial. There are a few solid small/mid-sized firms here, but don't expect to be pulling in $$$.

I'm assuming having gone to UCSB would be a substantial tie?

For a really out of the way market like SB, substantial tie means wife there or grew up there. Went to UCSB would pretty much be the minimum, I'd imagine, though it will help.