Wheeler Trigg Forum

[owlofminerva]

Anybody know much about Wheeler Trigg? What is the work like? How is the culture? Pay? Hours? Hiring? Anything? Thinking about a move to Denver and am thinking this might be a potential option. There isn't much on this site about it and most of it seems dated.

[TLSModBot]

Am more certain this is a new Palin baby name than it is an actual law firm

[BlackAndOrange84]

Anybody know much about Wheeler Trigg? What is the work like? How is the culture? Pay? Hours? Hiring? Anything? Thinking about a move to Denver and am thinking this might be a potential option. There isn't much on this site about it and most of it seems dated.

It's a well-respected trial firm. They hire a fair number of clerks. That's about the extent of my knowledge.

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed there. It seemed like a big portion of their work is products liability defense and class action defense. Most of their work seemed to be outside of Colorado--one guy said he chose to bring his practice there because DIA could get you anywhere in 4 hours. They liked clerks. They told me they pay below market, but I'm not sure how much below market, because I didn't get an offer. They all played up the trial lawyer mentality, but only about half the people that interviewed me had any trials, so I wasn't sure what to make of that. Everyone seemed nice.

[Anonymous User]

According to NALP, they start at $135k, and give the following clerkship bonuses: $60,000 for federal appellate court clerkship; $40,000 for federal district court clerkship; $25,000 for state supreme court clerkship; and $10,000 for state appellate court clerkship.

That sounds right based on my limited experience with Denver firms - I would have guessed $120k, but I moved away a few years ago so am out of date. The associates I know there are very nice and very smart.

edit: wait, according to their website, "Associates' salaries are set commensurate with experience, usually starting at $135,000 per year. (On January 1, 2017, starting associate salaries will increase to $160,000 per year.)"

[LeDique]

for whatever its worth, i've always heard more ppl complain about the hours at WTO than anywhere else in Denver

eta and none of them are still there apparently

[Anonymous User]

VERY well-respected litigation boutique in Denver. Pay is a touch over Denver market (Denver market is 120-130, WTO is ~135-140, and only a few firms are paying more than that). Heavy hours. Also mirroring the clerkship comments, but adding more - they don't hire first-year associates or SAs. Period. You either need experience or a clerkship to get in the door.

Another thing - I know someone who used to work for them as a paralegal, and apparently their support staff are treated as second-class citizens at the firm. As in, at events they eat from a separate buffet with not-as-nice food, and there's a bit of a culture supporting that.

[owlofminerva]

OP here. Thanks for the comments so far. What does a lot of hours mean in this context? I've billed over 2700 this year, so surely it isn't that bad. I'm surprised to hear about the support staff treatment; seems they get a lot of local business coverage as a good place to work.

[proleteriate]

bump. Anyone interviewing recently? advice?

[Anonymous User]

Bumping this bc I’m considering an offer

[Anonymous User]

I think they do a lot of Ford rollover cases, and other similar high-volume/lower pay scale work.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any updates on WTO?
I plan to send them an app. Currently clerking.
They seem to pay a bit below market and claim that ppl bill around 2000 hours/year.

idk if their marketing re giving associates real experience is true or not though.

Basically would love if anyone could speak on their experience with the firm.

[The Lsat Airbender]

Wheeler Trigg

sounds like Canadian slang for hitting on a girl and getting so nervous you vomit

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any updates on WTO?
I plan to send them an app. Currently clerking.
They seem to pay a bit below market and claim that ppl bill around 2000 hours/year.

idk if their marketing re giving associates real experience is true or not though.

Basically would love if anyone could speak on their experience with the firm.

I have a friend who worked there. They said they liked the people, but the work wasn't that sophisticated (they were coming from big law major market). They lateraled after 2 years.