What's it like to do public entities (cities and municipalities) defense? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Can someone provide some insight into representing cities and government agencies? A firm im interested in applying to represents city governments, law enforcement personnel, and state agencies in claims involving environment, tort, and civil rights.

Does it involve insurance defense? What does your work entail and what should I know ahead? Thank you.

[RaceJudicata]

search the firm or partners in westlaw/lexis/bloomberg and see what types of cases they have appeared in.

[A. Nony Mouse]

It probably involves things like defending against excessive force claims, wrongful termination, enforcing failure to comply with environmental regulations (like dumping trash in the wrong place), people getting injured on the capital steps, etc. I wouldn't call it insurance defense, but looking up the specific cases is a good suggestion.

[timmyd]

I work in this area. Frankly, I love it. It provides a healthy dose of constitutional issues, mostly brought through 1983 suits, as well as federal and state statutory issues based on Title VII, ADA, and corresponding state statutes.

I was a federal clerk so I jumped at the opportunity to join a practice conducted mostly in federal courts. As a poster alluded to above, there are a fair amount of mundane cases. For example, I consider many unlawful arrest and excessive force claims to be the car wreck cases of 1983 litigation. However, those kinds of cases can quickly turn towards the compelling when police shootings are involving. Besides those cases, however, I'd say like 30-50% of our cases involve pretty novel constitutional issues. For example, whether certain ordinances square with the First Amendment, whether the First Amendment guarantees a right to videotape the police, whether a fundamental right to an adulterous relationship exists...etc.

[CanadianWolf]

timmyd: Anyone experimenting with antitrust claims yet ?

[tyroneslothrop1]

I do public entity defense. It's good work, except for the low rates. Public entities pay roughly what insurance companies do. But, public entities don't fight you over every bill and you are given pretty free reign to litigate cases as you see fit. I do a lot of employment work - public entities get sued like any other employer.

[Anonymous User]

Oo here. Thank you for the responses.

What's the pay like? Im in a major city and this firm is regional. Online research shows it pays $180K starting salary. Is this accurate for a practice in this area of law?

[tyroneslothrop1]

If the firm is doing typical public entity representation, as its usually defined (city, county, state), it won't pay anywhere near 180.

[Anonymous User]

If the firm is doing typical public entity representation, as its usually defined (city, county, state), it won't pay anywhere near 180.

Yeah, because of the lower billing rates stated above, I only started at 105 in a major market at one of the bigger firms that does this type of thing.

[Anonymous User]

I work in this area. Frankly, I love it. It provides a healthy dose of constitutional issues, mostly brought through 1983 suits, as well as federal and state statutory issues based on Title VII, ADA, and corresponding state statutes.

I was a federal clerk so I jumped at the opportunity to join a practice conducted mostly in federal courts. As a poster alluded to above, there are a fair amount of mundane cases. For example, I consider many unlawful arrest and excessive force claims to be the car wreck cases of 1983 litigation. However, those kinds of cases can quickly turn towards the compelling when police shootings are involving. Besides those cases, however, I'd say like 30-50% of our cases involve pretty novel constitutional issues. For example, whether certain ordinances square with the First Amendment, whether the First Amendment guarantees a right to videotape the police, whether a fundamental right to an adulterous relationship exists...etc.

Can I ask what associates doing what u do should expect to be paid?

[timmyd]

I think it depends on market. I'm in a small sized city with a population of 200k, metro like 400k. I'm a first year starting at 80k. My pay escalates nicely as I get closer to partner. But I don't make knit law money. I also don't work big law hours. And I'm also getting very substantive experience out of the gate in terms of briefing before federal district and appellate courts. That is one thing about this practice, assuming your client doesn't farm out appeal work, you will become a seasoned briefer at a young age.

[Anonymous User]

I think it depends on market. I'm in a small sized city with a population of 200k, metro like 400k. I'm a first year starting at 80k. My pay escalates nicely as I get closer to partner. But I don't make knit law money. I also don't work big law hours. And I'm also getting very substantive experience out of the gate in terms of briefing before federal district and appellate courts. That is one thing about this practice, assuming your client doesn't farm out appeal work, you will become a seasoned briefer at a young age.

Quite frankly im a little timid about going to court but it's one of those things i feel like i have to get over to be a "real lawyer." Thanks for the input. I guess glassdoor and lawcrossings were BSing about the pay. i started to be skeptical once i saw that almost every lawyer in that firm were TTT grads.