Top Plaintiffs' Firms? Forum

[Anonymous User]

If you applied/interviewed with LCHB and have not heard back, post from your username and I'll PM you. I might be of assistance, depending on your circumstances.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone ever hear back from motley rice with a post-CB ding?

[Reprisal]

what do people think about small plaintiffs firms? potential offer not sure of pay yet at a really small firm. not all attorneys are posted on website but i think like 5-7 work there. something like this... Schoengold & Sporn

Schoengold & Sporn look ok. Try to find a few of their Complaints in Westlaw and investigate whether they bring legit causes of action or spurious strike suits; then make a choice.

Two former partners of S & S defected [escaped?] to Cohen Milstein recently. This might indicate S & S is losing business or went through a fight over profits or football teams. Who knows.

[gavinstevens]

Informative thread.

[sflaw]

LCHB Applicant; Hasting's 2L GPA: 3.9+ (class rank 9/369); no interview despite personal connections w/ hiring partner: I fear they're only looking for HLS/SLS/YLS/minority women

[sflaw]

"If you applied/interviewed with LCHB and have not heard back, post from your username and I'll PM you. I might be of assistance, depending on your circumstances."

Wasn't offered an interview; not sure why. Perhaps, you could have some sway in securing a summer position. I'm 9th in my class at Hastings (GPA >3.9) and have exclusively worked for plaintifff's firms.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

A few notable ones, runs the gamut from securities, employment, mass tort, etc.

• Altshuler, Berzon, Nussbaum, Rubin & Demain.
• Baron & Budd.
• Barroway Topaz Kessler Meltzer & Check.
• Beldock Levine & Hoffman.
• Berger & Montague.
• Bernstein Liebhard.
• Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore.
• Bredhoff & Kaiser.
• Clifford Law Offices.
• Cochran, Cherry, Givens, Smith & Montgomery.
• Cohen Milstein.
• Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy.
• Gibbs & Bruns.
• Girardi Keese.
• Grant & Eisenhofer.
• Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro.
• Kreindler & Kreindler.
• Labaton Sucharow.
• Leonard Carder.
• MacDonald Hoague and Bayless.
• Milberg.
• Miner, Barnhill & Galland.
• Phillips & Cohen.
• Seeger Weiss.
• Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP.
• Vladeck Waldman.
• Watts Guerra Craft LLP.
• Whatley Drake.
• Wiggins, Childs, Quinn and Pantazis.
• Wilkes & McHugh.
• Woodcock Washburn.

I have an offer from one of these guys. Pay is not even close to the 160K other firms have offerend (115K with smaller bonuses, at least in the first few years). What does TLS think? They're top notch, though and the work they do seems way more interesting. I have to tell them by Monday.


Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

[johndhi]

I have an offer from one of these guys. Pay is not even close to the 160K other firms have offerend (115K with smaller bonuses, at least in the first few years). What does TLS think? They're top notch, though and the work they do seems way more interesting. I have to tell them by Monday.


Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

I'm not going to offer advice on way or the other, but this is something I've thought about a lot so I'll list some of the considerations. I ultimately went biglaw, currently SAing.

If your biglaw offer is from a big name, it will probably open more doors for you in terms of exit options than most of the plaintiffs firms on that list. That said, the doors will be different doors - I expect firms like Altshuler, Lieff, Cotchett would provide great opportunities for, like, the best non-profit jobs around, impact litigation firms, etc. that biglaw generally couldn't do. But, biglaw is probably superior on your resume in terms of just a straight up "this guy is a good lawyer." I think some of those firms position you well to go into the US Attorney's Office (for example, Phillips & Cohen), but that biglaw is also generally better for this. Milberg is probably a good place to make a name in the securities field - but is that the field in which you want to make your name?

I've been told that it's best to be able to find your practice area of choice early in your career and dive straight in. But are you sure of what it is? Biglaw, as a matter of generality, probably gives you more options to explore. What about the hours? I've seen associates work soul crushing hours in both fields and I'm not convinced the big plaintiffs firms are any kinder than the biglaw firms - why would they be? that's who they're competing with.

Good luck; interested to hear others' thoughts. Also interested to get a PM from the LCHB guy to see what he has to say.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know when/if attorneys that go to the Altshuler-type firms start getting a part of settlements and verdicts? Does it pencil out to go to these firms, or do you do it because you're a true believer?

[IrwinM.Fletcher]

Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

Your math here cannot be correct, unless your other offer is at WLRK or something.

A 115k base at the Plaintiff's firm could definitely translate to 40k after withholdings and rent.

There is no way, however, that 160k biglaw in any state translates to 113k after withholdings and rent. Not even if you live with your parents for free in Texas.

[Anonymous User]

Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

Your math here cannot be correct, unless your other offer is at WLRK or something.

A 115k base at the Plaintiff's firm could definitely translate to 40k after withholdings and rent.

There is no way, however, that 160k biglaw in any state translates to 113k after withholdings and rent. Not even if you live with your parents for free in Texas.

My math is correct, although a little skewed to remain anonymous. I'd tell you more, but I'd risk outing.

[fatduck]

Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

Your math here cannot be correct, unless your other offer is at WLRK or something.

A 115k base at the Plaintiff's firm could definitely translate to 40k after withholdings and rent.

There is no way, however, that 160k biglaw in any state translates to 113k after withholdings and rent. Not even if you live with your parents for free in Texas.

My math is correct, although a little skewed to remain anonymous. I'd tell you more, but I'd risk outing.

you're right to be careful, BIGCAYMANLAW is a small community

[Anonymous User]

Edit - not getting into it. I see why you think that, and it has to do with something I wrote to stay anonymous. Sorry my attempts to stay anonymous derailed this thread. If anyone has answers to my questions, I'd appreciate it. I appreciate the input of the guy above that chose biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Edit - not getting into it. I see why you think that, and it has to do with something I wrote to stay anonymous. Sorry my attempts to stay anonymous derailed this thread. If anyone has answers to my questions, I'd appreciate it. I appreciate the input of the guy above that chose biglaw.

Go biglaw. It is MUCH easier going from biglaw to a plaintiff's firm than the other way around. The bonus potential at a plaintiff's firm is much higher, but there are no assurances. You could bust your butt and spend countless hours on a case at a plaintiff firm, but if you lose, you are stuck at your base salary. In the end it depends on how risk averse you are. You will get greater work experience early on relative to most biglaw shops, but it will be at a cost in salary and, in the eyes of many, prestige.

[Reprisal]

I have an offer from one of these guys. Pay is not even close to the 160K other firms have offerend (115K with smaller bonuses, at least in the first few years). What does TLS think? They're top notch, though and the work they do seems way more interesting. I have to tell them by Monday.


Edit: I just ran the numbers, and after taxes and rent, I'll have 40K at the plaintiffs' firm. If I go to biglaw, after the same expenditures, I'll have 113K.

I just double checked your numbers and largely agree with them. All I can say is that the ultimate payoff is greater on plaintiff side and those firms tend to have higher quality of life.

Biglaw gets paid by the hour. Plaintiffs get paid by the victory. The difference in incentive structure leads to very different work styles.

$40k disposable is a LOT of money for someone who isn't used to having any. And after a few years it'll only going up (dramatically).

What did you choose?

[manofjustice]

What do the top plaintiff firms pay, starting? Any market?

[Anonymous User]

What did you choose?

I'm going. I hope I can climb the rungs successfully or lateral out. I have ties to a market that make me think I could always go back there and land a job at a top firm. We'll see.

[JusticeJackson]

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[Anonymous User]

I am currently a partner at a plaintiff's firm (think RGRD, Lieff, Sussman, Labaton), and was formerly at BigLaw (think Gibson Dunn, OMM, Latham, Paul Hastings), and did a stint as an AUSA for a while before joining a plaintiff's firm.

If you have questions, I'd be happy to share insights on what it's like to work at a plaintiff's firm vis-a-vis biglaw, and how to get a job at either place. Just post and I'll be here for the rest of the week or so.

No flames please. Just trying to be helpful.

[Anonymous User]

I am currently a partner at a plaintiff's firm (think RGRD, Lieff, Sussman)
No flames please. Just trying to be helpful.

[$$$$$$]

I would really like to know what it is like to work at a plaintiff's lit firm and especially like to know how to get hired by one. I have met with partners at two of the best Plaintiff's securities firms in the country and really liked what I heard and find securities lit / derivative litigation to be something I am really interested in and could possibly be quite good at with my background. Could you PM with some info?

[$$$$$$]

I am currently a partner at a plaintiff's firm (think RGRD, Lieff, Sussman, Labaton), and was formerly at BigLaw (think Gibson Dunn, OMM, Latham, Paul Hastings), and did a stint as an AUSA for a while before joining a plaintiff's firm.

If you have questions, I'd be happy to share insights on what it's like to work at a plaintiff's firm vis-a-vis biglaw, and how to get a job at either place. Just post and I'll be here for the rest of the week or so.

No flames please. Just trying to be helpful.

Post above is responding to you, for some reason I couldn't quote your post before

[Anonymous User]

I am currently a partner at a plaintiff's firm (think RGRD, Lieff, Sussman, Labaton), and was formerly at BigLaw (think Gibson Dunn, OMM, Latham, Paul Hastings), and did a stint as an AUSA for a while before joining a plaintiff's firm.

If you have questions, I'd be happy to share insights on what it's like to work at a plaintiff's firm vis-a-vis biglaw, and how to get a job at either place. Just post and I'll be here for the rest of the week or so.

No flames please. Just trying to be helpful.

Thank you for taking questions.

What is the PPP like at your (or other) top plaintiffs' firms? Curious as to how it compares to Vault 50 PPP. Due to the nature of the work, do some partners take home much more than others?

Big firms rely on institutional clients for the majority of their work, but plaintiffs' firms require a study influx of new, often one-time clients. How does the firm market to or find clients?

[Anonymous User]

I am currently a partner at a plaintiff's firm (think RGRD, Lieff, Sussman, Labaton), and was formerly at BigLaw (think Gibson Dunn, OMM, Latham, Paul Hastings), and did a stint as an AUSA for a while before joining a plaintiff's firm.

If you have questions, I'd be happy to share insights on what it's like to work at a plaintiff's firm vis-a-vis biglaw, and how to get a job at either place. Just post and I'll be here for the rest of the week or so.

No flames please. Just trying to be helpful.

I'm the poster above that was considering an offer from a top plaintiffs' firm. What I'm concerned about is going to the plaintiffs' firm and then not having transferable skills.

(1) If I go to a top plaintiffs' firm and it's not me, how difficult would it be to go to biglaw or a USAO? What if I spend 5 years at the plaintiffs' firm. Will I be stuck on that side of the aisle?

(2) What is realistic future salary/bonus expectations for someone at a plaintiffs' firm with solid biglaw credentials (e.g., top-6 law school; top 15%; law review; no ed. board; no clerkship).

Also, I'm not talking abous Susman or Boies, which I think are a different story because they do defense work as well.