Moore & Van Allen / Nexsen Pruet Forum

[TheBigMediocre]

Anyone know anything more about these firms? I read both firms' NALPdirectory.com entries and websites, but any other information or links to resources would be appreciated. I know neither of them are "big" law firms but they both are in a location I'm interested in (Charleston, SC).

Moore & Van Allen, while small (300ish attorneys), seems to have some very big clients. Also, no minimum billable hours for associates is both confusing and alluring.

[thesealocust]

nm

[miamiman]

no minimum billable hours for associates is both confusing and alluring.

Don't believe it for a second. Tons of firms, including the biggest, whitest shoe, V10iest, associate-grinder-est law firms have "no minimum billable hours". It changes nothing, everyone knows what is expected and still grinds it out.

Now I'd expect an SC firm to actually have lower institutional expectations, but the mere absence of a published target (and even the presence of a proclamation of the absence of a target) doesn't actually tell you anything.

He beat me to the punch. Virtually every firm under the sun (with rare expection, WLRK) has a billables requirement, whether it's posted or not.

[TheBigMediocre]

Whoops, alright. Well regardless of the billable hours, any other information from anyone?

[Anonymous User]

I've worked for a large firm in Charleston (not a lawyer) for several years and have never heard of Moore & Van Allen. This may be because their operation in SC just isn't focused in the same areas that I'm involved in (since I'm not a lawyer I don't exactly have an ear to the ground in terms of the rather close-knit legal Charleston community so I don't have immediate recognition of firms/attorneys unless if I've dealt with them in some capacity).

I've dealt with the folks at nexsen pruet several times in a wide variety of matters throughout several counties in South Carolina, both in terms as co- and opposing counsel, and they have always been amiable. I have a friend who summered with them and had good things to say.

Not directly related to what you're asking, but since you're interested in the Charleston area for future employment, I would stick to firms who are actually in downtown Charleston (fwiw, both of these firms are located downtown). Firms located in the surrounding areas aren't inherently subpar, but based off of my own anecdotal observations there does seem to be a gap in the overall quality. This may be due to personal bias, but you definitely won't find yourself stuck with an absolute crap firm if you're downtown.

Not much, but there you go.

[TheBigMediocre]

I've worked for a large firm in Charleston (not a lawyer) for several years and have never heard of Moore & Van Allen. This may be because their operation in SC just isn't focused in the same areas that I'm involved in (since I'm not a lawyer I don't exactly have an ear to the ground in terms of the rather close-knit legal Charleston community so I don't have immediate recognition of firms/attorneys unless if I've dealt with them in some capacity).

I've dealt with the folks at Nexsen Pruet several times in a wide variety of matters throughout several counties in South Carolina, both in terms as co- and opposing counsel, and they have always been amiable. I have a friend who summered with them and had good things to say.

Not directly related to what you're asking, but since you're interested in the Charleston area for future employment, I would stick to firms who are actually in downtown Charleston (fwiw, both of these firms are located downtown). Firms located in the surrounding areas aren't inherently subpar, but based off of my own anecdotal observations there does seem to be a gap in the overall quality. This may be due to personal bias, but you definitely won't find yourself stuck with an absolute crap firm if you're downtown.

Not much, but there you go.

Thanks, I really appreciate the insight. If you're still checking this...do you think the commute from living out on Seabrook or Kiawah would be too brutal to do everyday?

Also, if you can give me insight on any of these other firms...
-Young Clement Rivers
-McNair
-Nelson Mullins
-motley rice

Thanks again so much.

[Anonymous User]

If you're still checking this...do you think the commute from living out on Seabrook or Kiawah would be too brutal to do everyday?

That sounds horrible. I live on the other side of Charleston (but closer in distance than Seabrook/Kiawah) and it's about a 20-40 minute ride depending on traffic. I would imagine 40 minutes minimum would be what you're looking at for one of those places. I don't know if you qualify that as brutal, but it certainly isn't ideal. That said, I've known people to drive it because - hey - that's what you have to do. If I had the option, I would definitely look for something closer (if you wanted to stay on that side of the area, James Island is much closer to downtown).

-Young Clement Rivers
-McNair
-Nelson Mullins
-Motley Rice

I can attest that I've seen Rivers, Mullins and Rice have a pretty strong hand in civil litigation matters in the greater Charleston area, so if that's your thing then there you go. I've heard of McNair only in passing, I don't think I've ever dealt with them. motley rice is a good exception to the "only-downtown" rule I mentioned, but my limited interaction with them has been on very strained grounds. Nelson Mullins is known as Nelson Motors about town because of their high billable requirements, so take that as you will. I don't have anything all that insightful to say about Young Clement Rivers.

I will say that the Charleston legal community hasn't been insulated from the economy, but there are still chances to make an in - they're just harder to come by and to keep. A JD from USC is immensely helpful, and, absent that, some sort of ties to the area will definitely give you a leg up. Neither of these are fundamentally necessary, but you're definitely working up a steep hill without one or the other.

Additionally, none of the firms you have mentioned are duds, so if you are able to summer with any of them I would think that any questions you have about the greater Charleston legal community you pose to associates at any sort of social event would be much more helpful than my vague ramblings - which would give you a pretty good grasp as to what those firms have to offer than what I'm doing here. It's not uncommon for associates and staff to move occasionally between various firms, and within such a small area there's something of a natural city-wide network that just grows out of the ebbs and flows of firm life that associates (and summer mentors) are much more able to tap into in terms of information than I am.

[TheBigMediocre]

solid gold information.

Thanks yet again. I'm a 0L and will be going to UGA (possibly Vanderbilt if I get off of their waitlist and bite the bullet on a ton of debt), but my family has been in Charleston for a long time so I have a few connections.

I've got an accounting background and am mainly interested in transactional work. Do any of the firms I mentioned, or others, eat up a big part of Charleston's transactional work? I'm hoping that the Boeing deal is an indicator that business is going to pick back up overall.

[Anonymous User]

I've got an accounting background and am mainly interested in transactional work. Do any of the firms I mentioned, or others, eat up a big part of Charleston's transactional work? I'm hoping that the Boeing deal is an indicator that business is going to pick back up overall.

My interaction with the transactional side of things is very, very, very, very limited. I think motley rice is mostly a plaintiff litigation practice, but I could be entirely off on that. I can't attest to much more than that, sorry. I'm sure most of the firms you mentioned have at least a team that is involved with transactional work.