Top Plaintiffs' Firms? Forum

[beach_terror]

Can someone explain to me what a plaintiff firm is?

I understand that huge corporations can be plaintiffs in cases too, no? So what exactly is it?

It varies but a true p firm is will be representing only plaintiffs and most of the time it's being done on a contingency fee basis. In the securities context, a p firm will be representing the shareholders (funds, etc.). In the consumer context, it's representing small businesses or individual consumers. PI is obviously individuals who have been hurt. Commercial contingency work (which is more of a supplemental practice area now, afaik) are representing businesses, etc.

[Rlabo]

Can anyone here shed some light on what summer associates get paid at top plaintiffs' firms in DC (Cohen Milstein, Sanford Heisler, Relman Dane, etc.)?

And while we're on the subject, can anyone comment on how spending your 2L summer at such a firm would compare to working at a prestigious non-profit (e.g. LDF, ACLU) or in government (DOJ, EEOC) for resume purposes for someone looking to get a public interest job in DC after graduation?

Can't speak to DC specifically, but similar NY firm paid 1800/week summer '15 (before Cravath pay raise).

If you want public interest, do public interest.

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone here shed some light on what summer associates get paid at top plaintiffs' firms in DC (Cohen Milstein, Sanford Heisler, Relman Dane, etc.)?

And while we're on the subject, can anyone comment on how spending your 2L summer at such a firm would compare to working at a prestigious non-profit (e.g. LDF, ACLU) or in government (DOJ, EEOC) for resume purposes for someone looking to get a public interest job in DC after graduation?

Can't speak to DC specifically, but similar NY firm paid 1800/week summer '15 (before Cravath pay raise).

If you want public interest, do public interest.

Last I heard, Cohen was close to $2k/week for summers. In NY, two of the best Section 1983 firms, Neufeld Scheck and Emery Celli, both paid $1k/week. So you can see the divide between firms that do a lot of securities and antitrust and those that focus on civil rights work. (Cohen has a civil rights practice but I don't think it's a big money-maker, and it's very employment, rather than Section 1983 oriented). Employment lit tends to be in the middle, although I don't know what Sanford Heisler or e.g. Outten & Golden (both employment class action-centric firms) pay summers. I hope you already have apps out to these places--many of us have already hired or at least given some offers.

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone here shed some light on what summer associates get paid at top plaintiffs' firms in DC (Cohen Milstein, Sanford Heisler, Relman Dane, etc.)?

And while we're on the subject, can anyone comment on how spending your 2L summer at such a firm would compare to working at a prestigious non-profit (e.g. LDF, ACLU) or in government (DOJ, EEOC) for resume purposes for someone looking to get a public interest job in DC after graduation?

Can't speak to DC specifically, but similar NY firm paid 1800/week summer '15 (before Cravath pay raise).

If you want public interest, do public interest.

Last I heard, Cohen was close to $2k/week for summers. In NY, two of the best Section 1983 firms, Neufeld Scheck and Emery Celli, both paid $1k/week. So you can see the divide between firms that do a lot of securities and antitrust and those that focus on civil rights work. (Cohen has a civil rights practice but I don't think it's a big money-maker, and it's very employment, rather than Section 1983 oriented). Employment lit tends to be in the middle, although I don't know what Sanford Heisler or e.g. Outten & Golden (both employment class action-centric firms) pay summers. I hope you already have apps out to these places--many of us have already hired or at least given some offers.

OP here. Thanks, both. I got an offer from the firm I that interviewed with (I applied back in August), which answered my question.

[Anonymous User]

I'm considering a lateral move from biglaw defense to a top plaintiffs' securities lit firm. Does anyone have insight on exit options after working plaintiffs' side in securities lit? If I like it there I hope to stick it out and aim for partnership but since that is a pipe dream, I want to be have a sense of other routes. I assume you can't bounce back to biglaw defense so I'm curious what else is out there.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I have become very interested in doing plaintiffs side work. What is the best way to break in to this field? I summered at a DA's office this past summer.

Also, how do you know which Plaintiffs firms are legit and which ones are the side of the bus types?

[CommonLawTort]

Feel free to DM me if any of you need to know anything about Kozyak. I worked there for half a summer. Excellent firm.

[kings84_wr]

3L here. I have become very interested in doing plaintiffs side work. What is the best way to break in to this field? I summered at a DA's office this past summer.

Also, how do you know which Plaintiffs firms are legit and which ones are the side of the bus types?

A few suggestions for breaking into Plaintiff's firms. First, Join AAJ/local trial lawyer's association and go to CLEs and events put on by these organizations. Try to get as much real experience taking depos, going to trial, and arguing motions. Hone and master legal writing. Writing is the one skill a young lawyer can bring to a Plaintiff's firm (and there is a ton of writing).

Regarding the quality of firms, look at their website. A legitimate Plaintiff's firm is going to spend 6 figures or even 7 figures on their website. Also check out their practice areas. If they are advertising for simple car wrecks, worker's compensation claims, dog bites, or other similar low value claims, its more like a lower end mill. Also the best Plaintiff's lawyers actually go to trial. So check out the verdict list (not just bragging about settlements).

[tomwatts]

I'm starting at a plaintiffs' firm on Tuesday, so I've spent much of the past year become familiar with the high-end firms throughout my whole region (in my case, the West Coast). Message me if any information of that nature could be helpful to you.

In terms of breaking into the field, applying broadly ("mass mailing") is the way to go. These firms generally don't do OCI, so you just have to apply around. It's best to have some kind of "in" if you can (someone at the firm who you've talked to and who can get people to look at your application), but cold applications also can lead somewhere.

As far as who's doing high-end work, informational interviews in which you ask about other firms can give you a lot of good background about who's doing quality work and who's not. Also, I tend to think that any firm that makes its living doing class actions on a contingency fee basis has to be at least reasonably good; class actions are hard and complicated enough that, when you're doing them on contingency, you have to be reasonable good to win often enough to stay in business.

As you look, it's worth being aware that plaintiffs' firms vary wildly in model and structure; finding a good fit is particularly important in this field.

[kings84_wr]

I'm starting at a plaintiffs' firm on Tuesday, so I've spent much of the past year become familiar with the high-end firms throughout my whole region (in my case, the West Coast). Message me if any information of that nature could be helpful to you.

In terms of breaking into the field, applying broadly ("mass mailing") is the way to go. These firms generally don't do OCI, so you just have to apply around. It's best to have some kind of "in" if you can (someone at the firm who you've talked to and who can get people to look at your application), but cold applications also can lead somewhere.

As far as who's doing high-end work, informational interviews in which you ask about other firms can give you a lot of good background about who's doing quality work and who's not. Also, I tend to think that any firm that makes its living doing class actions on a contingency fee basis has to be at least reasonably good; class actions are hard and complicated enough that, when you're doing them on contingency, you have to be reasonable good to win often enough to stay in business.

As you look, it's worth being aware that plaintiffs' firms vary wildly in model and structure; finding a good fit is particularly important in this field.

Adding to this - also look at MDL steering committees. Generally the firms that are on the PSC are going to be very reputable.

[CommonLawTort]

One thing that has always confused me is who represents mid-size / large corporation when they litigate as plaintiffs. '

Do they retain large v firms or these small plaintiff boutiques?

[lolwat]

One thing that has always confused me is who represents mid-size / large corporation when they litigate as plaintiffs. '

Do they retain large v firms or these small plaintiff boutiques?

Basically firms and boutiques who do commercial litigation and won't have conflicts litigating against the defendant. Bigger firms like Susman, QE (albeit now only in limited circumstances as far as I know), Boies and the like. Otherwise mostly boutiques but often not the same boutiques that do the other kinds of plaintiff side work. Many of these firms do a mix of plaintiff and defendant work, the hourly work keeping the daily profits going while they chase the giant contingency fees.

Just look up some of the kind of cases that you're interested in and check who reps the plaintiffs in those cases.

[CommonLawTort]

FYI anyone who has summered at a plaintiff firm, be very careful how you talk about your experience in any big law interview. (ie never mention you were assigned to find favorable cases for a matter. Ik these are how plaintiff shops operate, and who are we to say thats wrong, but a BL litigator WILL call you out for working for a supervisor that could care less about an unfavorable case.

[BulletTooth]

You can add Boies and Quinn to that list.

Frankly, it's not necessarily true that these "elite" plaintiffs firms actually get more interesting work. Your vanilla securities class action plaintiffs attorneys are nothing more than glorified ambulance chasers hoping for massive corporations to give them big payouts just to go away.

Wow.

As someone who has worked for a plaintiffs' firm, I find the assertion that class action attorneys are "glorified ambulance chasers hoping for massive corporations to give them big payouts just to go away" ignorant and insulting. Everyone I worked with was dedicated and really believed in what they were doing. We didn't file bullshit cases.

Oh, and you know what? The cases WERE pretty damn interesting. I know a whole lot about things like pet food, drug pricing, funerals, how websites try to screw you over, and I once got to go to a music industry conference.

I think you overreacted. He wasn't talking about all class action Pl. attorneys, only "securities class action plaintiffs attorneys." And yes, securities class action cases are sleazy most of the time--just take a look at Delaware Chancery Court where the judges have begun rejecting settlement agreements from securities class action cases because they know how big a joke it is.

[Anonymous User]

I'm considering a lateral move from biglaw defense to a top plaintiffs' securities lit firm. Does anyone have insight on exit options after working plaintiffs' side in securities lit? If I like it there I hope to stick it out and aim for partnership but since that is a pipe dream, I want to be have a sense of other routes. I assume you can't bounce back to biglaw defense so I'm curious what else is out there.

You can go back into biglaw defense. This guy did it: http://www.kramerlevin.com/scoffey/.

[Anonymous User]

Hey, I'm a 2L who applied/interviewed for summer positions at a bunch of the places discussed in this thread. Happy to answer questions, given the dearth of info on them.