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I don't want to go partner track, but expect to spend a few years (2-6) at a firm before transitioning into government/academia (I go HYS w/ CA ties). My interests connect to local politics, so I'm looking for a SF firms that is really enmeshed with the city's civic culture...Is there a particular firm that stands out to people?

Pick one of the local firms, mofo, orrick, or pillsbury. Pillsbury is a festering TTT so either orrick or mofo. Of those, I think mofo is thought of as the bigger/better/more prominent SF firm. Longer history, largest office in SF, seems to sponsor a lot of shit in the area. Wilson is also pretty well known in SF as it dominates SV.

Anonymous User wrote:Pick one of the local firms, mofo, orrick, or pillsbury. Pillsbury is a festering TTT so either orrick or mofo. Of those, I think mofo is thought of as the bigger/better/more prominent SF firm. Longer history, largest office in SF, seems to sponsor a lot of shit in the area. Wilson is also pretty well known in SF as it dominates SV.

Eh, this list kinda sucks. Dude picked two obvious SF firms and Wilson. You have no idea if these firms over Latham or any other SF firm are more entrenched in civic shit. Look up the firms who work on SF city projects and that's your start.

headandshoulderos wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Pick one of the local firms, mofo, orrick, or pillsbury. Pillsbury is a festering TTT so either orrick or mofo. Of those, I think mofo is thought of as the bigger/better/more prominent SF firm. Longer history, largest office in SF, seems to sponsor a lot of shit in the area. Wilson is also pretty well known in SF as it dominates SV.

Eh, this list kinda sucks. Dude picked two obvious SF firms and Wilson. You have no idea if these firms over Latham or any other SF firm are more entrenched in civic shit. Look up the firms who work on SF city projects and that's your start.

OP is looking for firms that are involved in civic culture, not the firms that do legal work for the city. TCR here are firms that are based in SF and have a history in SF and have a large presence in SF and a lot of alumni in SF. That is going to be one of the large local firms, not a small satellite office.

OP you should also look at Keker, Howard Rice, and Farella Braun, which are all fancy firms with very strong community ties in SF. If you want plaintiffs work and are a do-gooder with excellent grades, you should also apply to Altshuler Berzon & Lieff Cabraser. (I should add--these jobs are all quite a bit harder to get than your average prestigious biglaw job).

smittytron3k wrote:OP you should also look at Keker, Howard Rice, and Farella Braun, which are all fancy firms with very strong community ties in SF. If you want plaintiffs work and are a do-gooder with excellent grades, you should also apply to Altshuler Berzon & Lieff Cabraser. (I should add--these jobs are all quite a bit harder to get than your average prestigious biglaw job).

I'd disagree with this and favor a firm like MoFo or Orrick. I've lived in SF, worked at one of the above firms, and will be summering at a different firm in SF not mentioned in this thread and it's still my position that MoFo is the firm with the most community ties in San Francisco. I don't particularly like them or respect them more than any of the other firms mentioned; probably because I don't care for civic ties; but it's pretty clear that MoFo with Orrick in a close second are at the top of the heap when it comes to be straight-laced, white-shoed connected to San Francisco.