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I'm a midlevel at a V50 thinking about lateraling to Phoenix. Osborn Maledon has caught my eye. It looks like they have a 6 year partner track and expect everyone they hire to make it. At my firm, I've seen several smart, well-liked, hardworking people not make it. Unless it's all smoke and mirrors, it seems like OM could be a great place to work: local prestige, smaller feel, realistic shot at partner.

Is their pitch really true? Is it a good place to work? Anyone have a guess about partner pay/PPP? I assume it must not be astronomical given their low leverage. Maybe $300,000 to $500,000?

Assume for purposes of this thread that I could get the job.

Anonymous User wrote:I'm a midlevel at a V50 thinking about lateraling to Phoenix. Osborn Maledon has caught my eye. It looks like they have a 6 year partner track and expect everyone they hire to make it. At my firm, I've seen several smart, well-liked, hardworking people not make it. Unless it's all smoke and mirrors, it seems like OM could be a great place to work: local prestige, smaller feel, realistic shot at partner.

Is their pitch really true? Is it a good place to work? Anyone have a guess about partner pay/PPP? I assume it must not be astronomical given their low leverage. Maybe $300,000 to $500,000?

Assume for purposes of this thread that I could get the job.

A few things:

1. Yes, OM is a great place to work. Market pay for Phoenix, great reputation, low hours, very high partnership chances. It's just as good as it seems.

2. Yes, lower leverage = lower PPP. OM has 30+ partners and only 11 associates. But my understanding is that the PPP is competitive with other Phoenix firms, or else partners would leave in droves. Snell & Wilmer has 800k PPP but most of the other firms in town are in the 300k-500k range. My guess is OM partners start out around 250k and most partners are between 250k-500k.

3. If you're just a lit or corp midlevel at any old V50, you have exactly zero chance of lateraling to OM. The firm has 11 associates and doesn't take many (any?) laterals. And the firm is extremely selective with its associate hires. Do you have a COA or SCOTUS clerkship? Were you top 10% at a T14? Are you IP? Are you from Phoenix and have the ability to build a book of business very quickly? If no to all four of these questions, you have no chance at lateraling to Osborn.

4. My suggestion, if you really want to work in Phoenix, is you try to lateral to one of the bigger, less selective firms in town. If you're coming from a firm in a major market, you'll still get better hours and partnership prospects.

Thanks for the intel. I do have some (but not all) of the things you mentioned going for me -- most notably, I'm not from Phoenix. I realize it's not an easy offer to get. Sounds like it's worth shooting for, though.

Does anyone have a read on their PPP?