Top Law Schools

I'm thinking of firms, for instance, on the NLJ250 but not the V100. What exactly is the border of BigLaw when it comes to the rankings. I realize this is a dumb question to some extent. tyia.

some of these firms pay $160k/yr starting salaries, but that doesn't make them biglaw. avoid like the plague.

I mean there's pretty much only 100 firms worth working for (the Vault 100) if you want to have a successful legal career. Choose accordingly and pray you get one.

NLJ firms are generally big law. But then again, what do you consider makes Vault firms big law over NLJ firms in general?

Anonymous User wrote:this is a dumb question to some extent. tyia.

Yes. There are lots of great firms not in the Vault rankings. And plenty of very large firms not in the Vault rankings, or even the NLJ350. Apply broadly and get some real offers, then start choosing between the firms.

paulinaporizkova wrote:I mean there's pretty much only 100 firms worth working for (the Vault 100) if you want to have a successful legal career. Choose accordingly and pray you get one.

Seems like flame, but could you elaborate?

Aberzombie1892 wrote:NLJ firms are generally big law. But then again, what do you consider makes Vault firms big law over NLJ firms in general?

I don't think the necesarily, but I have an offer from a firm not in the V100 but in the N250, and am curious about the perception/differences. I know it's all just generalizations.

I think several big UK law firms with great international presences might be considered the equivalent of US biglaws. They pay US lawyers pretty well in their oversea offices, often 160K + a big COLA package.

Anonymous User wrote:I'm thinking of firms, for instance, on the NLJ250 but not the V100. What exactly is the border of BigLaw when it comes to the rankings. I realize this is a dumb question to some extent. tyia.

In my mind: firms that pay market (or close to it) = biglaw.

For example, Farella Braun is neither NLJ250 nor V100, but I would consider it biglaw. There are firms on the NLJ250 (e.g. Hinshaw Culbertson) that are large firms that I would not consider biglaw. But there isn't really a stark line that you can draw in the sand.

paulinaporizkova wrote:I mean there's pretty much only 100 firms worth working for (the Vault 100) if you want to have a successful legal career. Choose accordingly and pray you get one.

SMH. You have to be trolling.

Definitely. As one example, Kazowitz wasn't V100 until this year, but it did not just suddenly become "Biglaw" this year.

This is all a bit silly, since "Biglaw" isn't really an actual "thing." It's just a term for the large law firm industry.