Decent MidLaw Firms in Los Angeles? Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:22 pm

Hi all. I'm starting a brief stint in LA BigLaw and hope to exit to a decent MidLaw firm ASAP. Anyone work in LA MidLaw and have firms they'd recommend? I don't know sh!t about this---are Payne & Fears and Rutan & Tucker MidLaw firms? Basically, I'm looking for info on any firms that offer somewhere near six figure pay without completely ruining your life BigLaw-style.

P.S. I'm interested in litigation firms, but I imagine people would be happy to know about decent corporate-focused LA MidLaw firms as well.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Apr 07, 2016 2:11 am

Anyone know typical midlaw salaries in LA?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Apr 07, 2016 3:19 am

I'm a junior biglaw corporate associate who's very interested in this as well (on the transaction side).

bobbyflayed · Post by **bobbyflayed** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 3:58 pm

Mitchell Silberg and Knupp is an entertainment focused midlaw firm. I think their first years get market.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:45 pm

Caldwell Leslie & Proctor and Manatt sent mailers to chambers when I was a clerk, and they both looked impressive. I think Bird Marella and Hueston Hennigan are well respected. I think Brownstein Hyatt is in LA. I didn't check to see if I spelled any of those firm names right. I probably didn't.

WheninLaw · Post by **WheninLaw** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:01 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Caldwell Leslie & Proctor and Manatt sent mailers to chambers when I was a clerk, and they both looked impressive. I think Bird Marella and Hueston Hennigan are well respected. I think Brownstein Hyatt is in LA. I didn't check to see if I spelled any of those firm names right. I probably didn't.

Bird and HH are not considered midlaw.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:12 pm

Cox Castle and Allen Matkins are midlaw focused RE firms.

bobbyflayed · Post by **bobbyflayed** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:13 pm

This list is older (2012), but it'll give you a good sense of the major midlaw players in Los Angeles.

http://www.frandzel.com/pages/newslette ... Top100.pdf

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Apr 09, 2016 4:33 am

Are hours at these firms better than biglaw?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Apr 09, 2016 4:20 pm

I think the ebb and flow of work are about the same, but I think people at MSK bill between 1800-2000k.

I imagine most midlaw firms are a little bit better, esp if they have good support staff (paralegals, etc). Some of the smaller ones are tough because you have to handle all the admin/logistics.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 2:31 am

salary ranges? hopefully at least $100k

Rule104(a) · Post by **Rule104(a)** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:36 pm

Loeb & Loeb

Jackson Lewis

Littler

Not sure what they pay .

KM2016 · Post by **KM2016** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 7:48 pm

Best, Best & Krieger and Collins, Collins, Muir & Stuart are decent midlaw firms in LA/SoCal. Not sure about pay, but hours are a bit more humane than traditional Biglaw.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:19 am

Biglaw starts at $160k, so midlaw $145k?

rpupkin · Post by **rpupkin** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:59 am

Anonymous User wrote:Biglaw starts at $160k, so midlaw $145k?

That's not how midlaw works. There isn't a "midlaw market salary" in the same way as there is a "biglaw market salary." Depending on the firm, a midlaw first-year associate in LA would make somewhere between $70K and $160K.

Clearly · Post by **Clearly** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:26 am

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all. I'm starting a brief stint in LA BigLaw and hope to exit to a decent MidLaw firm ASAP. Anyone work in LA MidLaw and have firms they'd recommend? I don't know sh!t about this---are Payne & Fears and Rutan & Tucker MidLaw firms? Basically, I'm looking for info on any firms that offer somewhere near six figure pay without completely ruining your life BigLaw-style.

P.S. I'm interested in litigation firms, but I imagine people would be happy to know about decent corporate-focused LA MidLaw firms as well.

Is there really a firm called "payne and fears" cuz thats absolutely amazing.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:11 pm

Clearly wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Hi all. I'm starting a brief stint in LA BigLaw and hope to exit to a decent MidLaw firm ASAP. Anyone work in LA MidLaw and have firms they'd recommend? I don't know sh!t about this---are Payne & Fears and Rutan & Tucker MidLaw firms? Basically, I'm looking for info on any firms that offer somewhere near six figure pay without completely ruining your life BigLaw-style.

P.S. I'm interested in litigation firms, but I imagine people would be happy to know about decent corporate-focused LA MidLaw firms as well.
Is there really a firm called "Payne and Fears" cuz thats absolutely amazing.

http://paynefears.com/

Clearly · Post by **Clearly** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:59 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Clearly wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Hi all. I'm starting a brief stint in LA BigLaw and hope to exit to a decent MidLaw firm ASAP. Anyone work in LA MidLaw and have firms they'd recommend? I don't know sh!t about this---are Payne & Fears and Rutan & Tucker MidLaw firms? Basically, I'm looking for info on any firms that offer somewhere near six figure pay without completely ruining your life BigLaw-style.

P.S. I'm interested in litigation firms, but I imagine people would be happy to know about decent corporate-focused LA MidLaw firms as well.
Is there really a firm called "Payne and Fears" cuz thats absolutely amazing.

http://paynefears.com/

Lulz so foreboding. Welcome to the law offices of Suffering, Nightmares & Torture LLP

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:57 pm

I would not call MSK, Caldwell Leslie, Bird Marella, or Hueston Hennigan "midlaw." (Other firms in this vein: Kendall Brill Kelley; Greenberg Glusker & Fields; Glaser Weil; Miller Barondess; Manatt; many others I'm forgetting.)

BBK, Payne & Fears, Rutan & Tucker, Cox Castle, Allen Matkins, Jackson Lewis, Murchison & Cumming, Hooper Lundy, Michelman & Robinson, Lewis Brisbois, and others are closer to what most people regard as "midlaw."

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:10 pm

I wouldn't call Manatt midlaw either. They are nationwide with over 300 attorneys.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:15 pm

There's a big range in pay, Allen Matkins pays 145 for first years (or did a couple years ago), whereas Collins Collins pays less than half (IIRC).

L’Étranger · Post by **L’Étranger** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:24 pm

here's how i look at it:

biglaw = 160k scale
non-biglaw = everything less than that

that is, as an associate compensation is what determines the "big" of biglaw not attorney headcount.

if a firm has 5 attorneys and pays biglaw market than i say that's biglaw.

a firm with 300 attorneys that doesn't pay biglaw market is not biglaw. the biglaw/midlaw/shitlaw distinction doesn't make any sense from the perspective of an associate

existentialcrisis · Post by **existentialcrisis** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:36 pm

L’Étranger wrote:here's how i look at it:

biglaw = 160k scale
non-biglaw = everything less than that

that is, as an associate compensation is what determines the "big" of biglaw not attorney headcount.

if a firm has 5 attorneys and pays biglaw market than i say that's biglaw.

a firm with 300 attorneys that doesn't pay biglaw market is not biglaw. the biglaw/midlaw/shitlaw distinction doesn't make any sense from the perspective of an associate

What about huge firms that pay tops in their market though. I feel like it's weird to call them "Midlaw."

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:58 am

Anonymous User wrote:I would not call MSK, Caldwell Leslie, Bird Marella, or Hueston Hennigan "midlaw." (Other firms in this vein: Kendall Brill Kelley; Greenberg Glusker & Fields; Glaser Weil; Miller Barondess; Manatt; many others I'm forgetting.)

BBK, Payne & Fears, Rutan & Tucker, Cox Castle, Allen Matkins, Jackson Lewis, Murchison & Cumming, Hooper Lundy, Michelman & Robinson, Lewis Brisbois, and others are closer to what most people regard as "midlaw."

Hueston Hennigan is not mid law. They have as high a grade/school cut off as firms like GDC, MTO, & Irell if not higher.

Rule104(a) · Post by **Rule104(a)** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:58 am

Anonymous User wrote:I wouldn't call Manatt midlaw either. They are nationwide with over 300 attorneys.

Manatt pays market now right?

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