Employment Boutique vs Biglaw Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,
I’m jus wondering what TLS thinks about employment boutiques, e.g. Littler, Ogletree, etc.vs. traditional biglaw. Any pros/cons to going to one over the other besides the obvious that the boutiques normally don’t pay market? Thanks!

[Toni V]

If you have a shot at BL, take it over a boutique. Aside from $$, the biggest advantage is the option to lateral. If it turned out you did not like the boutique firm you might yourself “stuck.” Much easier to change course from a BL firm.

[Anonymous User]

The above is generally true, but I my firm has many Littler laterals. I think Littler is probably the “best” out of the labor and employment-only firms.

[Anonymous User]

I worked at a national L&E “botique.” Definitely go biglaw if you can. The L&E firms provide much more substantive experience, but the pay is well below market and the hours are comparable to traditional biglaw firms... especially at Littler. People that left my firm usually lateralled into other L&E boqitues, biglaw firms, or in-house L&E spots.

[Anonymous User]

Agree with the above, go biglaw over Boutique. Littler and Jackson Lewis pay well below market.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks, all. Any more thoughts? I've heard that you might be forced to cut your own hours due to higher billing rate in Biglaw. Any truth to that?

[Anonymous User]

Thanks, all. Any more thoughts? I've heard that you might be forced to cut your own hours due to higher billing rate in Biglaw. Any truth to that?

My national employment boutique also cut my hours. Employment boutiques take a TON of EPLI (employment practices liability insurance) work. These insurance companies cut hours like crazy. FYI, when speaking of these big employment boutique, the main ones I know of are:

Littler
Fisher Phillips
Jackson Lewis
Ford Harrison
Ogletree

[Anonymous User]

Thanks, all. Any more thoughts? I've heard that you might be forced to cut your own hours due to higher billing rate in Biglaw. Any truth to that?

Not true in my experience at big law firm known for employment practice. (One of Morgan Lewis, jones day, Proskauer). There are definitely cases that we won’t get cause of higher rates, but once it’s in the door I’ve never had an issue with hours getting cut.