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Current lit third year (one of those being a clerkship) at a V10 looking to potentially lateral to Florida, where my ties are very strong. I'm not too interested in the big firms like Gray Robinson, Carlton Fields, etc., but instead would like to aim for a smaller, reputable lit boutique (preferably one known for going to trial). Googling around, it's tough to find firms matching this criteria outside of Miami/South Florida, where I have zero interest in going. Any recommendations for recruiters that know the market well enough to have an idea of what firms fit the mold?

In my experience those kinds of firms are almost entirely centered in south Florida, but they occasionally will have satellite offices in Tampa, or Orlando, or maybe Jacksonville. If you have one specific market in mind, and it isn't Tampa, I think you'll have an especially tough time. Sorry that this isn't more useful but I wanted to share my experience with the Florida lit market. To no one's surprise, it is dominated by Miami.

Definitely look at Boies Schiller. Extremely reputable lit (albeit not small nationally) and they have offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood (Florida), Orlando in addition to Miami of course.

Just for clarity, are you looking for small firms? It's unclear approximately how many lawyers you want in a prospective firm. Also, what areas of lit do you want? The top small trial firms tend to specialize.

OP here: Thanks all. Market wise, I'm thinking Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville areas, with a preference for Orlando.

lavarman84 wrote:Just for clarity, are you looking for small firms? It's unclear approximately how many lawyers you want in a prospective firm. Also, what areas of lit do you want? The top small trial firms tend to specialize.

I have no hard cap on the number of attorneys a prospective firm has. I guess I was using "small" more so as a means of illustrating firms where a mid-level associate could have opportunities for substantive experience, which in my experience tends to be the case more at smaller firms. I wouldn't mind being at a larger firm (or a larger office of a firm) if that firm isn't the standard big firm model I've experienced where you rarely, if ever, go to trial and it's solely the seniors or partners enjoying the opportunities for substantive experience.

For specialization, I haven't been in the game long enough to know exactly what I want, other than to say that my clerkship sparked an interest in high-level/white-collar criminal defense/investigations (though by no means is that a make or break for me). It's easier to say what I don't want to do: personal injury, insurance defense, etc.

Only know Miami boutiques well. But have heard good things about King Blackwell in Orlando and Bedell in Jacksonville.

sflyr2016 wrote:Only know Miami boutiques well. But have heard good things about King Blackwell in Orlando and Bedell in Jacksonville.

Thanks for this. Could you provide a bit more specific insight on King Blackwell? I can PM you if you'd prefer that.

Just pm me.

Anonymous User wrote:

sflyr2016 wrote:Only know Miami boutiques well. But have heard good things about King Blackwell in Orlando and Bedell in Jacksonville.

Thanks for this. Could you provide a bit more specific insight on King Blackwell? I can PM you if you'd prefer that.