San Diego Legal Market AMA Forum

[Anonymous User]

As someone who also moved to SD within the past year, it's been great. Firm is materially more chill (most people outside of the neurotic cap-m folks aren't working most weekends) and living in SD is great. So nice being close to the ocean. It's such a gorgeous city and you can tell people want to be here unlike other cities I've lived in.

If I may ask, where did you move from? And did you find the need to take a second bar exam onerous/how long did you have to study for it as a practicing attorney several years out of law school?

Would rather not say. And the big law firm I got a job at gave me 6 weeks paid time to study for the bar. After working as a lawyer, it wasn't that bad. But if you had to work and do it, I think that would be very hard and it's impressive people pass that way.

[johndooley]

As someone who also moved to SD within the past year, it's been great. Firm is materially more chill (most people outside of the neurotic cap-m folks aren't working most weekends) and living in SD is great. So nice being close to the ocean. It's such a gorgeous city and you can tell people want to be here unlike other cities I've lived in.

If I may ask, where did you move from? And did you find the need to take a second bar exam onerous/how long did you have to study for it as a practicing attorney several years out of law school?

Would rather not say. And the big law firm I got a job at gave me 6 weeks paid time to study for the bar. After working as a lawyer, it wasn't that bad. But if you had to work and do it, I think that would be very hard and it's impressive people pass that way.

Thanks for the information, always looking for an opportunity. Someone already sent information on the plaintiff-side medmal scene. Any insight into DUI defense? Looking for a sizable city with resources but is not dominated by a handful of Morgan and Morgan type firms.

[Anonymous User]

As someone who also moved to SD within the past year, it's been great. Firm is materially more chill (most people outside of the neurotic cap-m folks aren't working most weekends) and living in SD is great. So nice being close to the ocean. It's such a gorgeous city and you can tell people want to be here unlike other cities I've lived in.

If I may ask, where did you move from? And did you find the need to take a second bar exam onerous/how long did you have to study for it as a practicing attorney several years out of law school?

Would rather not say. And the big law firm I got a job at gave me 6 weeks paid time to study for the bar. After working as a lawyer, it wasn't that bad. But if you had to work and do it, I think that would be very hard and it's impressive people pass that way.

I'm the other poster who just moved here recently. I took two weeks off for the bar. I think my firm would have given me longer if I'd asked, but I'm a relatively senior associate, and the idea of taking off a month or more just didn't seem like the place where I wanted to burn capital/goodwill--it would have been a major disruption for my matters. I did pass, but in hindsight, it was pretty reckless--I got sort of lucky with the subjects tested on the essays (didn't have to do MBE), and I put in like 15-hour study days.

[Anonymous User]

Probably biased now, but SD is honestly the best place to be a big law lawyer imo. Great weather and by-and-large reasonable and kind people who work to live, not live to work. People also seem happier and healthier than my previous experience in other markets

[Anonymous User]

As someone who also moved to SD within the past year, it's been great. Firm is materially more chill (most people outside of the neurotic cap-m folks aren't working most weekends) and living in SD is great. So nice being close to the ocean. It's such a gorgeous city and you can tell people want to be here unlike other cities I've lived in.

If I may ask, where did you move from? And did you find the need to take a second bar exam onerous/how long did you have to study for it as a practicing attorney several years out of law school?

Would rather not say. And the big law firm I got a job at gave me 6 weeks paid time to study for the bar. After working as a lawyer, it wasn't that bad. But if you had to work and do it, I think that would be very hard and it's impressive people pass that way.

Thanks for the information, always looking for an opportunity. Someone already sent information on the plaintiff-side medmal scene. Any insight into DUI defense? Looking for a sizable city with resources but is not dominated by a handful of Morgan and Morgan type firms.

Don’t have a ton of insight but god damn, King Aminpour has ads EVERYWHERE.

[johndooley]

As someone who also moved to SD within the past year, it's been great. Firm is materially more chill (most people outside of the neurotic cap-m folks aren't working most weekends) and living in SD is great. So nice being close to the ocean. It's such a gorgeous city and you can tell people want to be here unlike other cities I've lived in.

If I may ask, where did you move from? And did you find the need to take a second bar exam onerous/how long did you have to study for it as a practicing attorney several years out of law school?

Would rather not say. And the big law firm I got a job at gave me 6 weeks paid time to study for the bar. After working as a lawyer, it wasn't that bad. But if you had to work and do it, I think that would be very hard and it's impressive people pass that way.

Thanks for the information, always looking for an opportunity. Someone already sent information on the plaintiff-side medmal scene. Any insight into DUI defense? Looking for a sizable city with resources but is not dominated by a handful of Morgan and Morgan type firms.

Don’t have a ton of insight but god damn, King Aminpour has ads EVERYWHERE.

It’s really the only way to make good money in DUIs/general crim defense. Word of mouth just doesn’t do it anymore.

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into Latham SD? I’ve heard it’s a sweatshop but would appreciate it if someone could shed some light on whether that’s true

[Anonymous User]

Probably biased now, but SD is honestly the best place to be a big law lawyer imo. Great weather and by-and-large reasonable and kind people who work to live, not live to work. People also seem happier and healthier than my previous experience in other markets

There’s a bit of a visible MAGA population here, so should take that into consideration if you’re non-white. Driving through Poway, you’ll pass by intersections with MAGA protestors/activists. Lots of trucks have MAGA stickers etc. Just last month or so, someone parked a truck outside of the HMart (a Korean supermarket chain) in Mira Mesa with a banner telling Chinese people to get out of the country.

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into Latham SD? I’ve heard it’s a sweatshop but would appreciate it if someone could shed some light on whether that’s true

I’d reach out directly to someone at LW SD to get their take on the lit group. Generally, the culture is much more laid back than other offices, but IMHO that’s not necessarily a good thing if you’re a junior associate learning the ropes.

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into Latham SD? I’ve heard it’s a sweatshop but would appreciate it if someone could shed some light on whether that’s true

I've heard that it's largely an overflow office that supports other offices. I've also heard that it's tough to get mentorship or worthwhile experience there. Everyone I've heard this from left Latham SD, so maybe there's a group of really happy campers that didn't leave and would disagree.

[ukjobsonwetton]

yes, you will see MAGA in San Diego, many GOP since a lot of retired military, especially in Coronado, 2 miles from downtown SD

And the most prime real estate in SD is Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Views that are jaw-dropping, very near Cabrillo Ntl Monument

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have good legal recruiter recommendations with a good pulse on the market?

[Anonymous User]

What is the market for judicial clerks right now in SD? 2 years at a federal district court fresh out of t14 school. no ties to san diego but to LA area