Biglaw firms for commercial lit partner promotions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Midlevel associate at v50 market-matching firm here, fairly major market and not geographically flexible. I have very good but not amazing credentials (think lower t14, fedclerk in competitive district).

I have found myself really thriving in general commercial lit. Running cases for big clients, briefing and arguing at trial and appellate courts, getting some wins, determining strategy, taking my own depos, getting a huge amount of client contact...basically in a place where partners rubber stamp everything I do. I get top evals and cruise to like 2200/year, which comes with above-marker bonus. This is a good spot to be in as a midlevel, no doubt about that. Is it a unicorn situation, though? You tell me.

Anyway, due to the lack of emphasis on general commercial lit at my specific firm, I am concerned that even as a top notch associate, my partnership chances are far from a slam dunk because partnership promotions in commercial lit at my firm, and more specifically my office of my firm, are exceptionally rare. In fact, I’ve been told the same candidly by a couple partners who have departed, which confirmed my concern that the stars will really have to align. (My firm lacks a non-equity tier). I do not know of anybody at my office who got promoted straight to partner at my firm.

My thinking is that there must be other peer(-ish) firms at which an associate who performs as I do has a really strong shot at getting promoted straight to partner in commercial lit. Frankly even a non equity partner to start would be fine; I’m not after the money per se, I’m after the title and the longevity/tenure-type aspect.

So my question is whether those biglaw firms exist and if so what they might be. and relatedly, how senior i would have to be before lateraling and making a bid for partnership is going to be too difficult. In other words is this a move I need to make ASAP or can I see how this plays out a bit longer?

I suppose I’m also looking for anything else that people think I should be considering at this juncture (including the fact that the grass is unlikely to be greener at a new firm and that I should think long and hard about jumping from the good situation I have found, which I have heard from multiple people).

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous User]

Midlevel associate at v50 market-matching firm here, fairly major market and not geographically flexible. I have very good but not amazing credentials (think lower t14, fedclerk in competitive district).

I have found myself really thriving in general commercial lit. Running cases for big clients, briefing and arguing at trial and appellate courts, getting some wins, determining strategy, taking my own depos, getting a huge amount of client contact...basically in a place where partners rubber stamp everything I do. I get top evals and cruise to like 2200/year, which comes with above-marker bonus. This is a good spot to be in as a midlevel, no doubt about that. Is it a unicorn situation, though? You tell me.

Anyway, due to the lack of emphasis on general commercial lit at my specific firm, I am concerned that even as a top notch associate, my partnership chances are far from a slam dunk because partnership promotions in commercial lit at my firm, and more specifically my office of my firm, are exceptionally rare. In fact, I’ve been told the same candidly by a couple partners who have departed, which confirmed my concern that the stars will really have to align. (My firm lacks a non-equity tier). I do not know of anybody at my office who got promoted straight to partner at my firm.

My thinking is that there must be other peer(-ish) firms at which an associate who performs as I do has a really strong shot at getting promoted straight to partner in commercial lit. Frankly even a non equity partner to start would be fine; I’m not after the money per se, I’m after the title and the longevity/tenure-type aspect.

So my question is whether those biglaw firms exist and if so what they might be. and relatedly, how senior i would have to be before lateraling and making a bid for partnership is going to be too difficult. In other words is this a move I need to make ASAP or can I see how this plays out a bit longer?

I suppose I’m also looking for anything else that people think I should be considering at this juncture (including the fact that the grass is unlikely to be greener at a new firm and that I should think long and hard about jumping from the good situation I have found, which I have heard from multiple people).

Thanks in advance.

Have you thought about jumping to the government for a while? Either as an AUSA/State AG's office or a litigation position in an agency or something. That'll help you specialize and make you more marketable with another nice credential. Pretty much every lit partner at my firm has government experience, though that's admittedly probably skewed by many of them being in DC.

[Anonymous User]

Midlevel associate at v50 market-matching firm here, fairly major market and not geographically flexible. I have very good but not amazing credentials (think lower t14, fedclerk in competitive district).

I have found myself really thriving in general commercial lit. Running cases for big clients, briefing and arguing at trial and appellate courts, getting some wins, determining strategy, taking my own depos, getting a huge amount of client contact...basically in a place where partners rubber stamp everything I do. I get top evals and cruise to like 2200/year, which comes with above-marker bonus. This is a good spot to be in as a midlevel, no doubt about that. Is it a unicorn situation, though? You tell me.

Anyway, due to the lack of emphasis on general commercial lit at my specific firm, I am concerned that even as a top notch associate, my partnership chances are far from a slam dunk because partnership promotions in commercial lit at my firm, and more specifically my office of my firm, are exceptionally rare. In fact, I’ve been told the same candidly by a couple partners who have departed, which confirmed my concern that the stars will really have to align. (My firm lacks a non-equity tier). I do not know of anybody at my office who got promoted straight to partner at my firm.

My thinking is that there must be other peer(-ish) firms at which an associate who performs as I do has a really strong shot at getting promoted straight to partner in commercial lit. Frankly even a non equity partner to start would be fine; I’m not after the money per se, I’m after the title and the longevity/tenure-type aspect.

So my question is whether those biglaw firms exist and if so what they might be. and relatedly, how senior i would have to be before lateraling and making a bid for partnership is going to be too difficult. In other words is this a move I need to make ASAP or can I see how this plays out a bit longer?

I suppose I’m also looking for anything else that people think I should be considering at this juncture (including the fact that the grass is unlikely to be greener at a new firm and that I should think long and hard about jumping from the good situation I have found, which I have heard from multiple people).

Thanks in advance.

Have you thought about jumping to the government for a while? Either as an AUSA/State AG's office or a litigation position in an agency or something. That'll help you specialize and make you more marketable with another nice credential. Pretty much every lit partner at my firm has government experience, though that's admittedly probably skewed by many of them being in DC.

OP here: Yes, I am very seriously considering AUSA. However I am not geographically flexible and my market is super competitive...and there aren’t a plethora of openings. Plus with a number of dependents (daycare costs are massive!), I’m concerned about the salary hit as well.

But also when it comes down to it, my skillset is best utilized in straight up civil lit. And honestly it just feels like I should be able to get somewhere that I’d have a real shot, without having to jump to gov in between.

I mean are there firms that actively trying to grow their high stakes lit practices from within? Feels like there must be. I just don’t know what they are, and I’m not really sure how to figure it out.