Miami Law Firms Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi kind of a general question, but does anyone have any insight into Miami Big Law. In looking at cost of living in comparison to NYC and general wanting to be in warmer weather, I have begun to look into firms down there.

Who are the big players?

I have read that Miami does not pay Market, but I don't know the truth behind this.

What are big practice areas?

What is the culture like? I know big law consists of long hours everywhere, but I have anecdotally heard that secondary markets are a little easier on the work/life balance

Thank you

[Sackboy]

I dislike this post simply because it shows you've done little research.

The Vault Florida list is close enough to being accurate on the big players. Some firms pay market for 1st year salary and then compress from there. Some shops pay market from years 1-8, but they're always small outposts of large national firms (e.g. Weil). There is a fair bit of PE, healthcare, and lit in Miami. Culture is like any secondary market.

[Anonymous User]

I dislike this post simply because it shows you've done little research.

The Vault Florida list is close enough to being accurate on the big players. Some firms pay market for 1st year salary and then compress from there. Some shops pay market from years 1-8, but they're always small outposts of large national firms (e.g. Weil). There is a fair bit of PE, healthcare, and lit in Miami. Culture is like any secondary market.

I'm sorry - you're right. I did some research this morning, but I was hoping just for additional information that maybe people actually in big law right now had. My bad.

[TigerIsBack]

I dislike this post simply because it shows you've done little research.

The Vault Florida list is close enough to being accurate on the big players. Some firms pay market for 1st year salary and then compress from there. Some shops pay market from years 1-8, but they're always small outposts of large national firms (e.g. Weil). There is a fair bit of PE, healthcare, and lit in Miami. Culture is like any secondary market.

I'm sorry - you're right. I did some research this morning, but I was hoping just for additional information that maybe people actually in big law right now had. My bad.

Honestly I think this forum is as good a place as any for conducting research. I regularly come here before doing thorough research. Sorry I don't have any info to share on Miami, but I guess I was triggered by the poster above responding like a partner who's time you just totally wasted by failing to do research before asking a question.

[Anonymous User]

The hours in Miami BigLaw are basically the same as NYC BigLaw. When people talk about easier hours in secondary markets they’re talking about places like Denver, St Louis, etc, not Miami

[TigerIsBack]

The hours in Miami BigLaw are basically the same as NYC BigLaw. When people talk about easier hours in secondary markets they’re talking about places like Denver, St Louis, etc, not Miami

I guess one point I could add is that I spent a couple of years at a large firm in a secondary market (not Miami though), and while my overall hours were basically the same as my larger office counterparts, my office was typically pretty empty by 6pm or so in the secondary market compared my time working in offices larger markets where people seemed to stay at the office much later.

You may find that working the same number of hours, but being able to do most of your evening work from home in your sweatpants is enough worklife balance.

[Anonymous User]

Big players

Holland & Knight, GT, White & Case, Weil, Akerman, JD, Bilzin, and a few market paying firms (McDermott, Morgan Lewis have small outposts).

PE, healthcare, real estate are big areas.

Holland & Knight just moved to market salary for all classes, so I suspect GT and Akerman will have to follow to compete. I doubt the latter will because it pays its nonequity partners less than market-paying 8th years.

Hours can be brutal because of PE/M&A, but if you’re in other practices (healthcare, for example), hours are fine.

I worked in south Florida, and most people in my group said that anything over 2200 is seen as “a lot” of hours to them.

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if you are from South Florida, but the Miami big law market is tough to break into without strong ties, even as a lateral.

[Anonymous User]

I dislike this post simply because it shows you've done little research.

The Vault Florida list is close enough to being accurate on the big players. Some firms pay market for 1st year salary and then compress from there. Some shops pay market from years 1-8, but they're always small outposts of large national firms (e.g. Weil). There is a fair bit of PE, healthcare, and lit in Miami. Culture is like any secondary market.

I'm sorry - you're right. I did some research this morning, but I was hoping just for additional information that maybe people actually in big law right now had. My bad.

Honestly I think this forum is as good a place as any for conducting research. I regularly come here before doing thorough research. Sorry I don't have any info to share on Miami, but I guess I was triggered by the poster above responding like a partner who's time you just totally wasted by failing to do research before asking a question.

Thank you for your comment - I thought that was kind of the purpose of this forum, but I realize it can be annoying asking questions that are easy enough to google. I like just exhausting all resources.

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if you are from South Florida, but the Miami big law market is tough to break into without strong ties, even as a lateral.

This is completely false, at least for corporate. If you have good experience at a V50 firm and some remotely plausible reason why you want to move down to Miami, the big FL firms (H&K, GT, Akerman) will be very interested. I had struggled on the lateral market in another major market and got offers from all 3 in Miami a couple of years ago. I now participate in the hiring process at one of the three firms above and we struggle with hiring for this reason - we have to fight the other major firms for most associates. At least, this has been the case for the last few years (with the exception of most of 2020).

It can be hard to break in to the market as a law student with no/weak ties, though. A lot of the FL firms do most of their hiring through the lateral process, so there aren't that many positions in summer classes.

[Sackboy]

+1 to the above poster. I endorse the entire post.

[bajablast]

Not sure if you are from South Florida, but the Miami big law market is tough to break into without strong ties, even as a lateral.

This is completely false, at least for corporate. If you have good experience at a V50 firm and some remotely plausible reason why you want to move down to Miami, the big FL firms (H&K, GT, Akerman) will be very interested. I had struggled on the lateral market in another major market and got offers from all 3 in Miami a couple of years ago. I now participate in the hiring process at one of the three firms above and we struggle with hiring for this reason - we have to fight the other major firms for most associates. At least, this has been the case for the last few years (with the exception of most of 2020).

It can be hard to break in to the market as a law student with no/weak ties, though. A lot of the FL firms do most of their hiring through the lateral process, so there aren't that many positions in summer classes.

At the end of day, it's all about your practice area; if it's in demand, you can generally pick where you go. Back when people though restructuring was going to be hot for a while, I knew law students without ties to Miami who got offers because firms like W&C were chomping at the bit for BK associates. I imagine it's the same today for cap markets etc.

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if you are from South Florida, but the Miami big law market is tough to break into without strong ties, even as a lateral.

This is completely false, at least for corporate. If you have good experience at a V50 firm and some remotely plausible reason why you want to move down to Miami, the big FL firms (H&K, GT, Akerman) will be very interested. I had struggled on the lateral market in another major market and got offers from all 3 in Miami a couple of years ago. I now participate in the hiring process at one of the three firms above and we struggle with hiring for this reason - we have to fight the other major firms for most associates. At least, this has been the case for the last few years (with the exception of most of 2020).

It can be hard to break in to the market as a law student with no/weak ties, though. A lot of the FL firms do most of their hiring through the lateral process, so there aren't that many positions in summer classes.

Anon quoted above,

I'm in lit so maybe that's why experiences have differed so much. Other people I know who have tried lateralling to Miami in lit have had trouble.

[Anonymous User]

I've heard anecdotally that cap markets associates actually have a difficult time lateralling to Miami from NY if your practice has mostly consisted of offerings / '34 Act work. Does anyone know whether this is true?

[Anonymous User]

Big players

Holland & Knight, GT, White & Case, Weil, Akerman, JD, Bilzin, and a few market paying firms (McDermott, Morgan Lewis have small outposts).

PE, healthcare, real estate are big areas.

Holland & Knight just moved to market salary for all classes, so I suspect GT and Akerman will have to follow to compete. I doubt the latter will because it pays its nonequity partners less than market-paying 8th years.

Hours can be brutal because of PE/M&A, but if you’re in other practices (healthcare, for example), hours are fine.

I worked in south Florida, and most people in my group said that anything over 2200 is seen as “a lot” of hours to them.

Any funds work in south Florida?

[Harry Ass Truman]

Bilzin is a failing firm. Trust me.

[Sackboy]

Bilzin is a failing firm. Trust me.

This is dumb anon abuse and flame. Bilzin is a great firm.

[NYto202.5]

I've heard anecdotally that cap markets associates actually have a difficult time lateralling to Miami from NY if your practice has mostly consisted of offerings / '34 Act work. Does anyone know whether this is true?

All I can tell you is that my firm has been trying to hire capital market associates in Miami for a while now and is still trying. I think there is a fair amount of '34 act work, at least at some of the major Florida firms. When I was interviewing in Miami a couple of years ago with a background mostly in M&A, but with some '34 act experience, I got questions from a couple of firms about how much '34 act experience I had and whether I would be willing to consider a split role ('34 work + M&A).

[Anonymous User]

Big players

Holland & Knight, GT, White & Case, Weil, Akerman, JD, Bilzin, and a few market paying firms (McDermott, Morgan Lewis have small outposts).

PE, healthcare, real estate are big areas.

Holland & Knight just moved to market salary for all classes, so I suspect GT and Akerman will have to follow to compete. I doubt the latter will because it pays its nonequity partners less than market-paying 8th years.

Hours can be brutal because of PE/M&A, but if you’re in other practices (healthcare, for example), hours are fine.

I worked in south Florida, and most people in my group said that anything over 2200 is seen as “a lot” of hours to them.

This is just false. I don't get why people post stuff like this. H&K JUST announced they matched NY market. GT is not paying NY market, nor does Bilzin. I would think Akerman doesn't either. The satellite office, for the most part do. White & Case 100% does. Don't comment if you don't know. geez

[Anonymous User]

GT does pay market. Comp is decided by office so they don’t make big statements.

[Anonymous User]

GT does pay market. Comp is decided by office so they don’t make big statements.

Huh? GT pays NY market in Miami / Fort Lauderdale? I'd be surprised, but now Holland & Knight does, I guess GT might have to soon. I had an offer at the Miami office a couple of years ago and it certainly wasn't NY market then.

FYI, I have a close friend at Akerman in Florida and apparently they just announced that there will be raises, but they're individualized and the firm hasn't told associates what they'll receive yet. No one in FL is expecting NY market.

[uncle_rico]

Someone I know just lateraled to DLA in Miami who I did not even know had an office there. Apparently they’re building an outpost out there and are paying NY market, at least before the raise to 205k.

[Anonymous User]

Big players

Holland & Knight, GT, White & Case, Weil, Akerman, JD, Bilzin, and a few market paying firms (McDermott, Morgan Lewis have small outposts).

PE, healthcare, real estate are big areas.

Holland & Knight just moved to market salary for all classes, so I suspect GT and Akerman will have to follow to compete. I doubt the latter will because it pays its nonequity partners less than market-paying 8th years.

Hours can be brutal because of PE/M&A, but if you’re in other practices (healthcare, for example), hours are fine.

I worked in south Florida, and most people in my group said that anything over 2200 is seen as “a lot” of hours to them.

This is just false. I don't get why people post stuff like this. H&K JUST announced they matched NY market. GT is not paying NY market, nor does Bilzin. I would think Akerman doesn't either. The satellite office, for the most part do. White & Case 100% does. Don't comment if you don't know. geez

Reread what I wrote above. I didn’t say those firms paid market. I mentioned those firms and some market paying firms…