Reputations of Florida Firms and Cities Forum

[Anonymous User]

Interested in hearing people's perceptions of the reputations of large Florida firms and cities. What are the legal communities like in Miami/Jacksonville/Tampa/Orlando? Is it better to start your career at a regional biglaw firm like Akerman or Gunster, or at a v100? Also interested in any information about specific firms.

[Anonymous User]

Now that the V100s are moving towards NY-scale in every office, it is much harder to make a case for the regional firms being worth the difference in salary. Making 205 to start in one of the non-Miami Holland & Knight offices is one of the best deals in biglaw. Of course, 205 in Miami at any of the v100s that offer it there is also a solid choice if you'd rather live in Miami.

[Anonymous User]

Now that the V100s are moving towards NY-scale in every office, it is much harder to make a case for the regional firms being worth the difference in salary. Making 205 to start in one of the non-Miami Holland & Knight offices is one of the best deals in biglaw. Of course, 205 in Miami at any of the v100s that offer it there is also a solid choice if you'd rather live in Miami.

Would a non-lockstep v100 still be a better choice? Thinking along the lines of GT or Foley.

ETA:I’m most interested in Orlando/Tampa, but I’m open to south Florida if that’s what works out.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any insight into hours / lifestyle trade-off between national FL firms (GT / Akerman) and regional FL firms (Bilzin Sumberg / Gunster)?

[Anonymous User]

Miami is largest market. Median pay is obviously highest here. Personally, I feel speaking Spanish is a great asset for living in Miami. Big city feel with lots of culture. Lots of high-end firms. Only city with numerous boutiques to choose from. People start around 10-11am and work late. Cuban coffee in the afternoon in many offices. Most competitive market. Sometimes it feels like FTL and WPB are subsumed into the “Miami market.”

Jax: smallest market, despite being largest geographically. Super spread out city. Median pay lowest here. Personally, I found it difficult to network with the jax legal community. Jax offices are generally laid back. Everybody goes home relatively early, mostly because there’s nothing to do downtown so you have to go to San Marco or Riverside just to grab a post-work drink. Felt like everybody got married and had kids early in jax. Most people are born and bred there, don’t see many outsiders.

Tampa and Orlando are a middle ground. Tampa is definitely a larger legal market than Orlando. In Orlando, real estate and hospitality industries drive a lot of the big firm work. Both cities are growing rapidly, though Tampa seems to be growing faster. Neither have many good boutique firms (Tampa has more than orlando but still very few quality boutiques) and most of the biglaw shops in one city also have a presence in the other. Both cities are relatively chill in terms of culture, though orlando feels more laid back than Tampa. Median pay is usually the same in orlando and Tampa, but some firms pay a slight premium in Tampa. Tampa tends to be a bit more good ole boys club-y, and you will get much farther there if you are from there, went to Jesuit, etc. Orlando seems more open to outsiders.

Go blue chip early. Start your career at a large national firm if you can. This opens up doors later on. You can always lateral down to a regional shop as you get closer to partnership. That said, Florida has some quality regional firms that can be great long-term homes. And if you feel the culture is right in one area or firm then go for it.

[Anonymous User]

Will Florida firms pay for people to take time off to study for the bar exam if you are coming from another state? I’m from Florida originally and work in NYC and only admitted in New York, so would need to take the Florida bar exam. If a firm was willing to pay me to take time off to study, I would be way more enticed to move back and work there. Hours have to be somewhat better than V10 NYC M&A at least I assume.

[Anonymous User]

Miami is largest market. Median pay is obviously highest here. Personally, I feel speaking Spanish is a great asset for living in Miami. Big city feel with lots of culture. Lots of high-end firms. Only city with numerous boutiques to choose from. People start around 10-11am and work late. Cuban coffee in the afternoon in many offices. Most competitive market. Sometimes it feels like FTL and WPB are subsumed into the “Miami market.”

Jax: smallest market, despite being largest geographically. Super spread out city. Median pay lowest here. Personally, I found it difficult to network with the jax legal community. Jax offices are generally laid back. Everybody goes home relatively early, mostly because there’s nothing to do downtown so you have to go to San Marco or Riverside just to grab a post-work drink. Felt like everybody got married and had kids early in jax. Most people are born and bred there, don’t see many outsiders.

Tampa and Orlando are a middle ground. Tampa is definitely a larger legal market than Orlando. In Orlando, real estate and hospitality industries drive a lot of the big firm work. Both cities are growing rapidly, though Tampa seems to be growing faster. Neither have many good boutique firms (Tampa has more than orlando but still very few quality boutiques) and most of the biglaw shops in one city also have a presence in the other. Both cities are relatively chill in terms of culture, though orlando feels more laid back than Tampa. Median pay is usually the same in orlando and Tampa, but some firms pay a slight premium in Tampa. Tampa tends to be a bit more good ole boys club-y, and you will get much farther there if you are from there, went to Jesuit, etc. Orlando seems more open to outsiders.

Go blue chip early. Start your career at a large national firm if you can. This opens up doors later on. You can always lateral down to a regional shop as you get closer to partnership. That said, Florida has some quality regional firms that can be great long-term homes. And if you feel the culture is right in one area or firm then go for it.

Anyone know what biglaw hours look like in Orlando/Tampa? Sitting on offers atm and deciding between a national biglaw firm (think Baker, H&K, GT, Foley) and a regional biglaw firm (think Akerman, Gunster, Shutts). Both offers are in the same city. Would love any advice about which to take.

[Anonymous User]

What practice? The national firms are becoming more brutal and expectations have increased with the salary increases. Though things have generally been brutal for all corporate associates for a while. I’ve heard firms like HK and Foley are sourcing work from major markets to bill their smaller market associates out at higher rates. This results in dull work for lit associates, but better work for deal lawyers. Also, what are your ultimate goals and what year are you? Ultimately, your hours will be determined by your specific group/partner. ORL/TPA are both generally more relaxed than other markets but can still be rough with big firm pressures.

[Anonymous User]

What practice? The national firms are becoming more brutal and expectations have increased with the salary increases. Though things have generally been brutal for all corporate associates for a while. I’ve heard firms like HK and Foley are sourcing work from major markets to bill their smaller market associates out at higher rates. This results in dull work for lit associates, but better work for deal lawyers. Also, what are your ultimate goals and what year are you? Ultimately, your hours will be determined by your specific group/partner. ORL/TPA are both generally more relaxed than other markets but can still be rough with big firm pressures.

Lit, choosing where to have my SA (so I’d join as a first year). The firms specified that I’m being slotted for lit. Not sure about my ultimate goals; I’d be open to clerking eventually, and I’m split between staying at a firm longterm or shifting to federal government work later on. I’m mostly interested in keeping as many doors open as possible.