Top Litigation Miami Forum

[Anonymous User]

Currently SDNY clerk and my wife starts a new job in Miami in 2024 to be a long term home. Curious about the litigation market. Really only concerned with who the best litigation firms are in town. Open to different practice areas and honestly different compensations but I want the most elite firm with the most elite training if possible. Looking at Podhurst, Colson Hicks, Rivero Mestre, Kozyak, and the big firms with Miami offices.

[Anonymous User]

I clerked in SDFL/CA11 and am at a boutique in New York. Larger firms I would say Quinn, Sidley, Boeis Schiller, and White & Case are probably your best bet for lit. Smaller firms, agree with your list mostly. Podhurst is probably the historically the best/most prestigious boutique. I was very impressed with the work I saw from Colson Hicks. Kozyak is also a solid boutique in the Miami market. I don't know much about Rivero Mestre. There were some other good smaller firms but most of the top talent was poached when the big firms opened Miami offices last year.

There are also some very small firms that do ridiculously high quality work that won't be on lists and whatnot. Black Srebnick for example takes a ton of cases to trial, won the only varsity blues trial, and regularly has matters before SCOTUS. Buckner Miles is a ridiculously profitable class action boutique with 5 or so lawyers. Definitely keep an eye out for firms like these and talk to people in Miami.

A lot of this is going to depend on what you want to do. For example, if you want to do criminal defense, Rivero Mestre would obviously be a better bet than Kozyak who doesn't really do that type of work. Some of the firms you mentioned are strictly plaintiffs side which is obviously going to be a very different type of work than defense side work. Plaintiffs firms are going to want you to have an interest in doing plaintiffs side lit, not just litigation generally.

[Anonymous User]

For white collar a lot of the top work is in quite small firms—e.g. David Oskar Markus is one of the top criminal trial lawyers in the country.

Kobre also has a big Miami practice.

[Anonymous User]

Look into County Attorney's office

[Anonymous User]

I clerked in SDFL/CA11 and am at a boutique in New York. Larger firms I would say Quinn, Sidley, Boeis Schiller, and White & Case are probably your best bet for lit. Smaller firms, agree with your list mostly. Podhurst is probably the historically the best/most prestigious boutique. I was very impressed with the work I saw from Colson Hicks. Kozyak is also a solid boutique in the Miami market. I don't know much about Rivero Mestre. There were some other good smaller firms but most of the top talent was poached when the big firms opened Miami offices last year.

There are also some very small firms that do ridiculously high quality work that won't be on lists and whatnot. Black Srebnick for example takes a ton of cases to trial, won the only varsity blues trial, and regularly has matters before SCOTUS. Buckner Miles is a ridiculously profitable class action boutique with 5 or so lawyers. Definitely keep an eye out for firms like these and talk to people in Miami.

A lot of this is going to depend on what you want to do. For example, if you want to do criminal defense, Rivero Mestre would obviously be a better bet than Kozyak who doesn't really do that type of work. Some of the firms you mentioned are strictly plaintiffs side which is obviously going to be a very different type of work than defense side work. Plaintiffs firms are going to want you to have an interest in doing plaintiffs side lit, not just litigation generally.

Thanks for this. Colson Hicks and Podhurst seem to be legendary trial firms. From what I gather they do a mix high end PI and consumer class actions. So a mix of big time national cases and PI cases they can take to trial. I just wonder if specializing in injury work is great for your long term career.

My contact in Miami says Kozyak is kind of on a downswing because all the named partners are either retired or retiring. He also said Rivero has been on the rise after a huge trial win a couple years ago. Described them as Kobre Kim as a Miami boutique, both sides of complex commercial work and some high end white collar.

No info on Buckner and Miles but from what I can see they strictly do plaintiff class actions, kind of like Scott and Scott.

Contact said Leon Cosgrove and Stumphauzer were really great lit firms but in a tier beneath the previously mentioned.

[Anonymous User]

For white collar a lot of the top work is in quite small firms—e.g. David Oskar Markus is one of the top criminal trial lawyers in the country.

Kobre also has a big Miami practice.

David Markus seems to be the real deal. White collar is interesting but I think I prefer a more generalist commercial practice to start my career.

Kobre is legit nationally.

[Anonymous User]

Look into County Attorney's office

So I looked into it. Seems like everyone there has quite the pedigree. Any insight into how much trial work they do? Or what is so attractive about the job to people who seemingly could do anything.

[Bramwell]

Freedman Normand Friedland reportedly pays top of market.

[Anonymous User]

Freedman Normand Friedland reportedly pays top of market.

Heard really bad things both culturally and reputation wise. Looked into the scandal they had recently from a named partner and feel like that’s not a great place to learn or start your career. Specifically in Miami.