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I've been practicing in Miami since I graduated law school in 2012. Ask away.

What does it take to actually get Miami biglaw? Is it possible without ties? What kind of work and who are the clients of large firms down there?

Hello and thanks for taking questions!

1. Do you work in Biglaw? MidLaw? Public Interest? Government?
2. What Law School did you attend?
3. How do you like your job?
4. Do you work in transaction or litigation?
5. What are your hours like?
6. Why Miami?

I know there's a lot of questions. Thanks again!

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t wrote:What does it take to actually get Miami biglaw? Is it possible without ties? What kind of work and who are the clients of large firms down there?

I don't work biglaw so I'm not totally sure. The people that I know who practice biglaw were top of the class and law review/journal.

blckwsl wrote:Hello and thanks for taking questions!

1. Do you work in Biglaw? MidLaw? Public Interest? Government?
2. What Law School did you attend?
3. How do you like your job?
4. Do you work in transaction or litigation?
5. What are your hours like?
6. Why Miami?

I know there's a lot of questions. Thanks again!

1) No, I practice at a small litigation law firm (5-10 attorneys).
2) UF
3) It's not bad, but dealing with clients is the worse. It can really become a drag having to deal with extremely stressed/irrational people day in and day out.
4) litigation
5) 45-60 hrs a week. I almost never come in on the weekends.
6) I grew up in Miami.

Why this firm, what kind of litigation, how do you like the people?

How did you find a job? What tips do you have for finding a job?

Are you from Miami/FL? Is it possible to break into the Miami market without ties?

Tagged

rayiner wrote:Why this firm, what kind of litigation, how do you like the people?

They made me a good offer which I could not refuse. That god that everyone in my office is easy going, and have no issues with them. But I do hear a lot about crazy attorneys who yell at their associates.

n1o2c3a4c5h6e7t wrote:Are you from Miami/FL? Is it possible to break into the Miami market without ties?

Yes, I'm from the Miami area.

To break into the market, you will most likely need to know Spanish. You may not need to know Spanish for biglaw/govt jobs, but you will need it if you work for a small/mid sized firm.

0L Miami native. I decided to stay home and attend the University of Miami (scholarship offer)

Judging by your user name, it seems you attended UF. Did you find it difficult securing a job in south florida? Does UF compete heavily with UM for employment opportunities in Miami?

I probably want to return home to work in FL after graduation. How's Miami in comparison to other FL cities in terms of biglaw? Do you know anything about life/firms in Orlando/Tampa/Jacksonville? Do you get to have a life? Should I avoid Miami biglaw if I don't know Spanish? What are the good/bad firms in the city/state? Is Miami as awful a place to live as it seems when I visit? Thanks for answering stuff

Cicero76 wrote:I probably want to return home to work in FL after graduation. How's Miami in comparison to other FL cities in terms of biglaw? Do you know anything about life/firms in Orlando/Tampa/Jacksonville? Do you get to have a life? Should I avoid Miami biglaw if I don't know Spanish? What are the good/bad firms in the city/state? Is Miami as awful a place to live as it seems when I visit? Thanks for answering stuff

I'd like to answer one of your questions... Miami is like any other large metropolitan city in America - it's all about location. In terms of neighborhoods, it's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. You could be driving down a beautiful neighborhood, make one wrong turn and bam, slums.

There is a strong Hispanic presence in Miami, so much so, that I'd assert moving to Miami with no ties would be a bad choice for someone who doesn't speak Spanish. The Hispanic enclave in Miami - predominantly Cubans - keeps the Hispanic businesses and professionals thriving in Miami. As a result, this enclave does kind of suppress other ethnic communities - not out of intent, but out of its sheer size and influence.

Having lived in Miami my entire life, I absolutely love it here and I don't see myself leaving. Granted, I may decide to move a bit north (Ft. Lauderdale, Boca or Palm beach) but overall, Miami is a great place to live, depending on the location of course.

MisterGabriel wrote:0L Miami native. I decided to stay home and attend the University of Miami (scholarship offer)

Judging by your user name, it seems you attended UF. Did you find it difficult securing a job in south florida? Does UF compete heavily with UM for employment opportunities in Miami?

I did have a bit of trouble finding a job, but once I got my bar I was made an offer. UF competes very well in Miami, and I believe it is considered the best law school in the state (even in Miami).

GatorNation wrote:I did have a bit of trouble finding a job, but once I got my bar I was made an offer. UF competes very well in Miami, and I believe it is considered the best law school in the state (even in Miami).

Miami firms certainly attend the UMiami OCI, just wondering if any (or many) Miami firms recruited on your campus during OCI. Did any of your UF cohorts get placed in Miami or did they wind up in other places like Tampa, Jax, etc.?

I take it that your offer came from mass mailing after you passed the bar and not via a OCI SA.

twenty 8 wrote:

GatorNation wrote:I did have a bit of trouble finding a job, but once I got my bar I was made an offer. UF competes very well in Miami, and I believe it is considered the best law school in the state (even in Miami).

Miami firms certainly attend the UMiami OCI, just wondering if any (or many) Miami firms recruited on your campus during OCI. Did any of your UF cohorts get placed in Miami or did they wind up in other places like Tampa, Jax, etc.?

I take it that your offer came from mass mailing after you passed the bar and not via a OCI SA.

Some people got jobs through OCI, but the vast majority of people did not.

I never did mass mailing. I simply saw the job posting and applied.