A few questions for whoever might be able to answer Forum

[too old for this sh*]

FWIW, if you are going to go the criminal defense route, whether trial work or post-conviction, the reality is that few prospective clients will ask or care about pedigree. They care about past results and the prospect of similar results in their case.

I've been working in a niche area of criminal defense for more than a decade and I can count on one hand (with fingers left over) the number of times anyone bothered to ask on the initial phone call where any of the three partners attended law school. We did seven figures last year (again). The sole practitioner I used to work for did equally impressive numbers.

A recently hired associate in the firm cut his teeth coming out of a TTT with honors with a well-known sole practitioner doing mostly appellate work. He seems to like the fact that we can actually have a life in this office and not have to be killing oneself with racking up billable hours...the concept of being able to be a few years out of law school and only having to work 35-40 hours a week to make a liveable wage was REALLY appealing to him.

Does that mean one should sacrifice goals of reaching higher? Hell no. But it is a different sandbox in criminal work than in BigLaw...

[mgpalmer]

FWIW, if you are going to go the criminal defense route, whether trial work or post-conviction, the reality is that few prospective clients will ask or care about pedigree. They care about past results and the prospect of similar results in their case.

I've been working in a niche area of criminal defense for more than a decade and I can count on one hand (with fingers left over) the number of times anyone bothered to ask on the initial phone call where any of the three partners attended law school. We did seven figures last year (again). The sole practitioner I used to work for did equally impressive numbers.

A recently hired associate in the firm cut his teeth coming out of a TTT with honors with a well-known sole practitioner doing mostly appellate work. He seems to like the fact that we can actually have a life in this office and not have to be killing oneself with racking up billable hours...the concept of being able to be a few years out of law school and only having to work 35-40 hours a week to make a liveable wage was REALLY appealing to him.

Does that mean one should sacrifice goals of reaching higher? Hell no. But it is a different sandbox in criminal work than in BigLaw...

Like I said I want to stay in NJ and the most expensive one here would be Seton Hall...but I'll remember what you said and keep it in the back of my mind. Thanks.