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I am interested in employment law--especially discrimination and retaliation cases, but also things like wage/hour litigation and trade secret/noncompete issues. I find these cases both factually/legally interesting, and the issues seem more "down to earth" and reflective of everyday life than, say, complex commercial litigation.

It seems to me that employment lawyers can practice in all kinds of settings: biglaw, small firms, in-house, government, solo practice, etc. One attorney who moved from big law to a small firm to solo practice told me that if you do employment law, "you will always have work." There seems to be a universal need for it, regardless of location, though perhaps there is some variation depending on whether the state has stricter or looser employment laws.

I am thinking of spending a few years in big law and then leaving for something with better work-life balance. Is it a good idea/is it difficult to get into an employment practice group within big law? Are there specific firms that have particularly strong employment groups? (I've been told that businesses aren't hiring big law firms as much for employment issues these days, and are instead going to boutique employment defense firms.)

I work at a plaintiff-side employment firm that regularly does discrimination and retaliation cases. Here are opposing counsel firms that I respect and that have smart and competent attorneys:

Littler Mendelson
Morgan Lewis
Fisher Phillips
Kasowitz Benson
Jackson Lewis
Ballard Spahr

Some are employment only shops; others are big firms with employment practice groups. Not really sure about what it's like to work at any of those places day-to-day. You get a lot of repeat clients on the defense side, so I imagine that developing a book of business and earning your clients' trust so they give you repeat business is key if you want to ascend to partner-level status.

Thanks, this is helpful! Any general thoughts on employment law as a career? And whether it’s a good idea to start in big law if you want to practice employment law somewhere else?

I’ve heard that, while transactional attorneys have an easier time finding in house jobs than litigators, litigators with employment experience are an exception. Is that true?

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 24, 2023 2:55 am

Thanks, this is helpful! Any general thoughts on employment law as a career? And whether it’s a good idea to start in big law if you want to practice employment law somewhere else?

I’ve heard that, while transactional attorneys have an easier time finding in house jobs than litigators, litigators with employment experience are an exception. Is that true?

FWIW, I've heard plenty of anecdotal evidence to support that. It seems like the big law employment practice to in-house employment lawyer is a tried and true method, but others can verify with some stronger evidence.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 24, 2023 2:55 am

Thanks, this is helpful! Any general thoughts on employment law as a career? And whether it’s a good idea to start in big law if you want to practice employment law somewhere else?

I’ve heard that, while transactional attorneys have an easier time finding in house jobs than litigators, litigators with employment experience are an exception. Is that true?

Yes, it's true.