Orrick's "Career Associate" program Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a T2 and I have a screener with Orrick's WV office in a few weeks. I know that the WV office is Orrick's "Global Operations Center" and that that's where their "Career associates" work, but that's about all I know. There was something on my campus about it last year but I didn't go. From what I remember hearing from other people it sounded like career associates work fewer hours but for less pay. Does anybody know any more specifics? Especially how much less pay we're talking about and how much fewer hours?

[MrAnon]

Less pay = around $80K. You'll live like a king in Wheeling or whatever town this office is in. Probably 55 hours per week on an average week. 50 hours per week is often the minimum for staff attorneys in large markets. You'll be expected to do more if you are supporting a busy team.

[shmoo597]

Orrick's set up shop in west virginia???

edit: I meant this as a snarky comment but.... they actually do have an office in west virginia!!

[bwv812]

.

[Anonymous User]

Doc review center, right? Like, instead of a basement, you're in Wheeling, WV. (not being snarky; that's just what i read on ATL, iirc)

[Renzo]

Doc review center, right? Like, instead of a basement, you're in Wheeling, WV. (not being snarky; that's just what i read on ATL, iirc)

This is snarky, but yes. Instead of using contract attorneys, etc., They've decided to hire less partner-track associates, give them better work, and give all the doc review, etc. to full-time, non-partner track attorneys.

[Corsair]

..

[Renzo]

If you don't mind the whole "I live in West Virginia!" thing, and your alternative is a career in doc review, it may not entirely suck.

$80k doing doc review doesn't look so bad compared to a lot of the entry-level legal jobs out there. If one thought they were in the running for biglaw it would suck ass; but, if you're gunning for midmarket ID as your next-best alternative, it looks pretty good.

[Anonymous User]

There are also Senior Career Associate positions. Not sure what the salary/bonus scale or hours commitment is though... but I imagine higher than non-senior career associates.

Does anyone know?

[12YrsAnAssociate]

We're mostly all career associates, whether it's in our official title or not.

[hdr]

We're mostly all career associates, whether it's in our official title or not.

Some of us will get lucky and get promoted to counsel, with no change in pay, hours expectations, and lack of job security.

[jackshunger]

Doc review center, right? Like, instead of a basement, you're in Wheeling, WV. (not being snarky; that's just what i read on ATL, iirc)

If you like Pittsburgh, Wheeling isn't a bad place to live

[LawyerGuy45]

We're mostly all career associates, whether it's in our official title or not.

Huh?

[Iowahawk]

There are also Senior Career Associate positions. Not sure what the salary/bonus scale or hours commitment is though... but I imagine higher than non-senior career associates.

Does anyone know?

It looks like a lot of their senior career associates have biglaw or AUSA backgrounds (e.g. the appellate one was a SDNY and CA3 clerk, SDNY AUSA, and Davis Polk associate; a decent number from Jones Day Pittsburgh; a former senior associate at Reed Smith) and it looks like they do legal work more similar to a "normal" associate than just doc review, though bios can be misleading

[1styearlateral]

We're mostly all career associates, whether it's in our official title or not.

Huh?

He's referencing the low chance of partnership at most firms. AKA, career associate.

[TatteredDignity]

We're mostly all career associates, whether it's in our official title or not.

Some of us will get lucky and get promoted to counsel, with no change in pay, hours expectations, and lack of job security.

Worse pay, actually, because usually no bonus.