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Hi
Can anybody tell mw what will be inhand
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If the dollar amount difference isn’t wild, this sounds like a no brainer.
A4 it’s salaried
As someone who has ended up working at small firms, I would be cautious. You may find the workload to be not that much lower than your current workload with many more fee sensitive clients. What I would do is try to locate former employees at the 20 lawyer firm (through LinkedIn) and ask them if you could talk to them confidentially.
Echoing this... small firms are all different and in some ways even more political than bigger law firms. I would try to reach out to former employees. Also, be even more wary for your offer letter, make sure you get everything in writing. (I.e. origination credit)
I would speak to recent alum of the small firm for the inside scoop on the firm, and the exit options they had.
Make sure your hours will be manageable. Smaller firms can be an adjustment after the resources of a larger firm, and you may be doing more work with less support.
The interpersonal dynamics can also be more difficult in a smaller firm, but remote work should help with that.
Can I DM you about something? I am going through a similar process.
Why would it tank your career? You’re still going as a partner!
That’s a fair concern. I’m actually having a similar debate. At an AmLaw 50 considering going to a smaller place for a partner title. Your concern about practice switch esp if you consider going inhouse someday sounds valid. But to your concern about having to downgrade your title if you end up not liking that place, i feel like you’d be able to find a big law that’d be willing to take you as a NEP. I would not settle for a downgrade should you decide to go back to big law.
You're the path forward... Build your book of business or referral sources... Get loyal clients, you'll be fine. Or build enough of a book to take with you and leverage to a better firm. At your level very few firms will bring you in unless you can generate your own $$$
Thank you! 😊 they think I can generate money because I have some additional law licenses in big markets with clients they service that nobody at their firm has plus my big law firm has
Hello Partner
Thank you! ♥️
A non-equity partner at a small firm will be doing as much or more case work as a senior associate.
Take the partner role.
Thank you!
I’m at a similar situation
I hope you/we figure it out soon 😀
I turned down a similar offer. I was Am Law 100 and recently was offered a partnership title (salaried, non-equity) at a smaller but growing local firm that with a slight raise and fully remote work, but higher billable-hour minimum. The appeal of fully remote and the title was strong, but I ultimately went with another am law 100 firm for a larger raise, same billable requirement, and slightly better work-from-home policy than my original firm. I just wasn’t ready to step out of the big(ger) law realm for more work, even if remote, and even with the largely illusory title.
I’d ask if they have two levels of partnership. Sounds like they’re offering you a partner title (which is really about making clients feel good) but counsel pay. Would seem like it could be a good move if it’s an equity partner.
I left an AMLaw 150 firm to join a firm of about 30 lawyers. I've not regretted it at all after 4 years. To be fair, I brought a book of business and I'm not doing large corporate M&A, transactional work. I get paid well, the firm is growing and I'm in line for equity partnership next year. I think a lot has to do with your practice area, what you value the most (time at home/salary/family/accolades, etc). Now, when I left the AM Law 150 firm, it had gotten slightly dysfunctional. I had offers from two AM Law 100 firms, but was wary of the red tape and politics at those firms. Again, every situation, every firm, whether small, medium or large sized is different. And for clarity, I'm class of 2006.
Thank you for sharing? May i ask you a couple questions? I’m having a similar dilemma.
When you left, were you able to get adequate junior support at your current place, esp. compared to your old place? Considering a similar move and that’s one of my concerns. Also, how are the hours? They’re telling me 1800-1850 and can’t tell what that really means. Am at amlaw 50 and our firm’s client billable is 1850.
Should add I am getting married soon, and then we will likely have kids soon afterwards.
I know of an attorney who came in as an associate at two other law firms (graduated from law school in 2009). It was a small firm with about 40 attorneys across three offices in the same state. He was promoted to partner (non-equity) at this third firm. About a year after his promotion, he left. He was at this third firm for a total of about 8.5 years). He joined Littler with the title of Special Counsel. So downshifting in terms of title is doable. I don't know him well enough to reach out to ask if he's happy after 6/7 months. Then again, he's a nice guy, and he was evolving among a motley crew of partners, with some being salaried and not good at hunting for business, others who are better at it but a bit selfish, as well as a couple of real bull-dozers and bullies (and for once, those latter were not men but women). So I can see why he got out (I recently go out, too, since they treat others and their staff like crap, even though they think they're treating them well, but having been at a better firm before and joining what appears to be a better firm just after, I can confirm their half-hearted minor gestures don't make up for their disorganized and amateur operation and greediness, and I saw several people get fed up and leave, attorneys, partners, and staff alike). It may be that the downgrade in title was ok if he got out of a hopeless situation where he wasn't being truly respected, and if the pay is better, the loss of title may not have been a huge deal (he wasn't much of a rainmaker anyway). So it's doable if you don't end upnliking the small firm. Like someone here said, in a smaller firm, it can be harder because of the difficulty in navigating politics in a much smaller group. And the equity partners may treat the non-equity partners as "less than"s.
This will not tank ur career. Future is endless possibilities. Also, law yields diverse and endless career options. It’s narrow thinking to envision this will tank ur career. I think this will elevate u. Just make sure the new place is a good place (ethics, processes, high achieving ppl, meritorious work, and putting best interests of clients first). I’ve seen a shitty law firm or two with MIA owners, lots of advertising, and dumping high volume cases on associates.