mo money, mo money, mo money

The key is, FIRST, not to give a shit. Everything is easy after that.

"I know staff attorneys will get slayed as third-rate, but that's why we didn't work as hard in law school to try to get recruited.... We don't give a s**t!"

This is the funniest and most honest thing I've read on this site in a long time.

Teddy Bear Named Mohammed says EXECUTE!

So how exactly does one come about to be a staff attorney?

N00b: Hi, I'm here for the interview
"interview"
Partner: You're not really what we're looking for, but I think you will make a fine staffer.

??

Can I get a shout out from Annapolis!?

I'm currently a 2nd year associate at Biglaw with no desire to make partner and don't really want to put in the hours I am working anymore. I know that I will eventually leave the legal field all together in a couple of years so I'm really just working to pay rent and loans until I'm ready to leave NYC. Do staff attorney's really work 9-5 and how much do they make?

12:36 you still have to bill 2000+ but the work is easier..

i think top of the market is 100k

12:36 you still have to bill 2000+ but the work is easier..

i think top of the market is 100k

Forget bonuses, someone tell me what kind of gift (ie - how much $), a BigLaw first year should to give to their secretary.

12:39(2) - a pony

12:39-
Bus fare

Thanks 12:39, that's a great idea. LAT we need a thread to discuss secretary gifts.

Usually a Mont Blanc pen or a set of cufflinks would be good for your secretary. That is, if you wanted to be a pretentious a-hole.

12:39: I gave my sec'y $150 my first year.

12:47 - why would you give your secretary cuff links. that's not pretentious so much as it is retarded.

Crap, I hate giving people Christmas presents. I hadn't thought of giving a gift to my secretary. Who else do you have to buy for (partners, other associates, paralegals, etc)? What kind of gift is appropriate?

Good idea, 12:47 (1)

f gifts for secretaries, what are you getting the legal assistant

$100 should be fine, especially if they didn't do that much.

$200 or $300 I say for mid and senior levels. I would not go beyond that, unless you are the primary attorney they work for and want to be very generous

I spend around $100 on my sec'y and I'm a 7th year associate.

Secretary's are a few years from replacement. Soon I will have a trained ninja robot to replace her. Oh and you buy them presents based on looks. If they don't care enough about you to look good then they don't care enough to get gifts.

12:50,

Have you even thought that, perhaps, some female attorneys have male secretaries?

Response to Attractive Paralegal AKA 12:53 pm

Dinner at Applebee's plus a hotel room in midtown Manhattan.

1:06

Nope. Real attorney's are men, and men ONLY have female sexataries.

Disclaimer:

The above post was written in humor, if you find this post offensive please disregard, refresh your browser and skip this section.

Thank you,

The Management

who cares? staff attorneys aren't real lawyers anyway.

>Have you even thought that, perhaps, some female attorneys have male secretaries?

Or how about the (gasp) possibility that some male attorneys have male secretaries?

(what's the gender of the attorney have to do with it?)

If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it.

It's great how this thread turned from Staff Attorney bonuses to secretary and paralegal gifts. WTF?

From the staff attorney e-mail:
"We don't give a s**t!"

Well, it is obvious that the readers of ATL don't give a shit (about you) either.

How do you become a staff attorney? I did nothing at a T2 law school except graduate. how do I get in on this staff attorney gig and what is the pay scale?

"If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know about the market for staff attorney bonuses, but I think they ought to get them. I also don't quite understand why staff attorneys are considered third-rate citizens for wanting to have a life outside work, but whatev.

I do know that as a first year associate, I contributed $100 toward a gift card for my secretary. (She had mentioned wanting to purchase something that was around $400 at a particular store.) The other associate also contributed $100, and the partner contributed $200.

1:26 I think that's the point. A reaction like this was expected.

1:26 I think that's the point. A reaction like this was expected.

"If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: gifts for secretaries-

As a junior associate, 100 is probably fine, going up to 150-200 as you get more senior (particularly because your sec'y is also likely getting gifts from other attorneys). Cash if acceptable, but if you want to get something a little less person, you can get a gift certificate for a "common" store, such as Macy's or Lord & Taylor. Some lawyers try to be "generous" and get a gift certificate for Saks, Bergdorf's, etc., but invariably, they do not get a big enough certificate, and the secretary then has to use her own money to make up the difference. (150 at Macy's is equivalent to 500-600 at Saks).

I am a first year with a team of over 100 staff attorneys working under me. Every day I arrive at work fearing that today will be the day they finally decide to stage a violent coup...

"If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

What about paralegals / partners / anyone else? Please tell me I don't have to buy more gifts for these people who aren't having sex with me ...

I interviewed for some staff attorney position not too long ago. The firm tried to make me (and the other 20 or so interviewees) try to feel as though we were so lucky to have the opportunity to work there. The pay was 85k, with a possible bonus, and the we were expected to work 60+hours/week "for the first few months."

As you all probably know, staff attorney positions are simply a Big Firm's way of cutting down on costs. I wouldn't have minded the job had it paid 100k+ and not been so pretentious of a firm. But when your interviewers are current staff attorneys and they spend half the interview telling you how much they love their job, you can't help but wanting to throw up.

I'm back to doc review, continuing to look for an out of this really boring and trite profession.

Staff attorneys are not third rate. Most of the staff attorneys in the larger law firms have excellent credentials including law review. It is a lifestyle choice that allows us to work on the most cutting edge of cases, albeit, not in the typical lawyer manner where we would argue in a court room. The majority of cases from the advent of the internet involve e-discovery and as lawyers we should recognize that this is an up and coming field. For precedent, I would suggest that you peruse Zubulake vs. UBS (V) to see what lawyers new responsibilites are. Staff attorneys fill a niche that simply did not exist 10 or 15 years ago. In addition to the drudge work, including research and document review, staff attorneys also interview clients and witnesses as part of their duties. Staff attorneys are trusted by the partners and associates, and are a part of a new chapter in the legal field.

My first year at biglaw I gave my secretary $100. Last year, as a fifth year associate I gave her $250. I expect to give her $250 this year and until I make partner (IF I make partner), when I will up her gift to something like $350 or $400 for a few years, going up from there. The partner in my share group who has been partner for 6 years or so gives her $750 for her holiday gift.

Of course, I love my secretary. She's amazing at what she does and should really make more than I do. There are some others in this office that I would not want to give a dollar to.

As for the staff attorney discussion -- we could not do our jobs without them. They are invaluable to the firm and are willing to do all the work no one else wants. They totally deserve a bonus. Of course, I have no idea if they get one or not here.

And to 1:36 -- 100 staff attorneys? Or are they contract attorneys? Entirely different type of lawyer. The former gets benefits and a desk at the office. The latter gets no benefits and usually works in a dark and dank basement offsite clicking through documents for 12 hours a day.

Staff attorneys are not third rate. Most of the staff attorneys in the larger law firms have excellent credentials including law review. It is a lifestyle choice that allows us to work on the most cutting edge of cases, albeit, not in the typical lawyer manner where we would argue in a court room. The majority of cases from the advent of the internet involve e-discovery and as lawyers we should recognize that this is an up and coming field. For precedent, I would suggest that you peruse Zubulake vs. UBS (V) to see what lawyers new responsibilites are. Staff attorneys fill a niche that simply did not exist 10 or 15 years ago. In addition to the drudge work, including research and document review, staff attorneys also interview clients and witnesses as part of their duties. Staff attorneys are trusted by the partners and associates, and are a part of a new chapter in the legal field.

Staff attorneys are not third rate. Most of the staff attorneys in the larger law firms have excellent credentials including law review. It is a lifestyle choice that allows us to work on the most cutting edge of cases, albeit, not in the typical lawyer manner where we would argue in a court room. The majority of cases from the advent of the internet involve e-discovery and as lawyers we should recognize that this is an up and coming field. For precedent, I would suggest that you peruse Zubulake vs. UBS (V) to see what lawyers new responsibilites are. Staff attorneys fill a niche that simply did not exist 10 or 15 years ago. In addition to the drudge work, including research and document review, staff attorneys also interview clients and witnesses as part of their duties. Staff attorneys are trusted by the partners and associates, and are a part of a new chapter in the legal field.

Guys in my Overeaters Anonymous Club (O.A.C.) worked as staff attorneys all the time, it was no big deal

2:13 law review at Hofstra does not actually mean Law Review in the vernacular

2:10/2:13 - Your post read like a third grade book report. I can see why you're a staff attorney.

Staff attorneys are not third rate; they are actually fourth rate

Every staff attorney-bashing and grammar-correcting comment posted on this site, makes Sweedish penis pump manufacturers richer..

Is a staff attorney different from counsel at a big firm? Do most staff attorneys start out as such or down grade at some point (or up grade from smaller shitty firms??) Not that I am looking to get into it - just curious.

I gave all my assistants a Teddy Bear Named Mohammed.

Gillian

I gave all my assistants a Teddy Bear Named Mohammed.

Gillian

counsel are not staff attorneys

non equity partners are staff attorneys

I think most staff attys start out as wanting a paycheck, just like you, 2:37. They require a lot less overhead than you, as well..such as your wishy-washy "professional development" sessions and mentoring and all of the other hand-holding young associates require!

Whats with the disparaging comments about Hofstra?

2:35:
ummm its SWEDISH. duh... learn how to spell. no wonder you don't bash staff attorneys.

When you look at it, "of counsel," and "non-equity partners," as well as associates, are all staff attorneys.

Heck, these days, even equity partners get to be treated as staff attorneys if they don't keep the gravy train rumbling into the maws of the firm.

What have we learned here, kids? We're all fungible, but staff attorneys are just one step above paralegals.

I would go out with an attractive paralegal, but I wouldn't bother with an overweight staff attorney with moobs.

There is some confusion as to my true identity: am I (a) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed or (b) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed the Prophet. Apparently (a) is no problem. (B) is the death penalty. You decide.

Teddy Bear Named Mohammed

whats the dinstinction between staff attorneys and counsel?
and do counsel get bonsuses?

There is some confusion as to my true identity: am I (a) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed or (b) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed the Prophet. Apparently (a) is no problem. (B) is the death penalty. You decide.

Teddy Bear Named Mohammed

There is some confusion as to my true identity: am I (a) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed or (b) Teddy Bear Named Mohammed the Prophet. Apparently (a) is no problem. (B) is the death penalty. You decide.

Teddy Bear Named Mohammed

2:48:

You are right. Counsel are not staff attorneys.

They are staff partners.

Willkie Farr pays the most to staff attorneys of any Vault firm--$125,000. The next two down are Skadden and Paul, Weiss. A year ago, Skadden was offering $90,000 for entry-level staff attorneys, and Paul Weiss was slightly less. Paul Weiss keeps hoardes of them.
Other firms, like S & C offer a lower base salary, with overtime making up the difference. At those firms, staff attorneys average 2100 hours / year. The base at S & C is ok, but other firms pay staff attorneys only slightly more of a base salary than they pay paralegals. Quinn Emmanuel has direct-hire contract attorneys who are paid $50 / hour with overtime at time and offerred health insurance. The hourly requirements there are rumored to be very high. Bonuses vary but are usually quite low compared to associate bonuses (one firm pays $5,000 max) and are usually subject to a minimum billable hour requriement.

The duties of staff attorneys vary widely from firm to firm. Some do exactly what contract attorneys do. Others supervise contract attorneys and do second-level and privilege review. Others do research and writing and deposition prep. Some non-Vault firms seem to be trying to get associate work out of a "staff attorney" on the cheap.

Most staff attorneys rise out of the ranks of contract attorneys. At Weil, S & C and a few other places, one has to have been a contract attorney there first. Other people get these positions solely through connections. There aren't too many staff attorneys who used to be associates, although McDermott seems to think it will fill the lower of the two tiers in its new associate system with former associates looking to cut back on their hours.

"And to 1:36 -- 100 staff attorneys? Or are they contract attorneys? Entirely different type of lawyer. The former gets benefits and a desk at the office. The latter gets no benefits and usually works in a dark and dank basement offsite clicking through documents for 12 hours a day." > the distinction is not so clear at all firms. At S & C and at least one other top 20 firm, staff attorneys don't necessarily get desks. They work on the same floors and in the same rooms rooms as the contract attorneys, either sitting at the same table or, at S & C, one to a table where contract attorneys sit three to a table. Some litigation anyalysts (S & C speak for staff attorneys) work in the basement, aka "the pit."

Willkie Farr pays the most to staff attorneys of any Vault firm--$125,000. The next two down are Skadden and Paul, Weiss. A year ago, Skadden was offering $90,000 for entry-level staff attorneys, and Paul Weiss was slightly less. Paul Weiss keeps hoardes of them.
Other firms, like S & C offer a lower base salary, with overtime making up the difference. At those firms, staff attorneys average 2100 hours / year. The base at S & C is ok, but other firms pay staff attorneys only slightly more of a base salary than they pay paralegals. Quinn Emmanuel has direct-hire contract attorneys who are paid $50 / hour with overtime at time and offerred health insurance. The hourly requirements there are rumored to be very high. Bonuses vary but are usually quite low compared to associate bonuses (one firm pays $5,000 max) and are usually subject to a minimum billable hour requriement.

The duties of staff attorneys vary widely from firm to firm. Some do exactly what contract attorneys do. Others supervise contract attorneys and do second-level and privilege review. Others do research and writing and deposition prep. Some non-Vault firms seem to be trying to get associate work out of a "staff attorney" on the cheap.

Most staff attorneys rise out of the ranks of contract attorneys. At Weil, S & C and a few other places, one has to have been a contract attorney there first. Other people get these positions solely through connections. There aren't too many staff attorneys who used to be associates, although McDermott seems to think it will fill the lower of the two tiers in its new associate system with former associates looking to cut back on their hours.

"And to 1:36 -- 100 staff attorneys? Or are they contract attorneys? Entirely different type of lawyer. The former gets benefits and a desk at the office. The latter gets no benefits and usually works in a dark and dank basement offsite clicking through documents for 12 hours a day." > the distinction is not so clear at all firms. At S & C and at least one other top 20 firm, staff attorneys don't necessarily get desks. They work on the same floors and in the same rooms rooms as the contract attorneys, either sitting at the same table or, at S & C, one to a table where contract attorneys sit three to a table. Some litigation anyalysts (S & C speak for staff attorneys) work in the basement, aka "the pit."

I usually give my secretary a cockpunch and tell him to jump off of the building.

I am a third year and did not get to chose my secretary (hence the metrosexual man). My goal in my legal career is to advance far enough to that I may hire a MILF as a secretary.

Once that happens, I will be probably get her a night at the Plaza with me.

Willkie Farr pays the most to staff attorneys of any Vault firm--$125,000. The next two down are Skadden and Paul, Weiss. A year ago, Skadden was offering $90,000 for entry-level staff attorneys, and Paul Weiss was slightly less. Paul Weiss keeps hoardes of them.
Other firms, like S & C offer a lower base salary, with overtime making up the difference. At those firms, staff attorneys average 2100 hours / year. The base at S & C is ok, but other firms pay staff attorneys only slightly more of a base salary than they pay paralegals. Quinn Emmanuel has direct-hire contract attorneys who are paid $50 / hour with overtime at time and offerred health insurance. The hourly requirements there are rumored to be very high. Bonuses vary but are usually quite low compared to associate bonuses (one firm pays $5,000 max) and are usually subject to a minimum billable hour requriement.

The duties of staff attorneys vary widely from firm to firm. Some do exactly what contract attorneys do. Others supervise contract attorneys and do second-level and privilege review. Others do research and writing and deposition prep. Some non-Vault firms seem to be trying to get associate work out of a "staff attorney" on the cheap.

Most staff attorneys rise out of the ranks of contract attorneys. At Weil, S & C and a few other places, one has to have been a contract attorney there first. Other people get these positions solely through connections. There aren't too many staff attorneys who used to be associates, although McDermott seems to think it will fill the lower of the two tiers in its new associate system with former associates looking to cut back on their hours.

"And to 1:36 -- 100 staff attorneys? Or are they contract attorneys? Entirely different type of lawyer. The former gets benefits and a desk at the office. The latter gets no benefits and usually works in a dark and dank basement offsite clicking through documents for 12 hours a day." > the distinction is not so clear at all firms. At S & C and at least one other top 20 firm, staff attorneys don't necessarily get desks. They work on the same floors and in the same rooms rooms as the contract attorneys, either sitting at the same table or, at S & C, one to a table where contract attorneys sit three to a table. Some litigation anyalysts (S & C speak for staff attorneys) work in the basement, aka "the pit."

1:13 says, "Nope. Real attorney's are men, and men ONLY have female sexataries."

Please explain why you put an apostrophe in the word "attorneys."

3:17,

If you truly could take your sec to the Plaza, you would know that the Plaza has been closed for a few years, as it is going co-op

3:17,

If you take her to the Plaza or a mid-town hotel, be sure to romance your secretary first by taking her out to Applebee's. She'll be charmed, I guarantee it.

starting salary for staff attorneys at skadden is now 100k, and at paul weiss its 92,500 and wilmerhale is 100k.

So, $100,000 for 2000 hours? What do I gain from this?

to law students: counsel are not the same thing as staff attorneys. at all.

counsel is typically a sort of purgatory between associate and partner - either someone who's a good worker, but didn't quite make partner this year (or never will), or someone who lateraled over and for whatever reason neither the title of senior associate nor partner is appropriate. counsel can also be a catch-all for, e.g., specialty lawyers who don't do much actual work for the firm, but the firm wants to associate with that person for the prestige - professors, politicians, etc.

staff attorneys are below associates. they are not associates, are not on any partner track. in some cases they are paid hourly as opposed to a salary. in some cases they are staffed on a temporary basis and may not get health benefits. this doesn't mean their salaries are tiny - at BigLaw, probably looking at $50/hour - but their work is strictly doc review and their opportunities for advancement are nil.

3:49- not all law firms have required billables for staff attorneys....so you could make 100k for working considerably less.

What should I have for dinner tonight? Subway or Chinese take out? Keep in mind that I would like to remain physically fit to impress the ladies so Subway might be a good call. But ALSO, keep in mind that Subway really sucks. I love Chinese food.

BTW, is that stupid writer's strike over? Will I be able to see new Episodes of The Office and 30 Rock tonight? The Office has been sucking this season.

ALSO, do girls actually find you more attractive AFTER you tell them you have a girl friend? Like a jealousy thing?

WH = 95k, not 100k

3:39,

You have an inordinate fascination with Applebee's.

Is there even an Applebee's in midtown Manhattan?

Are all of a staff attorney's hours worked considered billable hours?

What's the easiest way to get laid in big law? Tell drunk girls at a bar that you are a big shot? Bang the secretary? Bang young SA's? Bang partners? Bang associates? Bang Westlaw/Lexis Rep? Bang admins. e.g. recruiting directors? My point is, I just want to know the easiest and fastest way I'll be able to have sex when I get in the door.

Not true WH starting salary is 100k, 3:54 perhaps you are getting screwed?

"My goal in my legal career is to advance far enough to that I may hire a MILF as a secretary.

Once that happens, I will be probably get her a night at the Plaza with me."

We're talking gifts, not punishments.

Desperate much, Moist?

I usually bang big-titted SA's every summer. Good times, good times.

answer to moist:

hire a prostitute with you're first SA paycheck

k so i've figured out that most lawyers/law involved people are just sex-crazed, disease-spreading jerkwads who expect big paycheques no matter what they do.

good going. there are people in ethiopia - even on the street right behind your big offices - who get to eat maybe once a day.

it's too bad that this world we're living in is basically run by those in politics and those who make the rules in accordance to the law.

You disgust me, so I hope you get laid, get A.I.D.S. and live a horrible and painful life.

k so i've figured out that most lawyers/law involved people are just sex-crazed, disease-spreading jerkwads who expect big paycheques no matter what they do.

good going. there are people in ethiopia - even on the street right behind your big offices - who get to eat maybe once a day.

it's too bad that this world we're living in is basically run by those in politics and those who make the rules in accordance to the law.

You disgust me, so I hope you get laid, get A.I.D.S. and live a horrible and painful life.

4:30 and 4:31

Learn to use your computer wisely, son, before casting stones.

I want to run through the halls of my high school
I want to scream at the top of my lungs!!

I want to run through the halls of my high school
I want to scream at the top of my lungs!!

$125 at Willkie, has this been confirmed?

applebee's to chicken fingers

Perplexed asked: "Is there even an Applebee's in midtown Manhattan?"

There's one at 50th and Broadway.

"If you have a male secretary, you should get him some dignity as a gift. Lord knows he needs it."

As a male secretary myself, I was been laughing all afternoon at this. And then I stopped.

Re the gifts to secretaries issue -- which should perhaps be its own thread -- cash is best. The amount should be proportionate to the length of service, amount of work they do for you and to your level.

For junior assoicates, a general good guideline for a secretary you don't loathe is at least $100 per year you've worked together (i.e., first years pay $100, fourth years $400). If you're feeling cheap or are on the fence about it, pool together and give a respectable amount.

By the time you're a senior associate, counsel or partner -- assuming you've been with your secretary a few years -- 1% of your gross annual bonus should be the minimum you're giving.

Remember -- the thousand or so bucks you give (from a bonus that is likely larger than your secretary's annual income) is, at the very least, buying you a lot of protection from partners wondering if you're in the office, from sales calls, from client calls you don't want to take....

I think 6:43 may be trying to raise the bar here.

$100 Per year together or 1% of bonus is sick, at least in my case. My secretary does my time, travel and expenses, and is out of here every day at 4. Every day. Except when one of her kids is sick every other week, when she leaves at noon. I have 100K in law loans and billed 2500 hours. Sure she's great, but when I leave the office at midnight tonight, she will have been gone for 8 hours. She does not get calls at 4:00 on Friday and have to work all weekend.

This is an x-mas gift, not a bonus - the firm should pay that. $100, fine. $200, fine. $950, that's not happening.

Call me cheap, I don't care. I am not spending more on my secretary than on my wife or my kids for x-mas. I am a senior associate so 1% of bonus can be a good deal of $.

"Forget bonuses, someone tell me what kind of gift (ie - how much $), a BigLaw first year should to give to their secretary."

LOL! This year My BigLaw first-years (now second-years) forgot Administrative Professionals Day and will most likely give me nothing for Christmas. We won't even talk about my birthday! Not sure what to say about my newest partner. Last year my two partners each give me $500. The partner at my last (non-BigLaw) gave me $500 and put $500 in my four year-old's college savings plan and the associates each gave me $100 gift cards to a local mall or restaurant. One tried to take me out to eat. PLEASE DON'T!

One corner office partner gives his secretary her choice of several items from the Tiffany's catalog plus cash. The other gives his secretary $2,000 cash.

All of the above is in addition to my regular 10% annual bonus, plus the 5% they put in my 401(k) each year.

What is the salary range for biglaw legal secretaries?

boboq - "1% of your gross annual bonus should be the minimum you're giving"

So, is that regular bonus, special bonus or both?

1% . . now, that's hilarious!! Good luck with that sweety!

Do any of you BigLaw, so-called "lawyers" have any idea about how ridiculous you sounds claiming you practice "real law," and insisting that others aren't "real lawyers?" When is the last time you really solved an *actual* problem for a *real* client? Do you think digging through boxes of documents, or staying at The Printer until 4 in the morning, is really practicing law? Take a look in the mirror, Real Lawyer. You're a caricature. You're Milton asking for his stapler back. And when you get passed over for partner in eight or nine years because you have no real skills, just hope you've saved that bonus you're clammering for because you won't be able to get another job, let alone do what lawyers actually do: solve problems.

Don't listen to 11:09!! He is not a real lawyer!! He doesn't practice real law!!!

Seriously 11:09 - I'm Not sure what kind of law you practice, but I am a litigator. What ligators "actually do" is litigate cases- hence the name. Sure the case is a problem for the client, but the solution is to win the case itself, or to win battles within the case so that the other side settles on terms that are acceptable to the client. We may come up creative settlement ideas, but our clients like us to win much more than they like us to be creative.

Here at my BigLaw firm, we are pretty good at that. So why don't you shut up, take your foot out of your mouth, and stop being such a bitter asshole.

FU 11:09:

The only way little lawyers feel better about themselves is by saying they "really" practice law while big lawyers don't. Oh really? Whatever makes you feel better. There's a reason we are here and you aren't. We were put in the same setting (law school) and one of us kicked its ass and one of us didn't (you). But now you try acting all smug like you are the real lawyer when you are dealing with easy issues in easy cases. Whereas big law associates deal with the most ridiculously complicated legal issues for the most ridiculously complicated clients. There is a reason why we are in big law. Its not because we got lucky or sucked off someone. Its because the smartest lawyers in the world and the system they work in developed a hiring scheme, a hiring scheme that has perpetually managed to get the best into the best places for decades now. We are better lawyers. We may not be better people. But we are definitely better lawyers.

11:09 is probably right.

I'm currently clerking (district court) and headed to a big law firm afterwards. I'm reasonably certain that at the law firm, I will only have a tiny fraction of the substantive experience I'm getting now.

12:00 & 12:22: You're both missing the picture. Yes, the cases big law firms may handle may be more complicated, but the slice of the pie that you handle is just that much smaller. At a big law firm, when are you taking your first depo? When do you get to write a MSJ and argue it? Certainly, it's at a much later stage than someone at a small law firm.

Of course, for a lot of people, the advantages to a big law firm may still outweigh, but that doesn't mean you're getting a ton of transferrable skills, which is especially scary once you're past that magic up-or-out point in your biglaw career.

"What is the salary range for biglaw legal secretaries? "

Varies widely depending on experience and skills, etc., but in NYC it's roughly between $40-80. It can skew higher for prominent partners' secretaries.

3:17--I did the MILF thing...great times, but didn't work out. My advice it to hit it and run. And avoid the plaza--the construction machinery might ruin the mood.

Total yearly comp at Willkie Farr Gallagher has indeed been comfirmed as the highest paid Staff Attorreny in the city.

$130 Total Comp ($115 salary/$15 bonus)

For quality of life not bad at all. They regurlarly turn down Staff/Discovery Attorneys fucktards from other the big big NYC law firms. The guys heading up the program is a former Cravather with very hight standrds (but very candid charsismatc fellow).

Willkie leads the market FOR ONCE. lol @ horsheit

Total yearly comp at Willkie Farr Gallagher has indeed been comfirmed as the highest paid Staff Attorreny in the city.

$130 Total Comp ($115 salary/$15 bonus)

For quality of life not bad at all. They regurlarly turn down Staff/Discovery Attorneys fucktards from other the big big NYC law firms. The guys heading up the program is a former Cravather with very hight standrds (but very candid charsismatc fellow).

Willkie leads the market FOR ONCE. lol @ horsheit

Is that the starting salary at Wilkie for staff attys or the highest amount they are paying an experienced staff atty that has been with the firm for a year or two?

i think that's the starting at Willkie for staffies...

I see a lot of bashing of "Staff Attorneys".

Well I'm someone who is re-entering the legal profession after a 10 year absence.

Frankly, I'm finding it a lot easier to get interviews from firms for those sorts of positions.

In my area, Philadelphia, it appears to be more akin to an associate position, with less hours and less responsibility (and no chance to make partner).

But - is making partner that great?

If I can do interesting work and make a decent salary, and be home on weekends and evenings, why is that considered bad by New York big firm lawyers?

Goodwin Procter Department (Staff)Attorney Bonuses ranged from $10-15K with $10K Specials for NYC.