Comments on: Everyone’s a Winner at These Five Law Firms

By: Personal Injury Lawyer Lynnwood | Wakefield and Associates

Personal Injury Lawyer Lynnwood | Wakefield and Associates — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:16:14 +0000

[...] cover this list every year (click here for our posts in 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007). Like last year, only four firms made the list for [...]

By: my 2 cents about A&B

my 2 cents about A&B — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:50:33 +0000

Anonymous @ 6:08, I am hardly a big fan of A&B, but I don’t think that either of your comments about benefits are quite correct. Partners generally pay the full cost of health coverage, not health premiums, which results in a difference of several thousand dollars. Talk to any new partner and a lot of them will tell you that they often make less in their first year of partnership because they have to start covering the full cost of their own health coverage (and a lot of other expenses). Also, very few firms give associates matching contributions, due to some tax code issues that you surely don’t want to hear about. Giving a match to staff and partners, but not associates, is a pretty common scheme.
With that having been said, A&B doesn’t belong on the Fortune list because it is full of a-hole partners who need a serious reality check on the way the firm is viewed by the outside world and what an “honor” it is to be associated with the place. I too have never met an associate who was asked to fill out the Fortune survey, and I don’t wonder why.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:44:25 +0000

Has Fortune looked at A&B’s continuing ridiculous increases in healthcare costs? We have people qualifying for Medicaid in our mailroom because the family coverage is so expensive and not income-indexed (to any significant degree). But woo-hoo! We have fertility coverage. Talk about priorities!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:08:08 +0000

A&B is a decent place to work, but not in the top 100. They use the associates’ salaries to represent an “average” employee, but yet, I have never met an associate who was asked to fill out a survey for this beauty contest.
Health insurance? The less you make, the less you pay. EXCEPT that everyone over $100K pays on the same scale. So a partner making $800K pays as much as an associate making 1/5 the same amount.
Oh yes, and do you know that staff and partners get a 401k match, but not associates. Fair, eh?
And it’s true, they do give staff members the day off to “celebrate” the firm’s ranking.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:41:38 +0000

A&B to free luggage tags!

By: crippled associate

crippled associate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:46:56 +0000

One time A&B gave all of its associates a luggage tag to make up for the fact that we didn’t get the extra personal day given to the staff. I got so excited that I ran out into the street, shouting with glee, and got hit by a car. Doh!

By: Anon good nurse

Anon good nurse — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:30:55 +0000

At Bingham, this is actually our bonus.

By: happy staff

happy staff — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:23:16 +0000

2:13, maybe. I work at one of the “best places” and I can’t say how it compares to other firms, but our staff are treated so well that they aren’t really expected to do anything. Have fun sending out your own faxes and making copies!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:13:36 +0000

I worked for Deloitte as an auditor…and while i HATED being an auditor…i had to admit…there was a benefit to working for such a large firm that had great benefits and tons of resources. Next year I am going to work for one of the firms that made the Fortune list, and while I can’t say that it will be the best place to be a lawyer…I bet that the workplace overall will be more pleasant if the staff isn’t disgruntled and ready to shoot themselves….plus the perks are nice

By: anon

anon — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:00:25 +0000

The associates have to pay for the concierge, who just happens to be in the building.