The exodus of Biglaw heavyweights into the boutique arena rolls on, with Brown Rudnick’s top litigators leading the charge this time.
Michael Bowe and Lauren Tabaksblat, formerly co-chairs of the Am Law 200 firm’s litigation practice, announced earlier this week the opening of Brithem LLP, a New York-based firm devoted exclusively to high-stakes courtroom advocacy. At launch, Brithem has 13 professionals — including nine lawyers, two investigators, and two paraprofessionals — and expects to reach at least 20 attorneys by the first quarter of 2026. Early hires include a former Supreme Court clerk joining as of counsel and two Quinn Emanuel alumni stepping in as partners.
Bowe and Tabaksblat hope to make a big impact with their new impact litigation firm, and Bowe has been quite direct about what differentiates Brithem from the firm he and Tabaksblat left behind. “[Biglaw] is drunk on leverage and billables that deliver little bang for the buck,” he said. “Smart consumers of legal services know better, want an alternative, and love supporting a firm that is also heavily committed to combating child abuse, human trafficking, discrimination, and other injustices.”
Perhaps one of the most striking details of the new boutique is its compensation model. The firm will pay above the Cravath scale, and in a sharp departure from Biglaw lockstep, associates will not be slotted strictly by class year. Bowe explains what that means:
“We are paying above the Cravath scale and are not ranking by class year. If you are performing above your class level that is where you get paid. Below you get paid there. You can go up after down if you get there. And it is based on performance and skill value not billables. We want a system that rewards associates who demonstrate the desire to become autonomous first-chair lawyers. We are convinced this will result in a product clients will flock to.”
That merit-based approach is designed to accelerate the development of young trial lawyers — a message reinforced by Tabaksblat, whom Chambers sources have said “commands the courtroom.” She noted that Brithem’s structure “offers a fast track” to becoming a competent trial lawyer and has already attracted significant interest from ambitious associates. Tabaksblat went on to share what litigators will really love about the firm:
“Brithem is devoted to the art of trial lawyering and using that art to make a difference. Our name is not on the door because the firm is about our clients, not us. Our first love is being courtroom advocates who deliver results for clients and make a difference.”
By pairing premium associate pay with a fast track to the courtroom, Brithem is positioning itself as both a client-focused alternative and proving ground for the next generation of trial lawyers.
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.