ITT: i discuss midlaw

[botbot]

For purposes of this thread, midlaw = any 10-70 attorney firm with greater than 50% of revenue coming from corporate practice groups (lit, trans). 

Pros:
Many pay market or near market
Less formulaic hiring standards
Many expect less hours than biglaw
More responsibility

Cons:
Hiring standards are still quite high
Lateral opportunities can be worse
Bonuses are rare
More responsibility

How to find:
If you are familiar with the area, you should be able to find the midlaw firms with minimal networking.  If you aren't familiar with the area, look at martindale and local bar membership listings.  NALP helps but isn't exhaustive.  Rankings lists are useless.

Applying:
Few OCI.  Personalized cover letters are key.  You will be screened, don't suck on the phone.  Some will make summer offers without a flyout.  Flyout interviews are just like biglaw flyouts.

In conclusion:
Work there.

[Talk Is Cheap]

I would do it, except what are the prospects like, say, 5-7 years out?

And just how many hours less are expected?

[Naked Promise]

botbot, are you still at Tulane and what ever happened to that big grade fiasco you had?

[botbot]

I would do it, except what are the prospects like, say, 5-7 years out?

And just how many hours less are expected?

1) Not a lot of lateraling into V20, but similar options to biglaw otherwise.

2) Depends on the firm, but 1600-1800 hours billed was pretty common at firms I looked into.

[JeNeSaisLaw]

I interviewed at OCI with two firms that certainly qualify as midlaw. Both really seemed great. One pays Atlanta market, as you said, while the other I have no clue about. Exit opportunities are what most worry me, but both definitely stressed the responsibility at an early time.

[Talk Is Cheap]

I would do it, except what are the prospects like, say, 5-7 years out?

And just how many hours less are expected?

1) Not a lot of lateraling into V20, but similar options to biglaw otherwise.

2) Depends on the firm, but 1600-1800 hours billed was pretty common at firms I looked into.

 

[uh huh.]

I'm in midlaw, and it rocks. Minimum to get a bonus - 1800 hours. No minimum to retain your job (and no one seems to be penalized if they bill, say, 1600.) Lots of responsibility, which is sometimes stressful, but it sure as hell beats doc review. I'm not looking to ever lateral to a big firm, so exit opportunities are not an issue for me. In fact, I just want to learn enough so that I can feel comfortable exiting out of firm life altogether in four or five years to open my own practice, so the added responsibility is a plus. Pay - less than market rate, but not really that far off. I honestly think I have the best job in NYC, and kinda feel bad for the suckers in biglaw.

[santropez]

You missed perhaps the biggest plus with Midlaw: actual potential to make partner. 

I'm going to a Midlaw firm this summer (although not within your definition of Midlaw; it's got a bit over 100 lawyers), and they take small SA classes and a limited number of associates b/c they plan on most going the partner track.  This is the inverse of the biglaw formula, which is basically accumulating a massive amount of associate labor with the expectation they'll all quit within a couple of years. 

[dukedogalley]

I'm in midlaw, and it rocks. Minimum to get a bonus - 1800 hours. No minimum to retain your job (and no one seems to be penalized if they bill, say, 1600.) Lots of responsibility, which is sometimes stressful, but it sure as hell beats doc review. I'm not looking to ever lateral to a big firm, so exit opportunities are not an issue for me. In fact, I just want to learn enough so that I can feel comfortable exiting out of firm life altogether in four or five years to open my own practice, so the added responsibility is a plus. Pay - less than market rate, but not really that far off. I honestly think I have the best job in NYC, and kinda feel bad for the suckers in biglaw.

this sounds good - did you summer at your firm?  any suggestions for those of us looking to get into midlaw?  fyi - I am interested in the NYC metro area..

[Serenity Now]

Heading to a similar firm this summer.  Biggest firm in town (at about 75-80 attorneys), a summer class of 2 (!). Know people heading to biglaw. I had previously wished I was so fortunate, but not so much in the current state of things (not that I'm necessarily any safer -- maybe just a bit more comfortable).