Explain to me these various law firm jobs

[Anonymous]

I'm not an attorney, but there are lots of attorneys on this board who reference all sorts of job titles. It's made me curious since I understand what a junior associate, associate and partner are. What are of counsels, special counsels, in-house counsels, staff attorneys and all these other types of positions.

Is there a link somewhere or could someone explain? I see them a lot on DCUM and don't know the difference but would like to.

[Anonymous]

All those other ones are attorneys who are not partner-track. Sometimes they are partners who are semi-retired, usually they are former associates or lateral hires who work reduced hours (such as 40 hours or a lower billing requirement) and/or have a reduced salary.

The old formula was to work 7 years as an associate, and then up-or-out. You either made partner, or left for somewhere else. Now, hardly anyone makes partner, especially equity-partner. So some associates are able to transition to of counsel or special counsel, which is not partner-track. You won't get paid as much, but you still have a job.

Staff attorneys are like associates but (usually) get paid less, and are not partner-track, either.

Did that make it any clearer?

[Anonymous]

Poster above described it well but just wanted to say one from your list is not a firm job--in-house counsel means you are a lawyer working directly for a company and your only "client" is that company.

[Anonymous]

In-house counsel means that you are a lawyer who works directly for a corporation that is not a law firm.

At my former firm, it went like this: associate (where "junior" meant years 1-3 and "senior" meant years 4-7, but those words were not on business cards), of counsel, partner, senior partner (used to describe people who were mostly retired - I don't know what the difference in compensation was).

We did not have non-equity partners or staff attorneys as far as I recall.

I don't work there anymore.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes experienced government attorneys who move to the private sector will be given the title "Of Counsel." This can happen at any level from a retired Attorney General to a senior federal prosecutor. They're hired for their experience, not their ability to bring in business.

Staff attorney used to refer to attorneys who work for non-profits, etc., where there is no "partner track." Now, it's also given to associate-level attorneys who are not partner track at some firms.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, "Of Counsel" means that the attorney is not drawing a regular salary and may not have a permanent office at the firm, and they only generally do overflow work or work on matters that they bring in. When they have work, they have access to firm resources.

[Anonymous]

Senior counsel can get back on partner track but its unlikely.

Non equity vs equity is an important distinction too.

[Anonymous]

So the point of associates is "cheap labor"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the point of associates is "cheap labor"?

I guess you don't know how much an associate is paid. at the height of the market (before 2008) a first year associate right out of law school was paid 160K at a DC firm where I was working. senior associates were paid around $230K ( I am not sure the exact amount for the most senior associates). I would not call it cheap labor. that's why a lot of clients don't want first year associates on their matters, they are still learning and cost a lot.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone! Now I won't feel as clueless when I see references on threads.