Government to Big Law Partner?

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would want to go in as Counsel and see if it’s a good fit. I’ve seen people struggle with that transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would want to go in as Counsel and see if it’s a good fit. I’ve seen people struggle with that transition.

Do the feds who enter as partners have to buy in? Or are they partners in name only until they prove themselves?

And are business development expectations different for Of Counsel? What’s the salary difference?

[Anonymous]

Of counsel and non-equity partners I would say, on average, make like 400k ish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would want to go in as Counsel and see if it’s a good fit. I’ve seen people struggle with that transition.

Do the feds who enter as partners have to buy in? Or are they partners in name only until they prove themselves?

And are business development expectations different for Of Counsel? What’s the salary difference?

Different in every firm

[Anonymous]

NP. How realistic is it for a person straight out of law school to build a book of business in 7-8 years? And is that a prerequisite to make partner?

If necessary, then what happens to the person who does excellent work for her partner, but in the time frame hasn't been able to build a book?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Several SLC in my DOJ office left (before DOGE) to be partners in Biglaw firms. Both failed spectacularly. Less recently a friend left to be the workhorse partner to a big-gov-name partner; they worked very hard and became quite successful. I know another lawyer who succeeded beautifully as a big law partner post-DOJ, but they were in an high profile appointed position, and had been a partner in a different firm before that.

A lot of clowns at the SEC recently left to go to Biglaw. You would think the firms would be doing their due diligence before the hires. Given their track record at the agency, you know it’s only a matter of time before the firms figure out they made a mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. How realistic is it for a person straight out of law school to build a book of business in 7-8 years? And is that a prerequisite to make partner?

If necessary, then what happens to the person who does excellent work for her partner, but in the time frame hasn't been able to build a book?

Depends on firm. In the really big firms, no one of that level is developing a book (or not a big enough one anyway). Those firms have huge institutional clients and they don’t just give their millions of dollars of work to a firm because they like an 8th year lawyer. To make partner in one of these firms, you need to survive the years before as an associate (many do not), and have partners in the firm who sponsor you and have enough power within the firm for that to be useful. When you’re considered for partnership at these firms, it’s about making a business case for yourself, not about having the book already, but the business case is heavily dependent on the aforementioned partner sponsorship and relationships, as well as whether the firm is trying to build the practice area in question, and whether it makes sense strategically to add another partner.

[Anonymous]

Going from private practice to government is an easy transition bc no billable hours, no expectation of building a book of business, and no expectation to work very hard. The workday is over early, they're often working remotely, and they feel no need to work beyond that. It feels like a part-time job compared to a law firm. Productivity is just not measured in the same way as if you are documenting every .10 of time. For these reasons and more, I think career government attorneys would not particularly enjoy a law firm unless they really wanted to change course. It is hard to imagine some govt attorneys flourishing in a law firm where money is the bottom line and a high level of productivity is expected.

[Anonymous]

Also, I doubt they would be offered equity partnership -- maybe an option to buy in over time if the level of productivity is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Going from private practice to government is an easy transition bc no billable hours, no expectation of building a book of business, and no expectation to work very hard. The workday is over early, they're often working remotely, and they feel no need to work beyond that. It feels like a part-time job compared to a law firm. Productivity is just not measured in the same way as if you are documenting every .10 of time. For these reasons and more, I think career government attorneys would not particularly enjoy a law firm unless they really wanted to change course. It is hard to imagine some govt attorneys flourishing in a law firm where money is the bottom line and a high level of productivity is expected.

Hi, Elon. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. How realistic is it for a person straight out of law school to build a book of business in 7-8 years? And is that a prerequisite to make partner?

If necessary, then what happens to the person who does excellent work for her partner, but in the time frame hasn't been able to build a book?

People do it. It comes most easily to those who already have extensive social and professional connections. But seven to eight years is a good amount of time to build those relationships; if it isn’t apparent that you are partner material by then, it never will be.

“Excellent work” is generally not sufficient. The world is not a meritocracy, no matter how much we may pretend it is or want it to be. Those who do “excellent work” who can’t make rain may remain a senior associate or have their title changed to counsel while they continue to provide support to partners, or may be encouraged (or forced) to move on to a role that suits them better — in house, government, hang-out-a-shingle, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Going from private practice to government is an easy transition bc no billable hours, no expectation of building a book of business, and no expectation to work very hard. The workday is over early, they're often working remotely, and they feel no need to work beyond that. It feels like a part-time job compared to a law firm. Productivity is just not measured in the same way as if you are documenting every .10 of time. For these reasons and more, I think career government attorneys would not particularly enjoy a law firm unless they really wanted to change course. It is hard to imagine some govt attorneys flourishing in a law firm where money is the bottom line and a high level of productivity is expected.

lol you must not have experience in big firms. In my practice area (antitrust), we rotate people in and out of the DOJ and FTC constantly. We've had four lateral partners from the federal government just this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Several SLC in my DOJ office left (before DOGE) to be partners in Biglaw firms. Both failed spectacularly. Less recently a friend left to be the workhorse partner to a big-gov-name partner; they worked very hard and became quite successful. I know another lawyer who succeeded beautifully as a big law partner post-DOJ, but they were in an high profile appointed position, and had been a partner in a different firm before that.

A lot of clowns at the SEC recently left to go to Biglaw. You would think the firms would be doing their due diligence before the hires. Given their track record at the agency, you know it’s only a matter of time before the firms figure out they made a mistake.

They tend to last a mere year before getting kicked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Going from private practice to government is an easy transition bc no billable hours, no expectation of building a book of business, and no expectation to work very hard. The workday is over early, they're often working remotely, and they feel no need to work beyond that. It feels like a part-time job compared to a law firm. Productivity is just not measured in the same way as if you are documenting every .10 of time. For these reasons and more, I think career government attorneys would not particularly enjoy a law firm unless they really wanted to change course. It is hard to imagine some govt attorneys flourishing in a law firm where money is the bottom line and a high level of productivity is expected.

lol you must not have experience in big firms. In my practice area (antitrust), we rotate people in and out of the DOJ and FTC constantly. We've had four lateral partners from the federal government just this year.

Non-equity? How are they doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Going from private practice to government is an easy transition bc no billable hours, no expectation of building a book of business, and no expectation to work very hard. The workday is over early, they're often working remotely, and they feel no need to work beyond that. It feels like a part-time job compared to a law firm. Productivity is just not measured in the same way as if you are documenting every .10 of time. For these reasons and more, I think career government attorneys would not particularly enjoy a law firm unless they really wanted to change course. It is hard to imagine some govt attorneys flourishing in a law firm where money is the bottom line and a high level of productivity is expected.

lol you must not have experience in big firms. In my practice area (antitrust), we rotate people in and out of the DOJ and FTC constantly. We've had four lateral partners from the federal government just this year.

Non-equity? How are they doing?

It happens all the time - even prior to the latest govt craziness. It’s common for attorneys with specialized regulated industry experience (securities, healthcare, antitrust, fcc) as well as DOJ attorneys. Someone doing foia work as a gs-12 at agriculture, no, probably not.

Despite the stereotypes above of lazy govt workers 😏 plenty of these people are hard charging types with Ivy League or similar pedigrees that will do just fine at a law firm if they choose to try to make it work. Many of these people go back and forth between govt and law firms over their career. The govt experience is a draw for the firms with regulatory practices.