Staff Attorney Life

[Anonymous]

Should I aspire to this? I'm a small firm attorney, miserable coworkers and work environment, little to no opportunity to advance, very low pay in a low paying specialty. I have no flexibility, but pretty good hours. Only barred in one state, so I'm not competitive at this time for other small firms. I went to a great school but didn't get the best grades (below 3.0).

Being a staff attorney would pay A LOT more. I'm fine with being a cog and I assume, moving on to something else in a few years. Anyone know what it's like?

[Anonymous]

Well, a staff attorney where? That will make a big difference.

[Anonymous]

At big law? Honestly, the staff attorneys often seemed to work more (at least in the office) than the associates ever did. Granted I assume (god I hope) there was overtime involved. But I feel like you get lots of the hours demands, no opportunity to advance, miserable coworkers (to whom you're junior!), etc. I didn't get the sense there was flexibility either, but I might just not know. Now, I'm pretty sure they didn't get 11pm emails expecting immediate turn around (unless already working on something) but ours definitely worked on the weekends and into evenings etc. And they got sh*ttier benefits - seems my firm restricted them to the awful HMO plan. I can't compare to small firm life though. And maybe my firm was particularly egregious, but the expectations hours wise (despite having base hours you were expected to work significant overtime and have significant outside availability)was certainly clearly stated in our job posts. There was, no doubt some insulation from the worst parts of big law - like the partners who might be more likely to be jerks versus lower level associates who tend to be (but are not always) nicer, but it never seemed (relative to salary, though that's just base of course) quite worth it to me, looking at hours. But it depends on your priorities (pay versus hours, etc). And the particular firm you land at, I'd guess.

[Anonymous]

There is absolute zero chance that any biglaw firm is paying a staff attorney overtime. Lawyers are exempt from the overtime (and minimum wage) requirements of the FLSA. Temps have tried to challenge this on the ground that they aren't practicing law, I think with mixed results, but I think a staff attorney is pretty clearly practicing law (I think they do research and take more responsibility over discovery than coding monkeys).

My firm has SA's and I think they do what you'd expect - discovery and some research. I don't think being put on the associate-partner track is realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is absolute zero chance that any biglaw firm is paying a staff attorney overtime. Lawyers are exempt from the overtime (and minimum wage) requirements of the FLSA. Temps have tried to challenge this on the ground that they aren't practicing law, I think with mixed results, but I think a staff attorney is pretty clearly practicing law (I think they do research and take more responsibility over discovery than coding monkeys).

My firm has SA's and I think they do what you'd expect - discovery and some research. I don't think being put on the associate-partner track is realistic.

DH was a staff attorney at a biglaw firm. He was paid overtime.

[Anonymous]

What was his salary?

[Anonymous]

Big law staff attorneys start at 80-90k and top at 140-150k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is absolute zero chance that any biglaw firm is paying a staff attorney overtime. Lawyers are exempt from the overtime (and minimum wage) requirements of the FLSA. Temps have tried to challenge this on the ground that they aren't practicing law, I think with mixed results, but I think a staff attorney is pretty clearly practicing law (I think they do research and take more responsibility over discovery than coding monkeys).

My firm has SA's and I think they do what you'd expect - discovery and some research. I don't think being put on the associate-partner track is realistic.

DH was a staff attorney at a biglaw firm. He was paid overtime.

Where? I'm a staff attorney at a biglaw firm and we most definitely do not get paid overtime. Starting salary is $100,000 but increases are few and far between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is absolute zero chance that any biglaw firm is paying a staff attorney overtime. Lawyers are exempt from the overtime (and minimum wage) requirements of the FLSA. Temps have tried to challenge this on the ground that they aren't practicing law, I think with mixed results, but I think a staff attorney is pretty clearly practicing law (I think they do research and take more responsibility over discovery than coding monkeys).

My firm has SA's and I think they do what you'd expect - discovery and some research. I don't think being put on the associate-partner track is realistic.

DH was a staff attorney at a biglaw firm. He was paid overtime.

Where? I'm a staff attorney at a biglaw firm and we most definitely do not get paid overtime. Starting salary is $100,000 but increases are few and far between.

And where did he go after being a staff attorney? firm? govt?