BigLaw partner lateral moves involve extensive due diligence on portable business, client relationship verification, and detailed compensation negotiations. The process typically takes 3-6 months and requires careful timing around non-competes and client notifications.
California does not offer bar exam reciprocity, so out-of-state attorneys must take the California bar exam. However, experienced attorneys may qualify for admission by motion under specific circumstances.
Employment law partners typically need $1-3M in portable business for lateral moves, though demand varies by market and specialty. PAGA expertise and wage-hour class action experience can reduce these thresholds significantly.
Seattle's employment law market is dominated by regional powerhouses like Perkins Coie, Davis Wright Tremaine, and Lane Powell, with unique opportunities in tech employment law driven by Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. The market offers strong growth potential but requires understanding of Washington's distinctive employment regulations.
Non-equity partner compensation disputes often signal deeper firm culture issues that rarely improve. A lateral move to a growing market like Charlotte can provide both financial upside and career reset opportunities.
Equity partnership means owning a stake in the firm with voting rights and profit-sharing, while non-equity partners receive salary/bonus without ownership. Equity partners typically earn significantly more but face greater financial risk and responsibility.
The Charlotte move likely makes financial sense when adjusted for cost of living, with senior associates earning $280K-$320K versus NYC's $435K+ but gaining 40%+ lower expenses. Partnership timelines are often faster in Charlotte's growing market.
Legal recruiters are paid by law firms, not candidates, typically earning 20-33% of the attorney's first-year salary as a placement fee. This creates important dynamics attorneys should understand when working with recruiters.
Wyoming's employment law market is limited but stable, driven primarily by energy sector needs and general business litigation. Most sophisticated work flows to larger Colorado or Utah firms, making it better suited for attorneys seeking smaller practice environments.
Partner billable hours vary significantly by firm type and market, with Am Law 100 partners typically billing 2,000-2,400 hours annually. However, partners focus more on business development and client management than pure hour generation.
Evaluating an Am Law 100 lateral offer requires analyzing compensation against current Cravath scale benchmarks, assessing the firm's practice strength and culture, and weighing long-term career trajectory benefits against lifestyle trade-offs.
Choose a substantive, well-written sample from your current practice area that showcases analytical thinking and clear writing. Most firms prefer 5-10 page excerpts from briefs, memoranda, or opinion letters over transactional documents.
Top Indian law firms like Khaitan & Co typically offer competitive compensation packages that vary significantly based on experience level and practice area. International firms in India generally pay 20-40% premiums over domestic firms, while partnership tracks differ substantially between traditional Indian firms and global practices.
Washington and California employment law markets differ significantly in regulatory complexity, with California's PAGA and wage & hour laws creating more plaintiff-side opportunities, while Washington's noncompete ban and tech concentration drive corporate employment demand.
San Francisco litigation associates typically earn 10-20% more in base salary than Seattle counterparts, but Seattle's lower cost of living and growing market demand are narrowing the gap significantly.