WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WORK AT
FARELLA BRAUN + MARTEL LLP?

We seek candidates with exceptional academic resumes and substantive experience, and attorneys whose interest and avocations add to the firm’s intellectual and social diversity.

A review of the accomplishments of our current roster of attorneys provides a revealing and excellent snapshot of the qualities that Farella Braun + Martel looks for in its lateral attorney candidates.  Our attorneys have strong academic credentials.  Many have participated on their schools’ law reviews or moot courts, and an equal number have clerked for federal, state and international courts.  The academic resumes of our attorneys do not tell the whole story, however: we also look for attorneys with diverse backgrounds and varied interests.  We have a championship race car driver, former members of the Peace Corps, and a few former political candidates among our attorneys.  Our attorneys serve as board members for Meals on Wheels, the National Center for Youth Law, the YMCA, the Legal Community against Violence and other non-profit organizations; they also volunteer through programs such as the San Francisco High School Mock Trial Competition, the Knowledge is Power Program, Rebuilding Together, and the Special Olympics.  In addition, for many of our attorneys, law is a second following service in accounting, finance, engineering, retail and other industries. 

Many of our associates have worked as attorneys at some of the nation’s biggest law firms.  We also have associates who have transitioned from careers as federal prosecutors or Department of Justice appellate attorneys into private practice. 

Litigation Attorneys

We seek candidates with practical and substantive skills.  In litigation, we look for associates who, besides having excellent writing and analytical abilities, have had practical experience in managing cases, including taking depositions, briefing and arguing motions in court, interviewing and preparing witnesses and working closely with clients. 

Transactional Attorneys

For attorneys in our transactional practices, we seek associates who have substantive experience in putting together and thinking through business transactions from beginning to end.  We are also keenly interested in attorneys who have a growing area of expertise in any of our practice areas.

In short, while we seek candidates with exceptional academic resumes and substantive experience, we also look for attorneys whose interest and avocations add to the firm’s intellectual and social diversity.

“The people here are top-notch and think outside of the box.  It isn’t simply a ‘take orders and execute’ group of people, but a ‘let me solve your problem and the other three problems I spotted on my own’ group of people.”  Sixth year associate who joined the firm as a lateral hire.

"The beauty of Farella Braun + Martel is that people here are whipsmart, but they don't show off.  It's a down to earth collection of really bright people, and that creates a culture of collaboration and teamwork.  One of the things that initially really impressed me was an e-mail a partner sent around letting the firm know of a great victory on a case.  It included not only a summary of the work this firm had put into the case, but a thanks to everyone who had worked on the matter including attorneys, paralegals, secretaries and other staff members.  You would never see that at my old firm.  It just shows that people here stand shoulder to shoulder."  Partner who joined the firm as a lateral associate.

“The people and the size of Farella Braun + Martel were a big part in making my transition as a lateral junior associate seamless.  Joining a new firm at that stage in my career could have been a daunting experience, but I was greeted by a group of attorneys and staff who welcomed me as one of their own.” Seventh year lateral associate.