Work Experience

We offer practical responsibility quickly.  Associates at Farella Braun + Martel tend to get more substantive work experiences earlier in their career because we leanly staff our matters.  Our associates comment that they have received more opportunities and responsibility than their peers at other law firms.  Associates who join us laterally find themselves taking more active roles in strategic planning and case management, and experiencing more direct client contact.

Incoming lateral attorneys are usually assigned to a particular practice group, but they may work on other types of matters in various practice areas as well, depending on their interests and the firm’s needs.  Work assignments are carefully selected to ensure that each associate is exposed to a variety of experiences. 

“Most law firms promise substantive experience for junior lawyers in their recruiting materials, but few follow up on that promise.  Farella is one firm that does.  Within two weeks of arriving as a second-year associate, I argued my first motion in court.  By the end of my third year, I had second-chaired a jury trial and argued numerous motions in federal court.  It has been a great change for me to have an active part in determining case strategy, standing up in court, and handling client relationships, and I can't imagine having gotten that much responsibility as quickly anywhere else.”  Fourth year lateral associate.

“My assignments are challenging:  there are no cookie-cutter deals or ‘busy work’.  I work directly with the partner as a true team, or even take the lead role on deals.  I don’t feel like a subordinate or receive subordinate-type work; I am involved in the strategy and can really take ownership of projects.  I have tons of client contact – with CEOs and CFOs, not just general counsel – and there is a significant emphasis on being business advisors first and foremost.”  Fifth year associate who joined the firm as a lateral hire.

“There really is no hierarchy here.  Associates work directly with clients and make meaningful contributions from day one.”   Lateral senior associate.

“Working on a ‘leanly staffed’ case didn’t mean much to me until I got here.  But after I arrived I realized how great that is for associates:  I was making strategic calls, working closely with the client, and conducting much of the discovery per a plan that I had created.  And through it all, the partners offered me advice, counsel and a safety net.  And the paralegal staff here is second to none.”  Partner who joined the firm as a lateral associate.