Leading Legal Employers in San Francisco
For those with an interest in a traditional law firm setting, there are some prominent and well respected law firms that have offices in San Francisco. These include the large national firms with offices in Northern California such as Latham, Sidley and Pillsbury, as well as large West Coast firms related to their New York or Chicago offices. Among these are Morrison Foerster, which is among the top law firms in the nation, and Faegre Drinker, a merger of two major national firms that has post-merger become an even more significant player in the legal market on both coasts and in the Midwest.
There are also a number of notable boutique firms that are headquartered in San Francisco or have offices here. Among them are Keker Van Nest, which has an outstanding litigation reputation and has attracted a number of former prosecutors, including former US Attorney and current San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins. There is also Perkins Coie, a large 1200 lawyer firm that has strong practices in a number of areas, but with a premier reputation for its corporate practice that often serves as counsel to tech companies.
The United States Attorney’s office has long been regarded as a premier office in the Department of Justice . It has historically been known for trial readiness and sophisticated lawyering, as exemplified in some of the nation’s most significant and challenging criminal prosecutions.
San Francisco is also home to a number of entities of the federal government which include the Food and Drug Administration, National Park Service, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Trade Commission, US Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration, some of which have public interest law openings in San Francisco.
California state entities that typically have opportunities for legal professionals include the State Lands Commission, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Department of Justice.
Across the Bay Area there are over 100 corporations that currently employ lawyers in their corporate departments and in-house legal departments. Corporate giants with significant presence in the Bay Area include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce, as well as smaller tech companies who are the future leaders of the technology sector.
Key Occupations in Demand
In-Demand Legal Roles in San Francisco
The presence of numerous law firms and legal departments in the area makes attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants high-demand roles in the San Francisco legal market. A high concentration of Fortune 1000 companies, nonprofits, and government entities all located near each other means that there is a steady need for qualified legal talent to take on these companies’ legal matters.
Software and tech companies, gaming firms, online retailers, and technology service providers are all represented heavily in the Bay Area. Many of the region’s tech giants have in-house legal departments nearby, meaning the need for non-lawyer legal talent is high.
In addition to lacking some of the resources, smaller law firms do not always offer the same degree of support to their legal staff. At small to medium-sized law firms, administrative staff might be expected to support multiple practicing attorneys or assist in billing and human resources functions. In the case of law firms and legal departments within large corporate or government entities, administrative support staff may serve as the sole support resource for a single attorney.
Employment opportunities abound in the following areas:
Legal Assistants: Legal assistants, also commonly referred to as paralegals, are responsible for supporting attorneys throughout the legal process. In order to succeed in the role, legal assistants should have strong communication, research, and organizational skills. Additionally, a legal assistant will need to possess at least a paralegal certificate, but an associate’s degree in paralegal studies or a similar field is preferred in many cases.
Paralegals: Paralegals are vital team members within private law firms, nonprofit organizations, legal aid societies, and corporate legal departments. In order to qualify for a paralegal position, candidates should preferably hold a paralegal certificate, although programs based outside California will not be recognized. In addition, an associate’s degree in paralegal studies or a closely-related field is preferred. More experienced paralegals will be expected to have specialty certifications, such as the approval of the American Bar Association (ABA).
Attorneys: The most highly in-demand positions within the legal industry in San Francisco are attorneys. Because of the number and diversity of law firms and in-house legal departments located in the region, there are many opportunities for attorneys to join practicing legal teams. The current demand is for attorneys with experience in employment and labor law, filings, mergers and acquisitions, financial services and asset management, antitrust, and intellectual property. Candidates with previous work experience with law firms, particularly mid-size and large firms, will have a competitive advantage.
The Market for Legal Jobs
The legal job market in San Francisco is dynamic and competitive, presenting both challenges and opportunities to job seekers. With the continued demand for legal talent in the region due to its diverse economy, job seekers can find themselves in a situation where understanding the market becomes as critical as their subject-matter expertise. So where does one start? Networking with peers and established professionals in the industry is invaluable. Attending local legal community events and participating in online legal directories and forums can help build a network of contacts dedicated to furthering the profession. LinkedIn and other professional networking sites add another layer of virtual connection, enabling job seekers to find knowledge and introduce themselves to potential employers. The next logical step can be navigating legal job portals. Multiple options are available for individuals actively seeking employment. Not just additions to online jobs search engines, these additional resources can supplement the legal industry’s more popular online recruitment platforms such as FindLaw or The National Law Review. A number of legal recruitment agencies, some specializing strictly in commercial and corporate roles, can be utilized to extend access to job opportunities and tap into supplemental training to enhance resume. Finally, when you land that long-awaited interview, show how you have something special to offer—demonstrate first-hand knowledge of the firm or company you are interviewing with. Proving your familiarity with their sector will set you apart from the pack. Beyond researching their website, dive deeper – such as their competitors, market conditions, their successes, and gaps to fill. Of course demonstrating your skills and how they can benefit the company goes without saying.
Degree & Licensing Obligations
San Francisco is not only home to some of the most storied law firms in the nation, but also to a number of prestigious legal institutions that assist in the preparation of students for eventual pro bono work, private practice, legal aid and nonprofit work, or work as in-house counsel.
The first thing aspiring lawyers should be aware of is the fact that in California there is no statewide standard for legal education. California recognizes degrees from non-ABA (American Bar Association) accredited law schools as well as the significant academic study of law at an out-of-state law school, a foreign law school, or with a state bar association. However, while other states require applicants to a state bar to have graduated only from a law school accredited by the ABA, California allows any state-accredited law school to turn out graduates that are eligible for state bar examination, which means they can be licensed to practice law in the state. California has several ABA-approved law schools located, unsurprisingly, in the San Francisco area, including the highly respected and nationally recognized University of California at Hastings College of the Law. This institution opened its doors in 1878 and has educated more than 20,000 practicing attorneys over the last century and a quarter. Applicants to the California bar must have graduated from a law school with either ABA accreditation or state bar accreditation. They must also have fulfilled at least one of the following additional requirements: It should also be noted that California does not allow foreign lawyers to take the state bar despite the fact that foreign lawyers can take the bar in many other states. Finally, any applicant who is employed in the law sector while attending law school must be the holder of either a judicial clerkship with a court, a public employment credential in a legal position, or hold a paralegal certification – all as recognized by the state. They must also have taken courses in civil procedure, criminal procedure, constitutional law, or professional responsibility. Once a student has graduated from law school, he or she must apply to take the state bar examination, which is held over two days in late July each year. Applicants can take the exam if they are in the last year of their law program as long as they will graduate by the end of that calendar year.
Compensation & Perks
For legal professionals considering a move to or career in San Francisco, one cannot help but wonder what one should expect in terms of compensation and benefits. As is the case with most positions, the salary range varies widely among legal positions. Much of this variability is a function of the specific practice area, years of experience and level of expertise. For example, a litigation associate can expect to earn between $150,000 and $250,000 depending on how the foregoing parameters play out. And for the top tier attorney, particularly those with a book of business, they are looking at decidedly higher compensation packages in the neighborhood of $500,000 and above.
Interestingly a similar level of variability applies to the non-attorney legal professionals as well, The advent of the technology boom has raised the overall compensation expectations dramatically. For instance, assistances such as paralegals have seen their incomes increase by 5-10% each year in recent years.
San Francisco is a very desirable place to live, it offers both an urban experience and the outdoor lifestyle many enjoy. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area often comes at a high cost however. Last year the median rent in San Francisco/Auckland was a whopping $4,624 per month , and while prices have come down a little, it is still among the highest prices for any city in the country.
The good news for many, particularly those in positions with the top 200 firms in San Francisco is that they offer very generous bonuses and other incentive packages. Professionals that are offered a signing bonus or other incentive packages should seriously consider the implications of accepting. The problem is that these incentives are partly used to increase overall compensation, which may keep individuals from seeking other opportunities. As a caveat, when a bonus is listed as part of the job offer, it only counts if the attorney is still with the firm at the end of the year.
Benefits do tend to vary quite a bit from firm to firm, but most of the top 200 firms offer highly competitive salaries. You can count on hearing about reimbursed transportation, gym memberships, group life and health insurance, vacation and sick time and retirement plans. All of these benefits can add thousands of dollars a year to an offered salary.
Adding to the attractiveness of legal positions in the San Francisco area are the non-monetary rewards. A pleasant working environment combined with additional perks are a few of the factors that many consider when evaluating available opportunities.
Recent Developments in San Francisco’s Legal Landscape
Emerging trends in the San Francisco legal industry
The legal industry is undergoing changes and developments, and these changes are being felt here in San Francisco. As internet and technology companies continue to expand throughout the country, the demand for legal services corresponding with these fields continues to rise.
Now, as more and more technology companies are setting up their headquarters here in the Bay Area, the demand for lawyers has grown rapidly as well. In response to this, law firms have begun offering new practice areas to better serve their technology inclined clientele. With the slew of IP and technology based clients, firms have initiated practice groups in areas such as technology transactions, cybersecurity and data privacy, and artificial intelligence and robotics.
Furthermore, advancing technology has led to new career opportunities for those seeking legal careers in San Francisco. As more companies are expanding their intellectual property in ever growing fields, in house legal departments are growing rapidly to accommodate for their growing customer bases.
Aside from legal departments, the expansion of technology in the workplace has led to new opportunities across the state in legal tech startups. As companies such as Google and Facebook are expanding exponentially, various companies that support these behemoths are beginning to see significant foundations in San Francisco.
Roadblocks & Prospects for New Graduates
In 2013, there were roughly 9,759 people that took the bar exam in the state of California, and about 48% of these test takers (4,703 individuals) passed the exam. According to the state bar, roughly 1,200 people/new graduates look for attorney jobs in the bay area annually. As evidenced by these statistics, it is apparent that the competition is very high for new attorneys. Unfortunately, the lack of available positions further complicates the process, with limited openings in most categories of law in the area. In this climate, the primary method to utilize when seeking out legal careers in San Francisco is networking.
Internship opportunities often lead to full time employment in the legal field. For recent law school grads, however, internships are in low supply, and most have to look beyond internships to break into their career. As such, the majority of new hires begin in "contract" positions. These positions can be very lucrative, paying upwards of $60-$75 per hour. Regardless, they are looked down upon by many in the legal community, and "pressure is already on to be hired – and hired fast – so that you can begin accruing hours towards partnership," explains Mr. Lupo .
"Work has slowed quite a bit in recent months," explains Lara James, on behalf of Lawcrossing.com. "Given the slowdown, competition is tougher than it’s been in a while. Those that can work as clerks are having a hard time finding a position and then trying to use that internship to get a paid position afterwards. Where last year firms would jump at the opportunity to hire a clerk, now they’re picking and choosing." To make matters worse, these clerk positions are unpaid and most still require you to pay the bar exam and such to be qualified to even clerk.
Some of the most promising sectors in recent times have been in intellectual property, litigation, and environmental law. For instance, the National Federation of Paralegal Agencies claims that, "intellectual property law is one of the fastest-growing areas of law." Employment opportunities for paralegals in this field are expected to be very high in the upcoming years. In addition, "according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job prospects appear brightest for those who do not require on-the-job training, possess academic or professional credentials, and have substantial work experience in a related area."