San Francisco Law Careers: Types of Opportunities
The San Francisco Legal Hiring Climate
The San Francisco legal market has always attracted a wide range of law professionals, from partners and corporate counsel to the many other related positions in law firms and corporations. Although the legal landscape today is more competitive, it is nonetheless very strong, largely due to the emergence of Silicon Valley and the surrounding Bay Area, which has become a center for new technology companies and new innovative ideas. The criminal defense , litigation and corporate law sectors have several openings, in addition to attorney positions, as those companies continue to hire intellectually capable professionals to combat their growing needs. With the legal industry in a strong position as we move into the New Year, now is the perfect time to look for a new job within the flourishing San Francisco legal market.
Law Firms In San Francisco
In addition to Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Fenwick & West LLP and Farella, Braun + Martel, some of the top law firms in the Bay Area with a significant number of junior associate openings are Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Hogan Lovells LLP and Sedgwick LLP. Pillsbury is a 700+ lawyer law firm based in San Francisco with 18 offices around the globe. It has a strong corporate law and M&A department, which is likely why it is currently looking for associates in its Corporate and Energy practice groups. The firm also has large Banking and Real Estate Capital markets and Construction and Real Estate Litigation Groups. Given the long lag time to get into big law, many Associates will look into practices that are both lucrative and have strong future potential, especially in this economy. Pillsbury is the right fit for those associates who want to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment. Finding firm fit is key as 25% of new Associates decide to leave their law firm within two years.
Law Jobs Inside Companies
Numerous in-house counsel positions are currently available with technology companies and startups in San Francisco. Many of these firms are in the Bay Area, but they also have offices in other states or countries. On behalf of clients ranging from early stage venture capital back startups to large publicly traded companies, we have opportunities spanning the spectrum of in-house positions in the San Francisco area. A number of these positions are with dynamic technology companies, from early stage startups to large publicly traded businesses with global operations. These positions offer an opportunity for experienced attorneys to work with and advise talented business people on issues ranging from intellectual property to corporate governance.
In addition to openings with innovative technology firms in the Bay Area, we also have in-house opportunities with companies in other fields. For instance, we have openings with companies in the areas of digital media, clean technology, and the manufacturing of electrical components and equipment. There are also opportunities with mid-market private equity and private equity placement firm, as well as a diversified global investment manager.
Judicial And Government Opportunities
Government legal roles in San Francisco span a diverse array of services, including opportunities in government counsel offices, the district attorney’s office, the public defender’s office, and judicial and quasi-judicial positions. The Government Counsel Offices cover 11 areas of practice – code enforcement, contracts, environment, environmental compliance, intellectual property, land use, litigation, natural resources, public records, real estate, and water. Attorney positions within the offices are open to those with 2-5 years of experience with highly relevant practice and those who would be working on similar areas as their predecessors. The Public Defender’s Office of San Francisco provides high quality representation at every level and at every stage – from misdemeanor and felony charges to post-conviction matters. They seek to staff as many attorneys as possible at each level with trial experience. Analyzing investigative material, performing legal research, interviewing clients and witnesses, and developing pre and post trial strategies are just some of the day to day tasks public defenders face. The Office of the City Attorney in San Francisco acts as the city counsel to the City and County of San Francisco, its departments, boards, commissions, officers, and employees. The City Attorney elects department heads who are highly trained and experienced in their focus areas. Deputy city attorneys are responsible for providing legal analysis and representation to their assigned departments. They also draft, negotiate and finalize contracts, provide representation during administrative hearings, writs, and arbitrations. Attorneys interested in positions at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office have opportunities to be a Trial Assistant, Deputy District Attorney or Senior Deputy District Attorney, among other titles. Each role requires different levels of experience and expertise. The Trial Assistant is a 1-2 year frill-time entry level position, while the Deputy District Attorney position requires either 3 years of criminal law experience in California or one year of criminal law experience in California in addition to passage of the California bar exam. In terms of more advanced opportunities with greater responsibility, the Senior Deputy District Attorney title is appropriate for attorneys with at least 8 years of legal experience in addition to 4 years of criminal jury trial experience. The District Attorney’s Office also hires from the District Attorney’s Office Post-Bar Training Program, which is a 12-month program in which trainees conduct research and handle cases under the supervision of an attorney in the office.
Legal Networking And Professional Associations
Networking is an essential component of the legal field, and even more so when seeking a job in the competitive landscape of San Francisco law firms. Credentials and experience are obviously crucial, but being knowledgeable about the local field and recognized as an active participant in professional communities is also very helpful when in the job search process. Job seekers must capitalize on their connections to legal professionals in their target city. Relationship building through participation in SF professional organizations is one way to make the most of beneficial connections . Of course this means not just attending the events that these groups host, but actually getting involved, volunteering for committees in order to establish your reliability and availability to help the professional community succeed. Legal professionals should also take advantage of local professional development opportunities and be sure to include these on their resumes as a way to demonstrate their commitment to their field. For example, KnowledgeNet offers various opportunities for legal professionals in San Francisco. The Network hosts cross-industry forums, online events and executive seminars, all aiming to promote professional and peer development. Its Legal Community Forums take place throughout California and help legal professionals stay abreast of industry trends and best practice discussions.
Compensation And Benefits
Attorneys with at least one year of experience tend to see salaries between $115,000 and $130,000 per year in San Francisco. Paralegals, on the other hand, have a more modest pay scale. They receive between $45,000 and $60,000 annually. Of course, as these professionals gain experience (six years and up is considered highly experienced), they can expect to see increases to their salaries that push them into the $75,000 to $90,000 range. San Francisco is well-known for being diverse and forward-thinking and as such, its legal firms are relatively progressive. Many firms have unlimited vacation days and offer short work weeks, offering attorneys and paralegals more flexibility in their schedules and allowing them to enjoy healthier work-life balances.
Opportunities For The Recent Graduate
In the dynamic legal landscape of San Francisco, there are numerous pathways for new graduates looking to embark on their careers. Internships offer an excellent starting point, providing hands-on experience and professional networking opportunities. Many large firms in the Bay Area often recruit from their internship class every year, while non-profit organizations value the extra assistance from new law grads.
Mentorship opportunities also abound, with several organizations such as The Bar Association of San Francisco offering dedicated mentoring programs for new law graduates. These experienced mentors can provide invaluable insight into the intricacies of the legal world.
Entry-level positions in the city’s law firms offer another path for those trying to get a foot in the door. These positions typically require less experience than associate-level roles, allowing recent graduates to gain valuable skills while contributing to the firm.
In addition, being open to studying areas of law that are in high demand but may not be covered in traditional law school curriculum can serve as a significant career advantage. Specializing in increasingly sought-after fields such as cybersecurity, intellectual property, or cannabis law can set one apart from the competition.
In all instances, it is vital for new law grads to leverage their academic connections, including professors and alumni, who often have extensive networks in their fields of expertise. In a city as diverse as San Francisco, flexibility and an open mind will go a long way in helping new graduates navigate their early career in law.
Challenges In The Legal Employment Market
Many challenges exist for job seekers in this highly competitive field. One of the biggest may be the overall lack of jobs themselves – it’s a real problem. Every law school in the country is flooding the market with newly minted attorneys every single year, and not only does this devalue the degree, it makes it that much more difficult to land an entry-level job – even if you’re from a prestigious school. Also a real problem? Paradoxically, the problem of "over-qualification". Having a fantastic resume, of course, is a great issue to have – but that doesn’t mean that it will work in your favor when it comes time for an interview . Especially when you’re by far the most qualified person in the room for the job, employers may think that you’ll leave them in a heartbeat for a better opportunity, and so decide to go with the second in command to avoid that possibility. It’s not pleasant, but it happens all the time. If it’s not something you’ve experienced yet, it likely will come up at some point in your early career. How do you get around these problems? Be bruisingly honest about your academic history, job history, legal experience, and your future career path. Prioritize finding a satisfying legal job in the San Francisco area over finding the top job of your career immediately after graduation – this will give you the work experience you need and allow you to forge connections in the Bay Area legal community that will eventually help your career take off.