Working for a Small Firm

After speaking to countless graduates and experienced lawyers who know little about smaller law firms we thought an overview of the rewards and challenges of a small practice may be of interest.

Advantages of Working for a Small Law Firm

Work and Personal Life Balance

To the unfortunate some, it is accepted that a career in law requires a sad farewell to a full weekend break, booking in holiday leave (without the guilty looks) and getting to parent teacher interviews on time (or at all).

It’s no surprise to anyone that people perform to their best when they have firstly slept and also have time to balance the high pressure of legal work with time away from work – and by ‘time away from work,’ we don’t mean client drinks.

Smaller firms generally offer more realistic working hours and are generally flexible with time off for family/personal commitments. Typically larger firms can be inflexible with working hours and leave.

Wide scope of Legal Work and “Hands On” Experience

Smaller law firms have fewer lawyers however their client’s legal needs remain broad. Therefore lawyers in smaller practices have far greater exposure to a broad range of legal disciplines and often have to work towards becoming a ‘master of all trades.’

Fewer staff numbers also results in new solicitors and paralegals performing more substantive legal tasks than larger legal firms. New solicitors gain much greater ‘hands on’ experience from day one.

Considerable Client Contact

Client contact in larger firms may be reserved for the senior associates or partners. Employed solicitors and paralegals in smaller practices are given greater autonomy and have considerable client contact from the beginning of their employment.
 

Informal Collegiate Culture

The culture in a smaller business is typically less formal, and has a less hierarchical structure that can foster more open and affable working relationships. Staff enjoy greater freedom and autonomy over their work. Staff, partners and clients all know each other on a first-name basis and this small firm culture even extends to less formal dress codes.

Additionally, fewer solicitors competing for files often results in a less competitive culture in smaller law firms. Lawyers spend more time working on their files rather than competing for them.
  

Abbreviated Partnership Track

A less competitive culture also makes partnership a more realistic prospect. Fewer lawyers and a flatter management structure means partners can more easily recognise and reward associates talent. These facts may make the road to partnership in a small firm shorter than the steeper climb at a large law firm.
  

Greater Input into Practice Management

An important and exciting aspect of legal practice is practice management. Developing marketing strategies, managing staff, controlling costs and firm processes give solicitors a welcome respite from day to day legal work. In larger firms this area is typically reserved for partner or practice management teams. However in a small law firm, associates can have greater input into the direction and management of the firm.

Challenges of Working for a Small Law Firm

Less Formal Training

At a small firm you are not allowed to sit back for the first few months and take the ‘easy ride’ while attending training courses. You are required to learn how the office operates, while handling files, from day one.

This culture suits many lawyers who want to get hands on experience from day one. However lawyers need to learn quickly on the job. Any solicitor moving from a larger practice to a small one will experience this steep learning curve as there is a wide range of legal disciplines to master.

Smaller Support Staff

With fewer support staff resources in smaller firms, associate are sometimes required to assume roles outside their traditional legal job description. This sometimes includes non billable tasks such as writing legal articles for publication. Junior lawyers are often expected to take on a wider scope of responsibilities earlier on in their careers.

Salary

It is true that some smaller law firms can have lower budgets than larger firms and may pay lower salaries, however there are many exceptions to this rule.

However it’s important to take into account the hours you are required to work in a large law firm. The billable hour quotas at many large firms require lawyers to work 60-80 hours per week. When you divide your hours worked into your monthly salary, that big-firm bonus may not look so generous.