What is Biglaw and do I want a Biglaw job?

Alyssa Dragnich

Director of Academic Success; Clinical Professor of Law

Professor Alyssa Dragnich is Director of Academic Success at ASU Law, where she draws on her experience in energy regulation, legal practice and more than a decade of teaching to help law students achieve their academic goals through courses, workshops and individualized support.

There are a variety of career paths available to law school graduates, and navigating them can be difficult. Prospective and current law students will hear the term “Biglaw” used frequently, but what is a Biglaw firm, and how do you know if you want to work at one?

What is Biglaw?

Frustratingly for people who like precision, there is no single definition of Biglaw or definitive list of Biglaw firms. The term is often used to mean the largest law firms in the country, generally based on some combination of:

• Number of attorneys
• Number of office locations
• Revenue generated

These firms have a reputation for working their lawyers hard and compensating them very well.

Large cities have local and regional firms that are not necessarily known on the national market but are extremely influential and prestigious in their state. These firms often have higher billable hour requirements and higher compensation scales. Because there is no universal definition of Biglaw, some attorneys refer to these regional powerhouses as “Biglaw firms” and others don't. 

Rather than focusing on the nomenclature, students should consider:

• Where they want to live
• The type of law they would like to practice
• The compensation they seek
• The work-life alignment that they desire
   

Why do so many law students want to work in Biglaw?

These firms pay the highest starting salaries to new JD graduates. Their offices are usually located in large urban cities. The clients of these firms are commonly large national or international companies. Attorneys who work for these firms can have the opportunity to work on massive, multi-million-dollar deals or complex, high-stakes litigation. Many attorneys view these positions as prestigious.

Do all law students want to work in Biglaw?

Definitely not. Depending on the firm and practice area, Biglaw associates can have little control over their schedules and might regularly work long hours, including on evenings and weekends. The work-life-balance reputation of these firms gives many people pause, and the associate turnover rate is high. Many new lawyers prefer to work in offices where they envision themselves staying long-term.

Smaller law offices may provide more work-life balance and may also give junior attorneys more hands-on opportunities earlier in their careers. For example, a Biglaw associate might be in their fifth year of practice before taking a solo deposition or second-chairing a trial. In contrast, an associate at a smaller firm might take a solo deposition in their first year and a state prosecutor might be leading a trial team quite early in their career.

ASU Law alumni work in many different types of law offices, including:

• Law firms of all sizes
• Federal, state, and local government positions
• Nonprofit organizations
• In-house at companies
   

If I want a Biglaw job, what should I do?

Research large law firms to see which ones you might be interested in working for based on factors such as:

• Practice area specialties
• Client base
• Geographic locations
• Culture

Some rankings of law firms exist, such as the Am Law 100 or the Vault 100. While these can be a starting place, students should focus less on whether a firm appears on a particular list and more on whether the firm offers a specific practice area or office location that interests them.

Be aware that Biglaw firms hire primarily (although not exclusively) through their summer associate programs. Some firms are currently hiring JD students in their first semester of law school for summer associate positions after those students’ 1L or even 2L year of classes. 

This accelerated hiring timeline is ever evolving, but students interested in these jobs should be aware of these deadlines. ASU Law’s career services advisors can advise you on the best steps to take. Robin Grieff also holds periodic online office hours about accelerated recruitment trends and Biglaw-hiring trends.

Biglaw firms can be more grade-conscious than many other employers, so putting your best effort into your classes is important. They also appreciate touchpoints with students, so networking, such as by attending events hosted by the firm or reaching out to attorneys for a coffee chat, can also be very helpful in obtaining a Biglaw offer.