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5 Star Rating
Farella Braun + Martel LLP follows the set of hiring criteria outlined below.
Fareila is very selective in its hiring and "only takes the top graduates from the top law schools." One insider informed us that "there is a reason why we only interview at the schools that we do: geographic and/or pedigree. In particular, the more senior partners are finicky about grades/schooling/pedigree." Callbacks usually involve one-on-one interviews with six lawyers and lunch with two attorneys. All attorneys in the firm are involved in the interview process. Interviews mostly focus on the candidate's personal interests. "I have never heard of a candidate being asked substantive legal questions during an interview," one insider remarked. The interview is designed primarily to determine "whether the candidate is professional and likable; whether she will be a good fit with the firm." Candidates who have been rejected are those who have "absolutely nothing interesting to say about their lives or do not appear to have any outside interests; if you haven't gone to the movies or read a book for pleasure recently, you will probably get 'dinged,'" a second insider reported. Farella attorneys tend to have many outside interests which they actively pursue, "whether it is opera singing, painting, hard-core extreme sports, or volunteering, and part of the firm's philosophy is that you will continue to pursue those interests while you work here," we were told. Candidates should take the time to learn about the firm and its practice before the interview. "Be relaxed, and be ready to talk about things that interest you," one contact recommended. "Don't try to be someone you are not. The firm is baffled by individuals who interview here and then go to places like Latham, Cravath, etc. Think a lot about why you have chosen Farella, and don't say it's because of the lifestyle,' i.e., low billables. Partners hate that," a second person observed.
Pro bono work is encouraged and billable. The firm regularly staffs the clinic sponsored by the San Francisco Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, and takes cases brought in through the clinic and elsewhere. Farella also does significant pro bono death penalty work, capably led by Doug Young and Claudia Lewis. There is no pro bono committee; instead, "a partner will approach you to work on a pro bono case that s/he has been asked to work on," reported one insider, who added that "I am currently working on a pro bono appeal for a woman who won a $30 million personal injury claim against PG&E. Other associates are working on immigration asylum cases, landlord-tenant disputes, and advising non-profits."
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