Are you seeking legal help, perhaps because you're involved in litigation as a plaintiff or defendant? If so, you're likely to spend some time at a lawyer's office, or at least on some lengthy Zoom calls, looking at a backdrop of thick legal texts.
Not all law offices are the same, however. They vary in size and scope, from single-attorney "solo firms" to large multi-national firms with thousands of lawyers across dozens of cities.
As a client, you need to know the basic roles and responsibilities of the people who work in your lawyer's office. Knowing who they are and what they do can help you to be a more informed consumer of legal services and make your lawyer's representation more efficient.
Typically, the law office hierarchy includes a mix of the following people:
- Partners: People commonly refer to the owners of a law firm as the "partners." This isn't just a name; it refers to the firm's legal structure, in which partners manage the place and receive a share of the overall profits. Partners are usually the most experienced lawyers in a firm and, consequently, charge the highest fees to clients. Depending on the firm's exact legal structure, they might also be called "Members" or "Shareholders." Law firms often have a "Managing Partner" who runs the operations; most firms do not use the more corporate-style language of "CEO" or "President."
- Associates: Lawyers who are employed by a firm, but who aren't owners, are usually called "associates." Associates can be excellent lawyers, but typically have less experience than the firm's partners. Much of their work will be reviewed by partners, and they might have little personal contact with clients for their first few years working there. They'll do a lot of work behind the scenes, researching and writing memos and legal briefs, or helping draft or review contracts. Although practices vary from firm to firm, associates might have to work for three to ten years before they are considered for partnership. Given their experience, associates tend to bill clients at lower rates than partners. Therefore, as a client, you might prefer that certain work is handled by a smart and responsible associate for a lower hourly rate.
- Contract lawyers: A firm will sometimes hire outside lawyers as independent contractors to do part-time work. The firm will usually pay contract lawyers on an hourly basis and then bill out their time at a higher rate to cover overhead costs and hopefully make a profit. It is common for a firm to do this when particularly busy, or when the contract lawyer has specific expertise on a matter (such as an unusual type of real estate transaction or a certain type of court appeal).
- "Of counsel" lawyers: Many firms will also develop an affiliation with one or more lawyers under an "of counsel" arrangement. The types of arrangements that can be called "of counsel" can be hard to define neatly, but usually is something more than a part-time contracting relationship. For example, a lawyer who is quasi-retired may continue a relationship with the firm on an "of counsel" basis rather than remain a partner.
- Law clerks: Law clerks are ordinarily current law students working at a firm for academic credit, or for a small amount of money. Clerks will do legal research and otherwise assist lawyers in preparing cases and working on other law-related matters. Like associates, firms will bill out clerks at a much lower rate than partners. Thus, clients will see benefits to law clerks doing certain types of time-intensive work, where significant expertise is not required. Hiring a law clerk is also a good way for a firm to recruit new associates; clerks are often given job offers following their law school graduation.
- Paralegals: A paralegal performs quasi-legal functions and assists attorneys, but is not an attorney. Paralegals can serve an important role in a law firm by providing critical support to lawyers when they are working on cases. In many instances, paralegals have a practical working knowledge of the law and of court or administrative procedures that make them valuable to a law firm. They can work under the supervision of a lawyer on the detail work that has to be done on every case but that cannot justify the high billing rates of a lawyer.
- Legal assistants: This is a catchall term that is sometimes used by law firms to describe anyone in a law office who assists attorneys in working on legal matters. It can potentially include paralegals, legal secretaries, and other support staff. These individuals generally do not have law licenses, but do have experience with legal practice, or are recent college graduates who have sufficient education to handle tedious tasks like summarizing deposition transcripts.
- Legal secretaries: Every lawyer is burdened with endless administrative details and procedural requirements that are a part of practicing law. These can be a huge distraction for a lawyer who doesn't have a competent legal secretary to organize and assist with day-to-day matters. Depending on the law firm, "legal assistant" and "legal secretary" are sometimes interchangeable titles.
- Receptionists: Almost all law firms employ a legal receptionist. This is the firm's initial contact with the outside world, and typically answers phones and greets clients at the door. Some receptionists double as paralegals or legal assistants, depending on the nature of the law firm.
- Investigators: Depending on the type of law they practice, some law firms will hire their own investigators who check into background facts on a case. This is particularly common in criminal or personal injury practices.
- Administrative personnel: Larger law firms will have their own administrative personnel to run internal operations. While administrative staff generally don't charge clients directly for their services, they do constitute an overhead cost that is ultimately reflected in billing rates. Administrative staff could include accountants, bookkeepers, librarians, billing and accounts receivable personnel, and human resources personnel.
- Marketing directors: Responsible for creating a positive image for their law firms, marketing directors are charged with attracting new clients and retaining existing ones. Marketing staff are most common at larger law firms.
- Other personnel: Many law firms will have runners, part-time clerical help, technology experts, and other staff members, such as events planners and newsletter and social media communications staff, to perform functions of the law office that aren't directly related to representing clients. The larger the law office, the more likely you will find such personnel on staff.
You will want to foster good relationships with any of these people with whom you interact in a law office. Even if they are not "your" attorney, they could be closely involved with handling your case, and in some cases take care of details that the attorney is too busy to attend to.