Why Legal Careers in the Bay Area?
There are a number of compelling factors to consider when searching for the ideal location for a legal career. For many, the warm weather and laid back atmosphere of the Southern California coast make the region all the more desirable as compared to the rest of the state. Yet others find themselves captivated by the numerous legal opportunities and thriving economic landscape that the Bay Area has to offer.
The Bay Area represents the highest concentration of legal professionals in the state. Roughly 11 percent of California’s lawyers are based in the Bay Area. The booming tech industry has provided a range of legal opportunities for both in-house counsel and traditional law firm lawyers. Geographically, this region is surrounded by water on three sides, and it’s that feature that makes San Francisco and its surrounding communities the center of the Bay Area’s legal community. With major employers like Google, Apple, Uber and others, the Bay Area’s economy is booming to the benefit of legal professionals in the area.
In addition to the opportunities made available from in-house counsel positions with powerhouse Bay Area technology companies, there are also numerous large and mid-sized law firms throughout the Bay Area that provide opportunity for legal representation in virtually every facet of the law. From antitrust law , antitrust law, business law and intellectual property law to nonprofit law, offshore tax law, tax litigation and even employment-based immigration law, the Bay Area’s legal firms employ a diverse range of legal specialists and generalists who help Bay Area clients with a broad range of legal services. Of the notable firms in the Bay Area, and the ones for which there are increased opportunities, include: Cooley, Fenwick & West, K&L Gates, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Squire Patton Boggs and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
Bay Area professionals have access to a handful of prestigious top-ranked law schools. Known as a school that provides invaluable hands-on experience, Stanford Law School is ranked number two among law schools in the nation and boasts a world-class legal research center. These two features alone attract a range of students from across the country, which elevates the caliber of students and faculty at Stanford. For those interested in business law and corporate law, the Berkeley School of Law, ranked 7th nationally, is ideally suited to provide you with a strong legal foundation on which to build your career. These law schools, paired with the vibrant legal community and prosperous economy, make the Bay Area one of the most desirable destination to start and grow your legal career.
Bay Area Legal Employment Hot Spots
Within the Bay Area legal community, there are distinct areas of specialty that are particularly in demand. With the rapid growth of advanced technologies and a culture of innovation, technology law is top of the list of in-demand legal specialties. Technology law firms in the Bay Area have also been happy to accommodate remote work requests from applicants, with some of them meeting applicants in their homes rather than at their offices. Cases that involve data security and privacy are also in demand in the Bay Area legal market. This includes law firms focusing on information technology (or IT), data security, and privacy, such as Fenwick & West and Pillsbury, among other firms.
One of the most popular areas of practice in the Bay Area legal community is intellectual property law, or IP law for short. IP law lawyers can expect to make good money in the Bay Area, where companies seeking to protect and enforce their intellectual property in a high-value market are seeking the counsel of experienced IP attorneys. One notable Bay Area law firm that specializes in IP law is K&L Gates.
Specialists in corporate law are also in demand in the Bay Area. Lawyers who focus on corporate law deal with transactions between businesses. This includes areas such as mergers and acquisitions (M&As), intellectual property, and handling securities. Littler Mendelson, a firm that specializes in corporate law, is particularly active in the Bay Area.
Another popular area of practice in the Bay Area is employment law. Employment lawyers provide legal advice on employment discrimination cases or litigate employment discrimination cases on behalf of clients against companies. Employment law has been an area of practice in the Bay Area legal community for many years due to the prevalence of labor unions and employee organization, and has continued to be in demand during the economic expansion period currently being enjoyed by the Bay Area. One of the Bay Area law firms specializing in employment law is Jackson Lewis.
Legal Job Requirements & Desirable Skills for Bay Area Positions
The legal job market across the Bay Area seeks a wide array of talents to fill niche roles and complete broader support teams. Many tier-one law firms cater to expansive client bases and operate from several locations. There are also many thriving private, in-house, government, and non-profit employers. Each often has its own needs when it comes to academic accomplishments, past experience and other traits that facilitate success in their specific environments.
In addition to having strong analytical abilities and outstanding academic achievements, many opportunities are also in search of professionals who possess a combination of the following traits: A number of Bay Area companies also require proficiency with eBill hosting so lawyers can track their hours, invoices, and payment remittances in a more organized and efficient manner. Some legal employers also look for specific knowledge in niche areas such as medical malpractice, intellectual property (IP), and various state and federal regulations. Corporate roles may also include things like more hands-on experience with business and securities, employment, or real estate law.
Bay Area Legal Career Listings
When searching for legal job opportunities in the Bay Area, numerous platforms and resources can aid your quest. Start with general job boards such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor, which aggregate listings from a variety of sources. Be sure to capitalize on niche legal job boards, such as LawCrossing, LawJobs, and the Career Center of the Bay Area Lawyers Group, which specialize in legal positions in the region.
Utilizing local bar associations is also crucial. The State Bar of California, San Francisco Bar Association, and the Bar Association of San Francisco regularly post legal job openings and often host job fairs and networking events specifically for legal professionals.
Networking remains one of the most effective ways to uncover hidden job opportunities. Legal networking events, either hosted by local bar associations or private organizations, as well as legal conferences, provide you with the chance to make personal connections with employers and recruiters. Engaging in legal discussion groups and forums, both online and in-person, can also prove fruitful.
Additionally, do not overlook the potential in local law firms. Most law firms in the Bay Area have dedicated careers pages on their websites where they post their current job openings. This can also provide insights into the culture of the firm, helping you to tailor your application to fit their ethos.
Networking and Advancing Your Bay Area Legal Career
The Bay Area is known for its diverse legal community, with attorneys spanning a wide variety of specialties and backgrounds. Networking is an essential tool for Bay Area attorneys looking to expand their professional connections and enhance their career prospects.
Developing a network of professional contacts can be an invaluable resource for attorneys in the Bay Area. Attending local bar events, legal seminars, professional organization meetings and networking mixers are great ways to meet other attorneys and industry professionals. Joining local professional groups, such as Bay Area Young Lawyers Association and Barristers Club of San Francisco, is also a productive means of meeting fellow legal professionals and learning about career opportunities.
In addition to legal networking opportunities, the Bay Area hosts numerous legal conferences that offer attorneys the chance to meet other professionals and expand their network . The annual Legal Marketing Association conference, for example, brings together business development, marketing, communication and media professionals from around the state in addition to legal professionals. The conference features sessions covering a wide range of topics affecting legal marketing and business development, and also offers networking opportunities. Other worthwhile conferences for Bay Area attorneys include the Practicing Law Institute’s annual California Labor and Employment Law Conference and Golden Gate University’s Annual Bankruptcy Law Conference.
Given the importance of legal networking, it is especially crucial for Bay Area attorneys to be aware of the above opportunities for connecting with fellow professionals. In addition, making an effort to connect with legal experts in one’s field can provide valuable insight into the areas of law that specifically interest the attorney. Widespread networking in the Bay Area specifically can offer additional insight into area law and the top-tier reputation offered to legal professionals in this corner of the country.
Legal Salaries in the Bay Area
When it comes to the salaries of legal professionals in the Bay Area, the compensation typically mirrors the general trends seen across the nation. However, due to the high cost of living in Northern California, it is not unusual for salaries at law firms and other legal workplaces to be substantially higher here than in other spots in the country.
For entry-level attorneys in corporate law in the Bay Area, the average salary comes in at $120,000. This is true whether you are a recent graduate or have some experience as an attorney, though those with larger portfolios might earn up to $160,000 in some cases. Attorneys who specialize in labor and employment law earn roughly the same amount, while intellectual property lawyers can earn more like $180,000.
Attorneys on a partnership track generally get paid more than their counterparts in staff attorney positions. For individuals with just four years of experience, the average pay is about $180,000, but those with 10 years of experience can earn an average of around $300,000. At the partner level, attorneys can earn up to $1 million at some of the top corporate law firms.
Compared to the rest of the country, this is on the high end of the spectrum when it comes to associate salaries for corporate attorneys. Nationally, the figure averages out to around $135,000. The average comes down to about $125,500 for those practicing in firms with 101 to 250 people, and $117,000 for those working in firms with up to 50 staff members.
The Future of Legal Jobs in the Bay Area
One of the biggest drivers of the future of the legal industry is technological advancement. The Bay Area has always been a region of progress, so it’s no surprise that the ever-increasing role of technology will only accelerate in the new decade. This also means there will be corresponding demand in areas such as e-discovery, cybersecurity law, and artificial intelligence. As companies and legal firms are just beginning to see how regulation will impact these areas, they will need expertise in understanding these new legal and regulatory landscapes:
E-discovery: The practice of e-discovery is one of the areas where legal and technical competency will truly be required. E-discovery is the process of attorney review and examination of electronically stored information (ESI) in response to a request from a client or due to litigation, and therefore requires sophisticated technology, an understanding of legal requirements, and forensic investigative expertise. While plain old "paper discovery"—the traditional process of producing hard copy documents—was something that an attorney could do themselves when they were needed, e-discovery requires enough information from multiple sources that without the right team, the amount of information can be overwhelming and tortuous.
Cybersecurity: More law firms and companies are going to need to confront how they store and retain their data. Breaches happen every day and every minute , and companies that don’t have a plan to prevent and respond to cyber-attacks will find it extremely difficult to recover when it happens to them as they ramp up. The first step that companies often need to take is to look inward and identify their own existing weaknesses. Getting legal experts to identify these and carrying this through to implement changes can be a lengthy process.
AI: Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence will only further the demand for legal expertise on the subject, as the law will have to catch up with evolving technology. AI and machine learning are making their way into more industries than ever, especially in the legal industry, and legal professionals will need to have a clear understanding of legal considerations to provide informed advice and analysis for clients. Some of the major issues that need addressing include liability for algorithms, automated decision-making, and the use of AI tools for discrimination.
While other evolving technologies will also undoubtedly require legal expertise, the legal system is often playing catch-up with developing technology so we can only expect that many different aspects of law will fall under the influence of developer technologies. However, the only thing we can be certain of is that the legal industry—and the employment landscape within it—is rapidly evolving.