Attorney Recruiting

ATTORNEY RECRUITING

Small Firm Values

Shartsis Friese offers both experienced lawyers and top law students a real alternative to the big law firm environment. We offer interesting and challenging work, competitive compensation, the opportunity to grow professionally and be involved in management decisions, and a sense of community and mutual support that only a cohesive, small firm can provide.

Opportunity to Join Premier Practices

Despite our lean size, we are one of San Francisco’s leading law firms. We serve as outside general counsel to some of the region’s leading mid-cap companies, while maintaining premier practices in areas such as hedge funds and investment advisors, securities enforcement defense, real estate, intellectual property, venture capital, and trusts & estates litigation. We are also known for our trial and litigation capabilities and are regularly called upon to handle some of the most exciting cases in state and federal courts.

Competitive Compensation

We routinely match associate salaries offered by the largest national firms.

All partners are equity partners. Partner compensation is based on a unique objective formula that includes collected hours, revenue generated from clients that the partner brings to the firm, pro bono, and administrative time. The use of this formula means that even relatively junior partners can rise rapidly up the compensation ladder if their performance merits it.

Entrepreneurial and Independent Spirit

We share an unusual sense of the value of entrepreneurship in the practice of law. Partners at the firm have built thriving practices in a number of niche areas and are regarded as leaders in their fields. New lawyers are encouraged to think about their future and are given the tools and support to build a practice over time. We believe that to remain successful it is important that everyone contribute and that nobody be ignored. The firm has a mentorship program and each associate has two partners with whom each associate works on a wide range of professional and practice development goals. We want attorneys who desire to assume responsibility early in their careers and who also seek to grow, learn and develop -- not only as lawyers, but also as leaders and future owners of this firm.

Commitment to Diversity

We value the diversity of our people and have made a conscious effort to create an open, egalitarian, and supportive environment where all our people can thrive. All members of the firm recognize that the practice of law and the quality of firm life are enlivened and strengthened by people from different backgrounds.

Transparency in Firm Management

The firm is open about financials. Associates sit on most firm committees, including the management committee, and routinely participate in important management decisions.

Stability

The number of attorneys practicing at Shartsis Friese grows by an average of approximately three each year, and we like it that way. We have no desire to merge into a large firm, open offices outside of San Francisco or diverge from a model that has worked extremely well for us for more than thirty years. We have maintained a partner to non-partner attorney ratio of close to one-to-one and we fully expect to continue to do so in the future. We are very proud of the fact that no partner has left us to join another law firm in more than fourteen years. We are just as proud of a very loyal staff and clientele.

Resumes may be submitted to Alina Basina, via mail, fax (at 415-421-2922), or e-mail at abasina@sflaw.com. Ms. Basina may also be contacted at 415-773-7323.

For additional recruiting information, please visit the Summer Associate Program page.