An Introduction to the San Diego Legal Industry
Major law firms have long recognized San Diego’s legal talent, with many national and international firms having offices in the city. Among the most prominent is Latham & Watkins LLP, which has been in San Diego since 1995 and has one of the largest legal presences in the region.
But it isn’t all about big firms, and those looking for jobs with smaller firms in the area will not lack opportunities. For example, there are nearly two dozen mid-sized and small size firms with at least 30 attorneys, per California Lawyer’s annual survey. Indeed, the San Diego legal market offers a full range of firms for junior lawyers, whether for those interested in a large or small setting. The city boasts San Diego’s main bar association, the San Diego County Bar Association, along with its largest specialist bar association, which is devoted to estate planning, probate, and trust law. The San Diego International Lawyer’s (SDIL) group is also a favorite for those interested in international practice .
In-house legal work is also thriving in San Diego, with a total of 1,576 lawyers employed by 215 companies, according to InsideCounsel, a magazine for in-house counsel. The largest in-house employer in the city is Qualcomm, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM), an American semiconductor company, with more than 300 in-house lawyers.
Looking toward government work, both the federal and state governments have a strong foothold in San Diego, with the federal government being the largest employer in the city. The largest employers of lawyers within the federal government are the Navy, the Department of Justice, and the General Services Administration, which oversees $66 billion worth of contracts. There are more than 2,800 total lawyers in the region employed by the federal government. On a local level, the City of San Diego employs several hundred attorneys. There are also a number of prominent law schools in the city that feed into the legal market including UC San Diego School of Law and Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Leading Law Firms in San Diego
We know that many of our readers are interested in connecting with San Diego law firms for job opportunities, so we will take this opportunity to highlight a few. There are lots of law firms in San Diego that actively hire, and it makes sense to seek out the top hiring firms. Most of the biggest hiring firms in San Diego are national firms that do have a large presence in Southern California and are considered "big box." These include firms like Snell & Wilmer; DLA Piper, Jones Day; Skadden Arps; Latham & Watkins; and Paul Hastings. There are a lot of large firms that have offices in the West; but firms that seem to be primarily or only based in and around California are Sheppard Mullin, Fenwick, Loeb & Loeb, and Procopio. There are also firms that have offices all around the country, but that are primarily based right in Southern California. Those include firms like Cox Castle & Nicholson; International Couture Lifestyle Brand Corporation, LLP; and Grunsky, Elder & Martin. There are also what I refer to as "mid-sized" firms. These tend to be firms with offices only in one or maybe two states, like Fox Rothschild; Buchalter; Alston & Bird; Ballard Spahr; Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith; Heller Ehrman; and BakerHostetler. And, of course, there are all of the local firms that primarily hire out of law schools in the area. These include, among others, the Gatzke Dillon & Ballance; Blachly Tabor Bozick; Higgs Fletcher & Mack; Sullivan Hill Lewin Reilly, LLP; and Kearney McWilliams.
In-House Attorney Positions
In-house positions with multi-national biotech and technology companies are common for San Diego law graduates and lateral attorneys made possible by the presence of major pharmaceutical companies and technology firms around town. Senior positions with growing companies looking to build or expand their legal departments are often filled by experienced attorneys that begin as in-house counsel, but then find exit options difficult. In-house roles for senior and management level positions at companies such as Qualcomm, Illumina, ViaSat, CareFusion, Sony, Sony/SAE, and others are often available for lateral attorneys via word-of-mouth recruiting, and rarely advertised or posted. We routinely refer candidates with expertise in areas as diverse as patent prosecution, civil litigation, life sciences, biotechnology, software, securities and intellectual property-related transactions into these openings as they arise and when the candidates are a match.
San Diego’s export-oriented economy and high reliance on international trade makes in-house work with the International Tax, Export Controls and international contract work an attractive option for many. Career-minded law school grads looking for an international practice in their legal careers often find their way to in-house positions with regional offices of multi-national companies such as Align Technology, Aon, Ascent Solar Technologies, Boston Scientific, Edison International, MSD Capital, Nexans and Qualcomm as relevant positions become available. Similar to domestic in-house opportunities, these positions are rarely posted or advertised, but are found through long-standing relationships of mid- to senior-level in-house professionals with alumni from the applicants’ law schools, and top headhunter firms like ours. Historically, such employment has been achieved by very well-connected lawyers with a demonstrated ability to "bring in business" and assist their corporate clients in building strong, defensible and effective corporate structures.
Government and Public Sector Careers
There has been a steady trickle of government and public sector legal employment available through government agencies in the San Diego area. For example, there are a number of mid-level attorney jobs available through the San Diego Public Defender’s Office. And by mid-level attorney jobs, I’m talking about attorney jobs that require three or more years of practice experience post-bar admission.
Although many government law jobs are traditionally more geared toward younger attorneys or law students, not all new public defender jobs and similar prosecutor positions are limited to newcomers to the legal profession.
In addition to those public defense positions mentioned above, there are three other public-sector law employer jobs available via the San Diego Public Defender’s Office. Like public defense jobs, they are each mid-level attorney jobs as well.
The public sector law department, SDPD, also is seeking a case assistant, juvenile position and litigation staff attorney.
Additionally, the City Attorney’s Office is looking for a deputy city attorney II- complex tort litigation. As you might expect, this San Diego law job requires significant experience in litigation, specifically in tort law.
As with other legal employer sites, check back if you don’t see current openings matching your experience or interest areas. Sometimes San Diego government and public sector legal jobs come available and are published on the Internet quickly, so check back often, review their job listings, and don’t forget to check out our job postings here.
Areas of Specialization and Boutique Practices
The landscape of San Diego law jobs is not limited to the more traditional legal disciplines. Several specialized and niche practice areas are in demand, thanks in part to the region’s unique economic, social and environmental makeup. For instance, San Diego is home to many defense operations and military installations, making lawyers with experience in national defense, military law and general litigation highly sought after by local firms . Immigration law is another hot specialty in this increasingly diverse city; which was founded by immigrants from Spain and named after the city in Extremadura (modern-day Spain). Growing industries such as high tech and biotech also offer opportunities for practicing lawyers with expertise in intellectual property and environmental law, both highly specialized and niche fields in today’s society.
Networking and Career Progression
For aspiring lawyers or those seeking to advance their career, networking is an essential component of any job search. Having a strong network of connections and mentors in the San Diego law community can assist you in uncovering new opportunities, as well as building credibility amongst your peers. Many entry-level and experienced attorneys hire legal recruiters to expand their networks, but those who are unfamiliar with the area can take some proactive steps to build a meaningful network on their own.
First and foremost, get involved. Consider joining a local bar association, such as the San Diego County Bar Association or the Federal Bar Association. These organizations offer excellent resources for expanding your network, such as seminars, mentor programs, and mixers. Building relationships with bar associations will also help you get to know prominent figures in the field, allowing you to gather in-house information about law jobs and firms, as well as key players in the San Diego legal community. Local schools, such as University of San Diego School of Law, California Western School of Law, and Thomas Jefferson School of Law will offer law students similar opportunities to connect with the legal community in San Diego.
Another effective way to meet people is by joining a club or organization centered on a personal interest. For instance, if you enjoy hiking, join a local hiking club. If you are interested in fitness, try Kickboxing or Pilates classes. Having a common interest or experience with someone can provide an ideal environment to make a meaningful connection. Getting to know lawyers outside of the work setting can help strengthen personal ties and build rapport.
Finally, explore volunteer opportunities, whether with a non-profit or pro bono organization. Not only will these organizations allow you to give back to the community, but they may also provide the chance to meet other legal professionals for mutually beneficial relationships.
Getting to know the legal community is incredibly important to promote your career in San Diego.
Practical Guidance for San Diego Job Seekers
To land a San Diego law job, you should have a plan that incorporates a few essential strategies: resume optimization, LinkedIn presence, and tailored cover letters.
- Resume: In California, employers want to see resumes that list relevant work experience/audiences and that include keywords related to the job listing — in short, a job seeker needs a law resume through which employers can find them. The attorneys with the San Diego office of BCG Attorney Search have seen a number of resumes, and they want to see yours, too. You should write a brief, bulleted law resume, and while you don’t need to detail all of your duties, you do need to include information on how your skills and experience relate to the job. Much like other California employers, firms in San Diego want to see job seekers’ law resumes and learn how their experience fulfills the listed qualifications.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn has become the most popular online networking tool , and your networking efforts shouldn’t fall flat by failing to leverage this platform. You can use LinkedIn to connect with the right people in San Diego and gain visibility in your industry. You’ll want to start by creating a complete and professional profile, including an updated summary and skill sets. Then, connect with everyone you know (from law school, past jobs, even people you met at your last conference). Next, follow up by taking the lead and sending people connection requests they’ll be excited to accept. Invite connections and send them messages asking them to help you with a call or meeting, and ask them to endorse your skills. Even if some of your connections are unfamiliar with your skills, it doesn’t matter — just ask them to endorse you so you can get results.
- Cover Letter: Tailoring your cover letter is just as important as tailoring your law resume. You should personalize your cover letter by listing relevant skills or experience first, and by explaining how these make you an asset to the firm. They’ll want to know why you’re a great candidate, and what you’ve done that relates to the requirements of the job.