Does anyone have any intel on what it’s like to work at Kaplan Hecker? I know of several attorneys who each joined that firm only to leave after a few years. Not sure if it’s the normal law firm turnover or if there are unique factors at play. I’ve also heard mixed things about some of the personalities there. The firm has achieved tons of positive recognition with the recent Trump case. Thanks!
I heard she’s a real personality and tough to work with. Its on various forums.
I’ve always thought of it as a firm for people who couldn’t get KVN or Munger. A great boutique, but doesn’t really stand out
Those are Californian firms that nobody wants to work at besides Californians.
Kaplan is similar to Selendy or Molo. In that sense, it is just another well regarded litigation boutique.
I have heard from several different people at different levels that it is a bad work environment, in large part because of difficult personalities at the top.
Bad take. There are functionally equivalent elite regional lit boutiques in literally every major market (Susman, KH, Molo etc in NY; Kellogg, Wilkinson Stekloff, Gupta Wessler, Consovoy McCarthy, Cooper & Kirk etc in DC; Bartlit Beck, Eimer Stahl in Chicago etc) Makes no sense to place one above the other, especially across regional markets. Also weird that Irell and Dovel gets no mention in CA, wouldn’t place them below KVN and Munger
The people are less impressive and the firm is generally considered less prestigious and selective. I mean I’m sure you enjoy working there, but let’s be honest
The whole lit boutique prestige thing is so sad when u realize people with 2/3 the IQ make 5 times more than trial litigators just selling snake oil like crypto hedge funds and reits
Even on ignoring the regional thing it’s a baffling take, I’ve heard nothing good about Robbie Kaplan but her firm is super hot right now with feeder clerks etc. much moreso than KVN, which I’m sure is excellent but doesn’t really have a national profile.
I’ve heard second and thirdhand from several different KH lawyers that it’s horrible.
And I’ve heard terrible things. More terrible than good.
The boutique prestige, HSCC prestige, and v10 prestige discussions are some of the dumbest things I’ve ever read.
Don’t act like you’re above it all. Mindless 20 page prestige debates are literally the only reason TLS exists
I’ve heard pretty bad things. both toxic and not a lot of substantive experience. sounds more like being stuck in a bad group in biglaw
Kaplan Hecker’s leverage is 3.8 (13 partners, 49 other attorneys, not counting the presumably part-time Larry Tribe and Trevor Morrison). That’s exceptionally high for a boutique. And it now has a substantial summer program, meaning that it has a future expansion baked in. I think for now prospective associates are still viewing it as closer to Wilkinson Stekloff or MoloLamken than Quinn Emanuel, but I’m not sure that will continue.
I mean Roberta Kaplan is a famous attorney. A look at most of the associate/partner profiles shows that they almost all have credentials that would place them at the top of the pack even at most large firms (clerkships and top 5 law school with law review). So hilarious how losers gossiping behind a keyboard who probably did a half-assed job at a law firm for 2 years have anointed themselves the final arbiters of prestige and success in the legal profession and knock people who are “in all honesty” probably 15,000x more accomplished than they.
Roberta, you can log off TLS now.
In a dose of some irony, I just scrolled through the bios of all their summer associates, and not a single one is on law review.
In all truth, Kaplan Hecker is a terrific firm if you are interested in liberal law advocacy, but it comes with the downside of having to work with very difficult personalities.
It is an elite boutique. Politics are very left, so not a culture fit for everyone. I have heard that passions run high there. Seems like its definitely not for everyone.
Think its an automatic ding if I clerked for ultra conservative judge?
Yes unless you were actually the rare counter clerk with an otherwise progressive resume.