According to an American Bar Association’s 2016 Lawyer Demographics report, most attorneys in private practice are employed by small law firms, defined as those with fewer than 20 lawyers. The majority work in even smaller firms — almost half of all lawyers in private practice are solo practitioners. Another 20 percent are employed by firms of 10 attorneys or fewer.

Some lawyers are stuck in dark and are illumined that working in a big law firm is the most prosperous thing to happen with a law graduate who seeks to raise his/her name in the corporate world. Lesser did they know that being employed in a big and established law firm just puts up a value in your CV but reduces your efficiency and value of your life. Being employed in a big law firm doesn’t give a person chance to go out of the box and enhance his knowledge and skills as compared to the small law firms.

Following are the benefits that you will encounter if you work in a small law firm:

1. 1. Opportunity to think OUT OF THE BOX

Lawyers in small law firms have the opportunity to work on a broad spectrum of practice areas. Such law firms are generalists and get engaged in challenging and varied work.

2. Flexible work scheduled

If you are a person who loves his life and want to spend time with your family and friends, be sure that you get engaged with small law firms rather than the big ones. Your personal life comes to an end from the day you become an employee of a big law firms as you will be treated more like a robot than a human being. The cozy and adaptive atmosphere that you will get in a small law firm, you have to crave for it in an established one. In a small law firm, your work schedule will be quite flexible, which will eventually add up to your efficiency and learning power.

3. More Experience

When you get an opportunity to go out of your comfort zone, that adds up your experience. More work, more experience. When you work on a larger ambit, you learn more. There is lesser supervision in small law firms as compared to the big law firms. Since staff is less in small law firms, the tasks gets completed on a faster pace in the former, as compared to the latter.

4. Significant Client Contact

When you are in a small law firm you’ll be handling a personal client contact as compared to the procedure in big law firms where clients are reserved to the senior lawyers, and you are just given the task of dancing on the beats of them.

Of course, many legal practitioners work in a giant law firm, and only a small percentage of personnel will communicate with clients. Whereas, with smaller firms employing a handful of staff, there’s a significant chance for everyone to work with various clients. This gives an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy interacting with people. 

Also, with the current technology, many businesses now use CRM for law firms to efficiently manage their operations and allow them to spend more quality time with clients. 

5. Informal and relaxed atmosphere

Unlike more conservative mega-firms, the small firm culture is often more relaxed. Dress codes are less formal and socializing among employees is often more common. Everyone knows each other on a first-name basis in a small law firm, and this can foster friendly, comfortable working relationships.

6. Abbreviated Partnership tracks

If you want a faster track to success, being employed in a small law firm is the best thing that can happen to you. With fewer employees vying for assignments, promotions, and a slice of the profits, legal professionals in small law firms face less in-house competition than their big-firm counterparts. Small law firm employees can more easily prove their worth to those in power, making it simpler to garner recognition and reward.

7. Good Feedbacks and Hearing of Grievances

In small law firms, grievance redressals and feedbacks from employees is much often better than the mega firms. The seniors in small law firms are more likely to take suggestions of its employees in decision making and this will eventually give employees a sense of belongingness that will increase the efficiency and output of employees and the firms as well.

On the other hand, groups or committees manage large law firms. These people create the policies practitioners should follow, and they make the final decisions about the company. When they establish a ruling, they usually provide it without seeking feedback from other firm members. 

Comparatively, senior lawyers in small firms typically involve other employees in forming management decisions since everyone is part of their day-to-day operations. Other employees include paralegals, managers, legal support personnel, and administrators. 

Takeaway

Given the above points, there are several benefits to working in a small law firm. Though this isn’t to say there are no upsides in working with large firms. However, legal practitioners shouldn’t easily turn their backs and dismiss the opportunities small firms can offer them. As shown above, some of the perks they can provide aren’t found in big firms and may possibly give you a more satisfying work experience. 

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