Over the course of a legal career, fortunate attorneys will have the chance to work in a variety of settings. Working for a large firm, a boutique firm, or as in-house counsel all present unique challenges and opportunities. Whether an attorney is seeking a variety of work, a learning environment, higher compensation, work/life balance, industry exposure, camaraderie, or prestige, all of these factors can drive our career choices. The lawyers at RR&A have worked in several of these settings and are passionate about creating and fostering a culture and environment that is the best of these worlds.

Large law firms are often excellent places to learn the craft of being a lawyer.  You are paid very well and are usually working on matters as part of a large team. Learning in a team setting from highly skilled senior attorneys and partners can be very effective in cementing the skills an attorney will need throughout their career. The clients are already expecting to pay a lot, so learning on the job is heavily subsidized.  However, as lucrative, well-oiled machines, large law firms tend to chew through attorneys.  Not every senior attorney or partner is interested in teaching skills or sharing work, and many younger attorneys view themselves more as competitors than teammates. Billable hours expectations are very high, and those who can’t maintain the frenetic pace of working nights and weekends are likely to wash out.  The pressure of maintaining hours can take a toll on family and personal life, and can force attorneys into silos, falling into a groove of simply doing the same tasks over and over again to ensure that the hours expectations are met.  For some, this works to develop an attorney into a specialist, but for many, this only means that they develop a narrow skill set, hurting their long-term prospects for advancement.

A lot of attorneys make the jump from large firms into in-house roles in hopes of finding some stability.  Working in-house is an excellent way to learn about a business and to identify the stressors and risk factors that the business will face.  In-house roles typically come with more predictable hours and lower top-end compensation. While such roles may offer attractive long-term incentives (stock options, etc.), the value of these depends on the business’s success, rather than the lawyer’s work ethic or performance.  Unless you are in-house with a large legal department, the variety of projects can be vast.  The in-house lawyer is often the first and last line of defense, and in-house lawyers are frequently exposed to a broad spectrum of matters, including disputes, commercial contracts, transactions, HR issues, and corporate matters.  These types of roles can help broaden exposure to the many facets of the law; however, few lawyers can manage all of these types of work independently.  Engaging outside counsel (especially large firms) to assist in areas outside of your expertise can quickly burn through legal budgets, leaving you underfunded, short-handed, and stressed out.

RR&A was conceived to capture the best of both settings.  We are a small but growing firm that offers an outstanding variety of work and clients.  Each attorney develops a career plan and meets regularly with their supervisors to ensure that they are on the path and have all the resources that they need to succeed. Our required billable hours are considerably lower than those of larger firms. What truly sets RR&A apart is total transparency.  Bonuses, promotions, and commissions aren’t a black box – they are based on formulas and measurable performance indicators that are shared with every member of the firm.  We act as outsourced general counsel for some of our clients and as an extension of legal departments for others.  Our approach emphasizes long-term relationships with our clients, building value instead of being a drain on their resources. Work/Life balance isn’t just a catchphrase; it is one of our founding principles and something that we all respect and foster for one another.

RR&A is a tight-knit team that rewards collaboration, drive, and good legal work.  We believe that RR&A has found the sweet spot. How does it sound to you?