Law360 recently spoke with three of the founding partners of Elsberg Baker & Maruri on the firm’s successful first year. David Elsberg, Rollo Baker and Silpa Maruri shared their thoughts on how the firm has been able to compete and win against BigLaw firms.
"We repeatedly go against the largest law firms in the country... and the only way that we're able to compete and compete well and get great results for our clients is we have to have a group of highly driven, highly talented teams that really support each other," Baker said. "So that's our DNA, and it's how we thrive. And so far, it's really paid off."
Maruri stressed how important having top-notch associates is to the firm, and that it’s one of the firm's top priorities. "We're very fixated on making sure top talent is willing to come to the firm," she said. "And the way we do that is by making it really attractive to come here, across multiple dimensions. It's not just that you'll get this above-market bonus, it's not just that you're going to get a lot of experience. We're aggressive externally, and we really deliver results, but internally, we have a really cohesive culture."
Early experience for associates is something the firm takes seriously. "The experience that our young lawyers have gotten is off the charts and unmatched anywhere," Elsberg said. "Every single one of our first-year associates within our first year worked on a trial or an arbitration. And our associates had important roles — not just behind the scenes, but speaking roles, doing witnesses, directs and cross-examinations."
Maruri echoed Elsberg’s sentiment on what makes the firm so attractive to associates. "They get the experience. They get to do the high-stakes disputes. They get to get paid exactly the same — in fact, better —than if they went to BigLaw, and they get to do it in an environment that really fosters their growth, their learning, and also is a fun environment to be in," she added.
The firm continues to deepen its relationships with career placement offices at top law schools to attract the best of the best. ''I just want to emphasize how important our young lawyers are to the firm, "Elsberg said. "We place an enormous amount of value on them. We have an enormous amount of gratitude to them, and we are looking to them and relying on them going forward."
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