The Great Circle Of Insurance Defense

  • Law
Over the weekend, one of you made the following comment:

The great Circle of ID Firms: Associate works for larger firm. Associate does good work, and gains adjusters’ appreciation, but not Partners’.

Partners chronically underpay associate. Associate leaves, and uses the relationships developed with adjusters to get work referred out to Associate’s solo. 

Associate, now Partner’s, good firm grows, and hires new attorney. New attorney does good work and gains the appreciation from adjusters, but not from Partner. . .

What do you think? Is this an accurate depiction of the insurance defense career trajectory? Is there any other practice area that follows this pattern? What happens when the Partner values the Associate’s work? What happens when Partner doesn’t let Associate talk to any adjusters in an attempt to break the circle?

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Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 4:33 pm

How do I get clients when I work at big commercial litigation / transactional / estates firm? I've practiced since 2012. I don't have much of my own business.

My boss lets me talk to firm clients. I do my best on files and have won some big motions. But, I'm not connected to money people in Nevada. I owe a ton on student loans. I feel limited in my ability to entertain and attract potential clients.

Am I better off going in house somewhere?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 5:52 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

wow if you have been practicing since 2012 you should know that you wouldnt be appreciated one bit if you went in house.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 6:18 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

There are so many easily-detected phonies in Las Vegas that if you are actually a hard-worker with legitimate skills, you can market yourself just on that. You don't necessarily need to be "connected to money people in Nevada". Talk to the clients your firm let's you talk to and, if they're happy with your work, ask if they know of others who might benefit from your skills. Being connected can certainly get you work, but so can being a good lawyer. And eventually you become connected.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 20, 2019 1:33 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Another thought – the "Partners" do not want you to have close relations with adjusters or the carrier. Push that button too hard and you will find yourself being eased out – maybe not fired but not getting partner track, significant raises etc so that you will quit.

JS
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JS
August 19, 2019 5:04 pm

I was doing real estate loans, and there was this boring slovenly guy that could not get a deal at the firm. He would go to these "financial freedom meetings" (get rich quick schemes?) One day he met a guy that was like him slob, but he had a few properties. All of a sudden he was getting all sort of BIZ, the guy would refi this, to buy that and so on. Must of had 30 deals that year. So maybe one person or entity with a lot of deals, instead of many people with one deal. ?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 5:51 pm
Reply to  JS

If anything that just shows you need to go out there and network. that will work for any job/career, not just loans or law

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 6:40 pm

The problem is that the associate is not increasing the size of the pie. Any old associate can work the files. Are you bringing in new files? If you are not you have to figure out how to do that when you increase the size of the pie you can get a slice. The same thing happens on the other side of the coin at PI firms.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 19, 2019 8:37 pm

Oh, sweet Jesus.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 20, 2019 1:57 am

Anyone have any developments on the Josh Reid story someone posted about Aug. 7? Even if half true, that is some crazy stuff.