Dovel & Luner is in the market for an additional associate.
Below we explain what we are looking for, what a successful candidate can expect in return from us, and how to apply to join the firm.

What we are looking for:

Experience level:
There is no minimum experience requirement. We will consider candidates applying from law school, a clerkship, or a law firm. However, applicants with more than three years of attorney experience are not preferred for the position being offered.

Academic credentials:
Applicants will not be considered unless they present strong academic credentials. This means top performance at a leading national law school.

Intellectual and analytical ability:
Demonstrated success in academics is an essential requirement but is not sufficient. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate a depth of intellect and an aptitude for high level reasoning and analytic thought both in submitted examples of their work product (writing samples, in the case of law student applicants) and during substantive interviews with the firm’s attorneys.

Drive:
We are looking for someone who has a visceral drive to produce top quality work and demonstrate excellence in everything he or she does. We are particularly interested in candidates who are driven to excel at the most important facet of what we do: trial work.

Efficiency:
Because we work exclusively on a contingency fee basis, the firm has no financial incentive to simply add another body to the firm (i.e., someone who can increase firm revenues simply by billing additional hours). We are looking for someone who can produce excellent work and with a high level of efficiency.

What we offer in return:

Compensation:
Your compensation package will consist of a base salary and two (cumulative) bonuses: (i) a merit based bonus, tied to your individual performance, and (ii) a revenue based bonus, tied to the firm's performance. You will be able to track your compensation as the year's revenues come in (rather than waiting to see if New York's latest move will be matched). More importantly, you can directly impact those revenues and thus your compensation. Provided your performance meets expectations, you will likely reach or exceed market compensation for any given year and in some years will have the opportunity to surpass market compensation by a multiple of 2-3 times.

Responsibility:
You will be running your own cases (if not immediately upon your arrival, shortly after). You will have the ability to directly affect the outcome of your cases in the most important respects, whether it's taking a critical deposition, drafting and arguing a summary judgment motion, leading settlement negotiations, or taking witnesses at trial. You won't be taking notes for a partner at a meeting. You will be your client's representative facing partners from major firms.

Education and training:
Because our business model requires excellence, we will work hard to make you a much better lawyer. You will be given specific guidance, including principles and rules to apply, that will quickly improve your skills in brief writing, working with opponents, preparing and delivering oral presentations, taking depositions, and trial practice. You will receive day to day feedback. This training, coupled with the daily opportunity to apply yourself, will result in rapid and lasting improvement.

Control and predictability:
If you are looking for a lifestyle firm, this is not it. We cannot guarantee that you will work fewer hours here than you would at your existing or other jobs. What we do offer, however, is more important: the ability to predict the work that is headed your way and control when and how you will handle it. (You won’t ever be subject to someone higher up who assigns work on Friday afternoons or sets arbitrary deadlines). Because you will be running your own cases, you will see in advance when your cases are likely to fire up, and you can plan and implement your response to those periods on your own terms.

How to apply:
If you would like to apply or would like further information regarding the firm or the position described above, please contact Greg Dovel at: greg@dovellaw.com.

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume via email only. All applications will be treated as highly confidential.