Loeb & Loeb LLP
10100 Santa Monica Boulevard
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone number: (310) 282-2000
Visit Website: www.loeb.com
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Overview
Introduction
Storied California firm Loeb & Loeb’s primary claim to fame is its renowned entertainment and media practice, but if also offers nationally recognized practices in advertising and marketing, technology, trusts and estates, intellectual property, real estate, and nonprofit law. The firm has provided counsel to some of the world’s most recognized names, including Woody Allen and Hal Prince; Carrie Underwood, Marvin Hamlisch and Brett Young; Muhammad Ali; the Getty family; and the estates of several other high-profile celebri...
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
Featured Rankings
Best Law Firms for Media, Entertainment, & Sports...
Base Salary
1st year: $190,000...
No. of U.S. Offices
No. of International Offices
Major Office Locations
Chicago, IL...
Vault Verdict
Loeb & Loeb hires lateral candidates with a focus on prior work experience and personality fit. The firm’s culture is friendly, and people socialize regularly, but lawyers are also supported in having lives outside of work. Partners are respectful of associates and provide ongoing, informal feedback, so associates aren’t in the dark between annual performance reviews. Associates express dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency into compensation and the promotion process, but the firm has been taking steps to become more transparent, including by creating and sharing a bonus chart. Associates have flexibility and autonomy in when and where they work, which makes it easier to accommodate fluctuations in workload. Compensation is below market, but that is only a minor gr...
About the Firm
Storied California firm Loeb & Loeb’s primary claim to fame is its renowned entertainment and media practice, though its multi-service offerings include nationally recognized practices in the areas of advertising and marketing, technology, trusts and estates, intellectual property, real estate, and nonprofit law.
From L.A. to Hong Kong
Loeb & Loeb’s century-plus history officially began in 1909 when brothers Edwin and Joseph Loeb founded their eponymous firm. Joseph Loeb also helped to found the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in a move that would set the tone for the firm’s future. Renowned movie studio Metro Goldwyn-Mayer was among the firm’s early clients, along with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Union Bank of California. While t...
Associate Reviews
- “The firm has a highly collegial culture. All attorneys are aware of each other's outside interests, and the firm celebrates associates who engage in ‘extra-curricular’ professional activities and regular business development.”
- “There are plenty of associate happy hours and opportunities to get together. Each department has its own personality and socialize more frequently than others.”
- “[There are] monthly happy hours, plus firm-instituted mentoring lunches on a regular basis. Overall, I would say there are opportunities to socialize with people (and people are always willing to go to lunch), but people have lives outside of the firm, and no one forces you to go out if you don't want to.”
- “Very friendly. Everyone is a person first, lawyer second. Occasional associate and department (associate and partner) happy hours.”
- “Partner-associate relationships vary by group, but the partners I've worked with (in my group and others) have been supportive, considerate, respectful, and helpful. We receive very regular informal feedback on our work, plus annual formal evaluations (based on discussions with all partners in the group, distilled down and delivered by two partners). Within our group, there's a real effort to be transparent about compensation decisions, internal promotion possibilities, etc.”
- “[Partners] are tough but fair. I have a great relationship with the partners in my department. We catch up frequently and have ongoing regular conversations about growth. Transparency is better than average but still a little shrouded in mystery. Reviews are conducted once a year by the department head and one additional neutral partner who doesn’t work with the associate.”
- “[There is] more transparency now with bonus chart, but partnership and tier advancements are still not as clear.”
- “Hours can vary dramatically depending on the project or engagement. The firm offers a lot of flexibility in terms of work arrangements and allows attorneys to work from home or from other offices.”
- “When there is work to do, we get it done, but we aren't billing hours just for the sake of it. All partners are respectful of the associates' time and I've never felt pressured to constantly ‘say yes’ if I truly don't have the bandwidth.”
- “Loeb is extremely flexible and reasonable. My group is very flexible on when and where I work. Work distribution can be lopsided at times, but I think that is largely due to the informal nature of our group, which is mostly beneficial.”
- “1,900 minimum core hours for bonus eligibility, but no particular consequence of not meeting other than bonus eligibility. Unlimited pro bono hours and certain other non-billable hours (generally not business development, but certain training) count toward core hours.”
- “From what I understand, the firm is below market, but the comp structure does enable associates to find ways to make up for that (e.g., meeting and exceeding 1,900-hour billable requirements, origination fees, etc.). Also, we seem to have a better life/work balance than other firms that are at market.”
- “The salary and bonus scale [are] not top of the market, but the hours expectations are also not top of the market. The bonus scale is very transparent. …”
- “Higher billers will be more satisfied than lower billers. The firm generally is not market.”
- “We all pitch in at all levels and I enjoy that. I don't feel I am above any of the work that needs to be done because I am also given very meaningful and important opportunities regularly. I am very happy with the quality of the work I am given.”
- “Great quality and variety of work, overall. Associates are given opportunities to jump into the deep end and do advanced work, with guidance. A lot of responsibility is given to associates on cases.”
- “If anything, I regularly do work above my level, which is both a challenge and a privilege. I appreciate that the partners trust my skill level, but also believe they do not give me anything they don't think I am capable of handling.”
- “[The] Associates’ Committee has a wellness component (yoga, meditation).”
- “The firm offers activities such as yoga, and, for the most part, is stocked with healthy snacks.”
- “We have EAP services, but otherwise there don't appear to be particular initiatives to maintain attorney wellness.”
- “Training in my group is extremely minimal—very much a ‘learn as you go’ process. Associates and some partners have recently discussed developing formal training programs, as well as ‘informal’ lunch chats with partners to discuss hot topics and different aspects of the practice. Since partners are generally friendly and approachable, informal mentoring and training is possible if you ask questions, are eager to learn, and put yourself out there in terms of socializing and getting to know people.”
- “The formal training was only regarding the various systems used at the firm, an overview of the various organizations within the firm, the pro bono opportunities, the internal policies and procedures, and the billing requirements. I was assigned an associate mentor for questions and help the transition to the firm. Individual partners tend to mentor/train via answering questions and/or providing feedback on assignments, there is not an official mentoring process.”
- “Opportunities to attend CLE and other trainings are available all the time.”
- “Partnership seems realistic—the partners are transparent about partnership selection criteria, the firm encourages business development and provides resources to improve one's skills in that area, and senior attorneys provide associates with the types of opportunities needed to develop the skills expected in a partner.”
- “I think promotion to partner is realistic, and there are non-partner roles. In particular, the firm has senior counsel positions that allow associates to stay at the firm even if they aren't promoted to partner. This firm has many industry contacts and it does not seem unusual for people to transition in-house after working at Loeb.”
- “Promotion to counsel or non-equity partner is realistic. Promotion to equity partner does not seem realistic unless you have a huge book of business or have been a non-equity service partner for a very long time. Exit opportunities are very good.”
- “Everything is available. Associates make partner and go in-house. The firm offers realistic and meaningful opportunities as senior counsel as well to which senior associates can transition.”
- “We've seen a huge increase in pro bono hours in the past couple years, with support for these efforts all the way up to the top of the firm.”
- “In the last few years, the firm has made a renewed commitment to pro bono services, and there has been a dramatic increase in the number of attorneys who have worked on a pro bono matter. Pro bono representations are given full billable credit, which is also so important. Loeb's interest in pro bono projects is one of its selling points.”
- “Pro bono work is always available and given the same respect as billed work. Almost every partner does serious pro bono work, which makes it easier for associates to do the same.”
- “Pro bono work is encouraged, and there is a group that handles notifying employees of pro bono opportunities should they wish to participate. You can even ask for specific types of projects. I've recently worked on a trademark response to office action as part of the pro bono.”
- “The firm is an active participant in LCLD (Leadership Committee on Legal Diversity) and sends associate- and partner-level participants each year. The firm also offers a variety of diversity programming and enrichment. As a next step, and a harder step, it would be good for the firm to look more self-critically at how diversity plays out in its decision-making more broadly.”
- “The firm has made improvements in its parental leave policy and even grandfathered in parents who were already on leave when the policy changed. There is a noticeable absence of women in the equity partner ranks. The affinity groups in the firm are active and I do think there is a real commitment to inclusion here. I think people feel comfortable to be themselves. My office in particular is a very welcoming, open, and progressive place.”
- “The Chief Diversity Partner is extremely motivated, energetic, and thoughtful about recognizing and improving diversity across various fronts. I think that leads to an environment that feels very welcoming to people regardless of demographics or background. Loeb's participation in formal diversity initiatives—such as programming through the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity—also shows that Loeb believes that enhancing diversity is important.”
Diversity at Loeb & Loeb LLP
"The past several years have been a transformative time for diversity and inclusion at Loeb. We have taken great strides in defining our culture of inclusion and mutual respect and have worked to strengthen our initiatives and programs. A great part of the growth we have experienced is due to the adoption of the firm's D&I Strategic Priorities. Prior to the adoption of the D&I Strategic Priorities, the firm's diversity and inclusion efforts had stalled, and there was frustration that the voices of underrepresented attorneys were not being..."
Getting Hired Here
- “There is a strong emphasis on ‘fit.’”
- “The firm does not hire first years, it only hires laterals. Once someone gets an interview, the firm has 6-10 attorneys interview the person and then has each attorney provide their feedback. If an attorney chooses anything besides ‘recommend for hire,’ the firm follows up to see if there is any reason to not hire the person. I believe important factors to our firm are experience and an ability to learn.”
- “The firm values industry experience and competency—strong academics as well. Prior work experience [in] entertainment seems particularly important for my practice group”
- “We ask about the specifics of the applicant's law school education (did they take classes relevant to the practice group they want to join, did they engage in a particular project that really interested them), questions relevant to their experience (tell me what an average day looks like at your current firm, have you ever done X or Y, etc.), and questions meant to assess their knowledge of and interest in the firm (what made you decide to apply to the firm, what kind of matters are you hoping to work on, etc.).”
- “What type of work do you currently handle? Why do you want to work here? What is your interest in us? Are you interested in participating in any firm committees?”
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses? How well do you work as a team?”
- “I have felt 100 percent comfortable at my firm since day one. They go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and integrated, which can be particularly challenging at a large firm.”
- “They expected me to hit the ground running. [There was] not much time to learn the ropes. [I] got to work on important deals immediately.”
- “When I joined …, we had no substantive training (on our department's forms, CYA practices when communicating with clients, who can help with what, etc.), but this year we launched ‘Loeb U,’ a comprehensive training program for all of our group's associate and partners covering everything from drafting tips for common documents to substantive law in related groups like real property. It's been a 180-degree turnaround, and I wish we'd started it sooner.”
Practice Area Q&A’s
James Taylor
Chair—Advanced Media and Technology
Loeb & Loeb LLP
