Hill, Farrer & Burrill LLP
Backed byStanford
About Hill, Farrer & Burrill LLP
Hill Farrer & Burrill LLP is a Los Angeles-based law firm founded around 1923 that has maintained its position as a sophisticated mid-sized alternative to BigLaw for over a century. Operating from a single downtown office at One California Plaza, the firm intentionally keeps a lean footprint of approximately 40 attorneys and 35 support staff, having deliberately scaled back from larger headcounts in prior decades. Hill Farrer positions itself as offering high-caliber legal work without the scale, excessive hours, or bureaucratic complexity associated with AmLaw 100 firms. The firm distinguishes itself through a distinctive compensation structure that provides associates with a guaranteed base salary and the opportunity to transition onto a system that pays a monthly percentage of collections after the firm achieves profitability.
Company at a glance
Founders & Leadership
Top Benefits
- Associates receive a guaranteed base salary.
- The system pays a monthly percentage of collections on top of base salary.
- Once associates demonstrate profitability, the partnership can vote them onto the system.
Location
About the Team
Team Distribution
- Legal & Operations99%
- Other1%
Where the Team Studied
- 1.University of Southern California
- 2.University of California, Los Angeles
- 3.Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- 4.University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco
- 5.Santa Clara University
Team Worked At
- O'Melveny & Myers LLP
- Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
- Foley & Lardner LLP
- Troy & Gould
Team Composition
69 people- Business Development28
- Legal20
- Accounting4
- Consulting3
- Information Technology1 senior3
- Administrative2
- Finance1 senior2
- Community and Social Services1
Culture & values
Culture is collegial.
Culture is quality-driven.
There is a low-ego environment focused on craft and client service.
The firm positions itself as a sophisticated mid-sized alternative to BigLaw with high-caliber work and demanding clients.
The firm emphasizes avoiding the scale, hours, and bureaucracy of an AmLaw 100 firm.
Associates are expected to deliver quality work and are given real responsibility early, with leaders who read drafts and care about work product.
The firm trains rather than pushes training onto clients, absorbing training time within the team.
Staff include long-tenured employees, such as secretaries with around 30-year tenures.
Funding History
Frequently asked questions
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