Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP - The Inside View

There’s a stereotype that a lawyer’s life is dominated by one word: bureaucracy. In a profession that exists to navigate strict rules and regulations, it’s inevitable that some careers get bogged down in paperwork or stuck waiting at the back of the office hierarchy’s line. At Holwell, Shuster & Goldberg, though, a different word kept coming up in conversations with associates: meritocracy.

As a busy boutique with streamlined teams and no shortage of work, HSG hands associates real responsibilities early – and crucially, tasks are assigned by ability rather than seniority, meaning high-fliers can build their resumes fast. “That experience of doing something that felt way above my pay grade or specific associate year helped me feel like I was becoming a good litigator,” one source enthused.

“The rigor, intellectual intensity, and complexity of a big law firm, combined with the small, hands-on, close-knit team feel of a boutique.”

It’s not without its demands - “it’s definitely a high-hours firm” - but associates were clear that the hard work pays off. A flexible, on-the-job approach to training and a culture where a “go-getter attitude is the norm” means the ceiling here is largely self-imposed.

The firm itself is proof of that ethos. Little more than a decade old, HSG might lack the illustrious history of the Big Apple’s established names, but that hasn’t stopped it rapidly climbing through New York’s Litigation: General Commercial rankings in the Chambers USA guide – and it’s already reached the summit in the specialist area of RMBS Litigation for institutional plaintiffs. As one junior put it, HSG offers “the rigor, intellectual intensity, and complexity of a big law firm, combined with the small, hands-on, close-knit team feel of a boutique.”

Strategy & Future

With just one office in the heart of New York, HSG is already a selective employer, and we heard that the firm is doubling down on its focused appeal. “The strategy is that the firm should always remain a true litigation boutique, with no more than 100 lawyers doing high-stakes commercial litigation,” one source explained, to “preserve the culture that we have: tight-knit and high-morale.”

That’s not to say the future is stagnant, however, as the firm is expanding its client book beyond the “big institutional clients who are the bread and butter” with a broader range of organizations of all shapes and sizes. Throughout all this, two associate liaisons ensure that juniors’ views are always heard at the leadership level.

Summer Program

“It’s a very hit-the-ground-running kind of place.”

“It’s a very hit-the-ground-running kind of place,” was one interviewee’s summary of their introduction to HSG. “It’s a friendly firm and easy to get used to,” they continued, “but it’s also intense and you jump right in.” The firm’s ten-week summer program is a key part of this rapid immersion in the world of high-stakes litigation.

Participants receive the same kind of work as first-years, and at a firm like HSG, that can mean tackling some hefty responsibilities! However, partner and associate mentors are on hand to guide summers through the whole process, including tasks which typically span trial prep, attending hearings, and working with witnesses. There is also a lively calendar of events to ensure that newbies are integrated into the firm’s social life as quickly as they are into its workflow; these include major league baseball games, Broadway shows, Shakespeare in the Park plays, and a big summer outing to which families are also invited.

The Work

As a boutique dedicated to contentious matters, HSG is the place to be for one type of work in particular: commercial litigation. Within that broader field, the firm has an especially strong practice in the insurance litigation niche, where it regularly represents industry giants such as Chubb. Associates we spoke to were a little divided on how they felt about this focus. While some said that they would prefer more variety in the topics covered, others reported finding the progression between different phases of insurance matters procedurally interesting and noted that “insurance covers a large amount of things, so the underlying subject matter is diverse even if it’s all insurance.” Other areas of litigation where the firm is strong include appellate law, though we heard that it helps to have some prior experience via relevant clerkships if you want to get involved in this regularly.

On the subject of work allocation, in keeping with the firm’s streamlined, non-bureaucratic approach, mandatory rotation between practice areas is kept to a minimum. There is a staffing partner to whom associates can express preferences for specific matter types, but in general, “the allocation system is very non-formalized compared to a BigLaw firm.” Building relationships with partners forms part of the process and can help ensure that associates get a chance to rejoin those partners’ teams for future cases. New recruits needn’t fear being left on the shelf, however, as booming business means “there is more work than there are associates.”

As for what tasks an associate will be handling day-to-day, these naturally range widely. Less favored options included “urgent data-related tasks” and “endless discovery,” whereas several sources reported getting particular satisfaction from drafting motions; one explained, “I get a lot of motion practice, drafting them and carrying them to filing, which involves its own coordination and management challenges, and I find that exciting and hands-on.” Other common jobs include writing deficiency letters, doc review, briefing clients, and taking depositions.

As we mentioned earlier, an important aspect of the firm is how ability, rather than tenure, is key to determining which of these tasks associates will be doing most. “If you prove you can master the facts, there’s no limit on when you can start taking depositions,” one source said, noting that “if you’re a third year who is a rock star, you can be doing the work of a seventh year.”

Of course, the flipside of this is that mid-levels and seniors may sometimes have to help out with the more routine duties that might be reserved for juniors at other firms. Nonetheless, HSG’s culture of tightly integrated teams helps to alleviate this burden; we heard that “the tasks are shared fairly so that no-one gets stuck on the rote ones for too long” and that “everyone understands we don’t have an army of cogs to do this work, so everyone pitches in – even partners.” There was also praise from associates for the way in which responsibilities are set and communicated efficiently. “Litigation is unpredictable, and a lot is expected of you,” one source told us, “But in terms of the teamwork, leadership, and delegation, it feels very clear.”

Commercial Litigation Clients: Chubb, Visa, IBM. Secured awards of over $150 million for Zunum Aero in a successful trade secrets case against Boeing.

Career Development

Given everything we’ve covered so far, it won’t surprise you to hear that HSG believes the best learning takes place in the courtroom or the boardroom. Although there are some CLE classes and associate development lunches, the bulk of training opportunities are on-the-job.

Juniors generally saw the value of this “trial by fire” approach. One described how, “When I first joined, I was looking for something that was a bit more ‘we will teach you the ropes and walk you through step by step’ but I’m actually glad it wasn’t like that,” as “there’s something valuable about tackling these challenges, and it helps you to grow.”

In any case, associates aren’t facing these challenges alone, as everyone is assigned an official partner mentor and an associate buddy to help them adjust to life at the firm. On top of this, there are lots of informal mentoring opportunities, and we heard that partners are keen to help with rookies’ queries. One associate advised new starters to “seek out your own mentors,” as “I’ve found that people are really helpful and open when you approach them, and when I’ve asked them a lot of random questions.”

Culture

“I would say the typical personality type is friendly, upbeat, ambitious and industrious; it’s kind of a high-energy vibe.”

“I would say the typical personality type is friendly, upbeat, ambitious and industrious; it’s kind of a high-energy vibe.” This summary tracks with everything else we heard about the firm’s culture. The expectation is that you take ownership rather than wait to be told what to do - “Don’t sit on your hands and wait for people to tell you what to do, and for there to be a clear hierarchy.” – but ambition doesn’t tumble into competition. Associates described a “a united front” and a “remarkable camaraderie about people being willing to step in and help out when someone else is busy.”

This close-knit culture is anchored in HSG’s single Manhattan office, sitting right in the shadow of the Chrysler Building: “The people who run the office are fantastic.” Although social events aren’t the main event, (there are weekly happy hours, but we heard attendance varies), there’s plenty going on in any case; the building houses a gym and a golf simulator, and associates described an office where “there are always people there on my floor that I can chat to.”

Associates are generally expected to be in three days a week, though the real measure it output rather than presence – as one insider put it, “It’s not the kind of environment where people are checking when you’re scanning yourself in and out. What’s enforced is the amount of work and the quality of it,” they continued, joking, “if you bill 2,500 hours from Tahiti and it’s good, no-one’s going to be on your back about that!”

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: No set amount

Speaking of hours, there is actually no official billable target. Some insiders suggested 2,100 hours as an informal benchmark to aim for, but there was uncertainty on this point. In any case, interviewees were not too worried about falling short; that danger is “theoretical, because I don’t know anyone who’s in danger of not hitting that.”

That is largely due to the fact “the partners are not shy about wanting us to work hard,” one associate told us. Nonetheless, our interviewees did report being able to refuse work if they had too much on their plate, and that the staffing partner could be “really helpful” when trying to navigate a packed to-do list. “There are high expectations, but we don’t want to be a BigLaw sweatshop kind of place,” one source reflected, “There’s a sense that we want to do good work, and we won’t add you to a matter if you can’t do that.”

In return for their efforts, associates receive compensation that matches the top firms in New York, including bonuses at or above the market rate. There is also a clerkship bonus available for those joining with that extra experience under their belt, starting at $125,000 for those who have clerked for a year and rising to $150,000 for those who have completed two years of placements.

Pro Bono

Somewhere amongst all that hard work, HSG’s litigators also find the time to commit to pro bono causes. “I’ve personally never felt that there is a conflict between billables and pro bono,” one told us, describing the firm’s pro bono program as “robust.” There are multiple ways to get involved: a monthly meeting provides updates about progress and opportunities, individual partners reach out with cases they would like volunteers to join, and associates also have the ability to find and pitch their own matters.

Although the work done “really runs the gamut,” a lot of it tends to be in the field of criminal litigation, which can provide novel opportunities for associates to sharpen their skills. Among the highlights, we heard that “appellate work and amicus briefs are – I won’t say easy – but cool, interesting, and fun.”

Pro bono hours

• For all (US) attorneys: 9,335
• Average per US attorney: 80

Inclusion

HSG’s affinity groups have “a pretty large presence” in the life of the firm. Among these, the group for Asian lawyers is said to be the most active in terms of running socials and other events. Meanwhile, an area where the firm particularly shines is helping parents balance their work life with their responsibilities at home. “It’s great with family,” one source confirmed, noting that the firm is generous in its approach to parental leave, and that if childcare responsibilities clash with deadlines, HSG’s partners are always understanding.

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

Holwell Shuster & Goldberg actively recruits law students through both on– and off–campus initiatives. HSG accepts direct applications from students interested in its summer associate program and full–time associate positions. In addition, the firm builds relationships with select law reviews and journals, as well as student resource and affinity groups, to introduce students to the firm and its practice. At certain schools, HSG hosts on–campus and off–campus receptions for law review members, providing opportunities for students to meet and engage with HSG attorneys in person and learn more about the firm’s culture and work.

Callbacks

Successful candidates are interviewed at the firm’s New York office, meeting with a mix of four partners and two associates of different levels. These interviews generally take place in a single day, preferably in person—though allowance is made for remote callbacks on a case-by-case basis. Founding partner the Hon. Richard J. Holwell tells us the budding litigation boutique is on the hunt for “talented, creative, strategic lawyers.” Holwell also shines some light on the interview questions: “The questions we ask are geared toward confirming a candidate’s interest in litigating at a firm like ours and ensuring that we hire top talent.  Our close-knit, collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves culture is important to us, and we look for candidates who share that spirit.”

Top tips:

“Be yourself.  We are looking for colleagues who we will enjoy working with over the long term, and the best way for us to assess that is if you are genuine and relaxed during the interview.”– Richard Holwell

“The firm has a pretty eclectic group of characters and people do well to be themselves here. So be sure to offer your opinion, whatever that may be.”– a third-year associate

Summer program

The summer associate program at Holwell Shuster & Goldberg is designed to provide students with a realistic and immersive introduction to life as a litigation associate. Summer associates step directly into the shoes of first– and second–year associates, working on substantive, real–world assignments such as deposition preparation, brief drafting, and in–depth legal research.

Each summer associate is assigned to a “home team,” allowing them to participate in strategy discussions, attend meetings, and observe the progression of a case over time. At the same time, summer associates are encouraged to seek out assignments across different matters and practices, giving them exposure to a wide range of lawyers, clients, and litigation styles throughout the firm.

Beyond the work itself, HSG places a strong emphasis on mentorship, feedback, and community. The firm organizes a variety of social events throughout the summer—from cocktail receptions to baseball games—as well as the opportunity to attend the firm’s annual summer outing. Holwell encourages summer associates to make the most of the experience by diving into their assignments, actively seeking feedback, and taking full advantage of the opportunities to learn, collaborate, and build relationships with a diverse group of lawyers across the firm.

Top tips:

“Be confident in your abilities, make a strong personal impression, and enjoy the give and take of discussing and working through challenging issues with your colleagues.” – Richard Holwell

“Take the mask off before you come here.” – a second-year associate

And finally...

The firm's founding partner leaves us with some food for thought… "HSG is a non-hierarchical meritocracy where the value of one’s ideas counts far more than one’s seniority level," Holwell suggests.