When
we
think
of
the
perks
that
an
elite
law
firm
might
offer
to
its
attorneys,
our
minds
often
(quickly)
wander
to
the
realm
of
compensation.
While
big
bonuses
and
even
bigger
salaries
are
highly
regarded
in
the
legal
profession,
perhaps
it’s
time
to
expand
our
horizons
and
consider
a
firm’s
culture
and
learning
opportunities
as
major
selling
points.
Your
firm
may
offer
extensive
benefits
of
all
kinds,
but
do
attorneys
feel
like
they’re
growing
in
their
trade?
Are
lawyers
at
your
firm
being
truly
taught
to
excel
in
the
field?
Holwell
Shuster
&
Goldberg
—
the
elite
boutique
founded
in
2012
by
former
Southern
District
of
New
York
Judge
Richard
Holwell,
along
with
former
White
&
Case
colleagues
Mike
Shuster,
Dan
Goldberg,
and
Dorit
Ungar
Black
—
is
a
destination
firm
for
litigators.
More
than
a
decade
later,
HSG
is
an
award-winning
firm,
having
recently
claimed
the
title
of
Benchmark
Litigation’s
New
York
Law
Firm
of
the
Year,
and
boasts
nearly
80
lawyers
peeled
away
from
Biglaw
mainstays.
Associates
at
the
firm
are
also
getting
paid
like
their
Biglaw
brethren.
The
firm
has
matched
the
Cravath
salary
and
bonus
scale
since
2016,
but
the
compensation
isn’t
the
only
major
draw
for
talent
at
the
firm.
Holwell
Shuster
focuses
on
really
training
its
attorneys
for
a
lifetime
of
success
in
court,
and
makes
a
conscientious
effort
to
make
each
of
them
feel
empowered
through
early
career
experience.
Holwell
Shuster
&
Goldberg
is
completely
committed
to
developing
the
finest
associates
by
putting
complete
trust
in
them
at
the
earliest
opportunity,
allowing
them
to
grow
exponentially
as
litigators.
We
recently
had
the
chance
to
chat
with
several
associates
at
the
firm,
who
spoke
incredibly
highly
of
the
many
opportunities
that
have
been
afforded
to
them
through
the
firm’s
unique
training
style.
It’s
often
said
that
the
best
lawyers
learn
by
doing.
How
does
Holwell
Shuster
&
Goldberg’s
model
embody
that
sentiment?
LAUREN
COLE:
I
came
to
HSG
because
I
wanted
the
opportunity
to
learn
more
by
doing.
I
wanted
the
opportunity
to
lead
my
cases
and
take
the
lead
on
important
parts
of
the
case,
like
depositions
and
motion
practice.
Right
away,
I
was
put
in
the
position
of
being
a
key
strategic
mind
on
my
cases.
I
was
helping
to
craft
our
discovery
and
deposition
strategy.
I
was
learning
how
to
manage
a
case
and
plan
ahead,
not
just
reacting
whenever
I
was
given
an
assignment.
One
of
my
best
experiences
came
when
I
was
a
fourth-year
associate.
I
had
been
working
on
a
case
for
the
better
part
of
two
years
and
knew
the
documents
and
our
story
inside
and
out.
It
was
a
billion-dollar
international
arbitration
hearing,
so
there
was
a
lot
at
stake,
but
the
lead
partner
on
the
case
gave
me
my
own
witness
to
take
at
trial
and
had
me
prep
our
key
witnesses
in
the
case.
That
opportunity
was
indicative
of
my
experience
here
as
a
whole.
Partners
and
more
senior
associates
do
not
keep
opportunities
at
bay
for
more
junior
associates.
If
you
show
that
you
are
eager
for
the
work
and
the
opportunities,
they
will
come
to
you.
I
have
yet
to
ask
for
an
opportunity
that
I
did
not
get,
whether
that
be
oral
arguments,
taking
depositions
or
writing
dispositive
motions.
That
is
part
of
the
reason
I
have
truly
enjoyed
growing
my
practice
here.
HSG
is
a
place
where
the
partnership
really
invests
in
the
development
of
its
associates
early
on
in
their
careers.
What
makes
trial
work
fun?
IAN
MILLER:
I
had
a
blast
at
our
trial
representing
a
small
supplier
against
Walmart.
I
loved
that
the
intense
pace
meant
that
I
saw
the
impact
of
my
work
immediately,
as
my
research
done
one
night
would
be
immediately
tested
in
my
argument
in
court
the
next
morning.
Our
lean
trial
team
was
a
true
team
effort,
and
because
the
partners
took
everyone’s
strategic
ideas
seriously,
the
whole
team
was
motivated
to
stay
focused
on
how
their
individual
pieces
of
the
trial
fit
into
the
broader
strategic
vision.
I
was
really
invested
in
each
twist
and
turn
of
the
trial,
and
each
night
during
trial
I
drafted
part
of
an
outline
of
the
closing
argument
and
sketched
a
few
potential
slides
for
the
closing.
Closing
arguments
landed
on
a
Monday,
and
we
had
a
furious
push
over
the
weekend
to
get
everything
ready.
Because
I
had
already
developed
an
outline
and
some
slides
throughout
trial,
my
work
helped
shape
the
final
themes
and
narrative.
Watching
the
jury’s
reaction
to
those
ideas
during
our
closing
argument
and
then
waiting
for
their
verdict
was
equal
parts
exciting
and
excruciating,
but
it
was
all
worth
it
when
the
foreperson
announced
a
$101
million
verdict
for
our
client.
Trial
work
isn’t
the
only
thing
that’s
fun
at
Holwell
Shuster.
Here’s
the
firm’s
London
Luxury
trial
team
viewing
the
total
solar
eclipse
between
closing
arguments
in
the
case.
Miller
is
the
associate
taking
the
selfie
shot
here,
along
with
the
rest
of
the
trial
team.
In
the
front
row
(from
left
to
right)
are
Brendon
DeMay,
HSG
partner;
Karen
Sebaski,
HSG
counsel;
and
Priyanka
Timblo,
HSG
partner.
In
the
back
row
(from
left
to
right)
are
Scott
Richardson,
Arkansas
counsel;
Christine
Sun,
former
HSG
paralegal;
Ben
Allen,
former
HSG
associate;
Mike
Pusterla,
FTI
trial
graphics;
and
Gordon
Lewis,
London
Luxury.
(Courtesy
photo)
How
has
the
firm’s
early
trial
exposure
for
associates
impacted
your
career
development?
BRIAN
GOLDMAN:
HSG’s
early
trial
exposure
has
positively
impacted
my
career
development
in
innumerable
ways.
The
key
adjective
in
that
question
is
“early,”
because
when
you
get
stand-up
trial
experience
towards
the
start
of
your
career,
the
next
time
you
do
it
—
and
then
the
third
and
fourth
time
you
do
it
—
you
can
start
to
hone
your
style,
all
while
still
being
an
associate,
which
is
really
rare
these
days
in
high-impact
litigation
practices.
I’ve
experienced
this
firsthand.
When
I
was
a
junior
associate,
I
second-chaired
a
bunch
of
examinations
in
a
major
federal
antitrust
jury
trial.
I
got
to
see
so
many
different
styles
and
approaches
from
all
types
of
good
lawyers
—
both
at
HSG
and
from
our
opposing
counsel
—
and
filed
that
away
as
sort
of
live
practice
tips.
And
then
a
few
months
later,
I
actually
took
a
witness
in
an
international
arbitration
seated
in
Switzerland.
I
was
across
from
the
senior
partner
on
the
matter,
who
worked
at
a
Biglaw
firm.
I
was
highly
focused
on
doing
the
examination
technically
correctly
—
getting
out
all
the
questions,
and
hopefully,
the
answers
we
needed
—
and
just
wanted
to
avoid
any
hiccups.
Following
that,
across
the
years,
I
had
other
opportunities,
including
examining
witnesses
in
a
different
international
arbitration
merits
hearing,
and
then
in
a
bankruptcy
trial
in
federal
court
in
Houston.
In
all
these
instances,
you’re
continually
honing
your
style,
finding
the
pitch
that
is
comfortable
for
you,
and
also
just
becoming
more
confident.
Things
slow
down
a
bit.
And
so,
by
the
time
I
examined
witnesses
in
a
jury
trial
in
Seattle
federal
court
a
few
months
ago,
I
remember
one
of
the
witnesses
who
I
was
examining
asked
me
if
I
was
his
first
—
and
I
very
proudly
said
“nope!”
As
you
go
on,
you’re
still
focusing
on
getting
down
to
brass
tacks
and
making
sure
the
examination
is
technically
sound,
but
the
experience
that
you
have
is
a
reed
you
can
lean
on
and
learn
from,
and
lets
you
look
beyond
the
outline
and
adjust
based
on
what
the
witness
is
saying,
how
the
jury
or
judge
is
reacting,
why
you’re
drawing
an
objection
from
opposing
counsel,
and
that
type
of
thing.
And
building
that
confidence
and
familiarity
while
you’re
an
associate
is
invaluable.
What
does
it
feel
like
to
work
at
a
firm
where
you’re
entrusted
with
a
substantial
role
in
a
high-stakes
litigation
matter
so
early
in
your
career?
CHARLOTTE
BAIGENT:
It’s
both
motivating
and
humbling.
I
am
so
grateful
to
work
with
incredibly
talented
lawyers
I
admire,
who
are
also
kind,
supportive,
and
encouraging
mentors
and
colleagues.
Working
at
a
firm
where
I’ve
been
entrusted
with
significant
responsibilities
in
high-stakes
litigation
early
on
has
pushed
me
to
become
a
better
lawyer
as
quickly
as
I
can
—
to
learn
to
trust
my
instincts,
to
lead,
to
really
understand
my
clients,
and
to
make
strategic
decisions
with
the
full
life
of
the
case
in
mind.
Since
joining
HSG,
I
have
had
opportunities
to
take
and
defend
many
depositions,
examine
expert
witnesses
at
trial,
argue
evidentiary
issues
at
trial,
draft
trial
and
appellate
briefs,
and
help
manage
complex,
high-stakes
litigation.
At
each
of
those
moments
in
my
career,
I
had
mentors
and
colleagues
who
invested
a
great
deal
of
their
time
to
help
me
develop
my
skills
and
reach
the
next
stage
in
my
career
development.
Congratulations
to
Holwell
Shuster
&
Goldberg
for
its
willingness
to
put
its
attorneys’
trial
experience
and
career
development
first,
above
all
else.
With
a
firm
culture
like
this,
it
makes
it
a
lot
easier
for
employees
to
feel
truly
valued
as
attorneys.
What
does
the
culture
at
your
law
firm
look
like?
We’d
love
to
profile
what
life
looks
like
at
your
firm.
Please
get
in
touch
with
us
—
via
text (646-820-8477)
or email (subject
line:
“[Firm
Name]
Culture”)
—
and
let
us
know.
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on
X/Twitter
and
Threads
or
connect
with
her
on
LinkedIn.