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Should I go to PI firm?

Currently insurance defense attorney with book of around $1....
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
Do it
Mustard hell
  12/08/25
how in the fuck do you have 250 active matters? like serious...
Glittery theater
  12/08/25
All at various stages. Some could be Presuit, some in litig...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
And how many associates to run those?
racy bright parlor therapy
  12/08/25
We’ve got a total of 8 or so associates that I’m...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
this is blowing my mind. are these all pure SPS tiny ass cas...
Glittery theater
  12/08/25
Associates handle most of the work on small ones, clients ex...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
every time I talk to ID guys they say shit like this mean...
Motley bat shit crazy principal's office
  12/09/25
can you reflect on being a lawyer and whether you enjoy the ...
fantasy-prone juggernaut tanning salon
  12/08/25
...
fantasy-prone juggernaut tanning salon
  12/08/25
There’s no way in hell I’d ever do ID and more p...
yellow market
  12/08/25
Thought about that. The guy I’d be working with cant ...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
I think it's a lot of fun and I don't -- not for a single mi...
yellow market
  12/08/25
I hear this consistently. Never heard any pl atty in my sta...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
You really should have done it earlier before you created th...
yellow market
  12/08/25
Yeah with a larger pl case to bring with me feels like the b...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/09/25
This is correct.
Zombie-like Translucent Stage Hominid
  12/08/25
mfcr
mahogany histrionic home
  12/09/25
"Being a wild-eyed lunatical true believer who fails to...
Motley bat shit crazy principal's office
  12/09/25
The hardest thing is to transfer from defense work to plaint...
Zombie-like Translucent Stage Hominid
  12/09/25
No, you got it wrong. As Plaintiff Counsel the mindset i...
brindle reading party
  01/08/26
"Being a wild-eyed lunatical true believer who fails to...
brindle reading party
  01/08/26
is your book worthless outside the firm? why not start ur ow...
Outnumbered spectacular prole weed whacker
  12/08/25
I’ve thought of that but then I’d have to work e...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
Start an XO firm with your bros. I can come work for you
Mustard hell
  12/08/25
Ha you don’t want to do ID in my state. Is hell
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  12/08/25
titcr
Wine Concupiscible Property
  12/09/25
>your limited to number of hours in a year on how much yo...
Outnumbered spectacular prole weed whacker
  12/08/25
That’s a good deal. PI is the best way to lawyer in a ...
Wine Concupiscible Property
  12/09/25
Why do you like lawsuits?
Mustard hell
  12/09/25
Work at your own pace, your workup adds value, negotiation i...
Wine Concupiscible Property
  12/09/25
go on
Motley bat shit crazy principal's office
  12/09/25
Not just PI
Comical school cafeteria
  01/08/26
"interesting parties like one guy who accused everyone ...
brindle reading party
  01/08/26
Depositions and let do
Comical school cafeteria
  01/08/26
blind taste test
Boyish Black Church Building
  01/09/26
Update: founding partner sniffed out that I www thinking of ...
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  01/08/26
So you have to suck his cock for the next 12 months and MAYB...
brindle reading party
  01/08/26
i am for op but his phrasing above tells you where this is u...
Diverse Cerise Preventive Strike Rigpig
  01/08/26
Fuck that guy. If he wanted to keep you, he could have treat...
maize karate
  01/09/26
250 active matters sounds like an ethics problem
Comical school cafeteria
  01/08/26
Not even remotely close to one.
Arrogant useless brakes brunch
  01/08/26
You should definitely do it. Insurance defense is 120. At le...
maize karate
  01/09/26


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:38 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Currently insurance defense attorney with book of around $1.2m per year. Making 250k-300k annually. It basically sucks, as you can imagine. Constant marketing and conference trips along with billing time sucks. My book is somewhat dependent on how many associates I can hire, so we’re constantly hiring new people, but older ones leave so it’s a net neutral for us annually. Founding partners book is around $4m and he basically does whatever he wants and is making around 700-900k a year. I’m not sure I have the energy required to oversee a book that big on a defense basis. I’ve already got 250 open matters and it’s getting hard to keep up with that. Founding partner says he’s retiring in 5 years, but I think he’s going to run this place his way until he dies.

Pi firm with some guys I know offered me a job where I could take the one pl case I currently have, which will give me a 150k fee, keep the entire fee, and they’d pay me a salary of 100k for the first year to build up my caseload with them through cases they’ve got. After that, I’d be on a % of cases they handle. They’ve got around 350 cases themselves.

Thoughts?

TLDR- pl firm pay package is about the same as I’m making and Id work a lot less but I’d be lighting my client base on fire with hope of making more after year 1 w pl firm, but no guarantee as is.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494023)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:39 PM
Author: Mustard hell

Do it

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494029)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:47 PM
Author: Glittery theater

how in the fuck do you have 250 active matters? like seriously what the shit, man?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494047)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:50 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

All at various stages. Some could be Presuit, some in litigation, some settled but not closed.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494067)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:55 PM
Author: racy bright parlor therapy

And how many associates to run those?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494080)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:03 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

We’ve got a total of 8 or so associates that I’m feeding work to but they’re shared by all the partners.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494099)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:59 PM
Author: Glittery theater

this is blowing my mind. are these all pure SPS tiny ass cases? idgi. dat too many cases. how do you not commit malpractice much less actually litigate these well

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494091)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:01 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Associates handle most of the work on small ones, clients expect that. I handle the bigger ones, trucking, catastrophic injuries, complex ones with more associate help. This is fairly normal imo. Most of my partners have way more than I do

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494095)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:33 AM
Author: Motley bat shit crazy principal's office

every time I talk to ID guys they say shit like this

meanwhile I have 12 maybe 20 - depends on what you mean by "active" but still



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496121)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 1:47 PM
Author: fantasy-prone juggernaut tanning salon

can you reflect on being a lawyer and whether you enjoy the direction your life has gone

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494048)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 9:56 PM
Author: fantasy-prone juggernaut tanning salon



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495479)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:02 PM
Author: yellow market

There’s no way in hell I’d ever do ID and more ppl should make the switch, but your results are better than most and you could easily end up worse off. The bizdev skills are different, the community is different, the legal skills are different. Being a wild-eyed lunatical true believer who fails to see any flaws in your own case theories is a HUGE ASSET, not flame; the reasonable, see-the-other-side moderation and caution you’ll bring with you from ID will drag you down to the seabed floor like a cinderblock if you don’t push it away with both hands.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494096)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:10 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Thought about that. The guy I’d be working with cant see anyone’s side but his own. One pro of going to pl side is judges tend to side with plaintiffs on motions. Discovery is the bane of my existence (companies not wanting to turn stuff over, lying to you, etc.) so at least I wouldn’t have to deal with that.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494127)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 6:45 PM
Author: yellow market

I think it's a lot of fun and I don't -- not for a single microsecond on my very worst day -- regret or second-guess the decision.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495021)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 7:42 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

I hear this consistently. Never heard any pl atty in my state say they regretted it. Dont have any defense attorney say that

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495180)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 7:51 PM
Author: yellow market

You really should have done it earlier before you created the opportunity for regret associated with your perfectly good current income.

I see these guys on the other side slaving away for what I believe is like $110K, and for them there's NO FUCKING WAY they should stay. It's purely an inertia trap--an assumption that they're way bigger pussies than they actually are.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495196)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 8:35 AM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Yeah with a larger pl case to bring with me feels like the best chance I’ll have at this point

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496010)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 9:02 PM
Author: Zombie-like Translucent Stage Hominid

This is correct.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495341)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 8:57 AM
Author: mahogany histrionic home

mfcr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496058)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:37 AM
Author: Motley bat shit crazy principal's office

"Being a wild-eyed lunatical true believer who fails to see any flaws in your own case theories is a HUGE ASSET, not flame; the reasonable, see-the-other-side moderation and caution you’ll bring with you from ID will drag you down to the seabed floor like a cinderblock if you don’t push it away with both hands. "

holy shit is this the truth

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496128)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 10:42 AM
Author: Zombie-like Translucent Stage Hominid

The hardest thing is to transfer from defense work to plaintiffs work. The mindset is entirely different. Defense counsel “I’m not a danger seeker judge”. Plaintiffs counsel “i Am a danger seeker. Let me get the win now and I’ll deal with any appeals down the road”. Totally different mentality.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496245)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:35 PM
Author: brindle reading party

No, you got it wrong.

As Plaintiff Counsel the mindset is, "I am the FUCKING DANGER if you let me get this case in front of a jury."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574162)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:34 PM
Author: brindle reading party

"Being a wild-eyed lunatical true believer who fails to see any flaws in your own case theories is a HUGE ASSET, not flame;"

This is true. You need to scrutinize a case on the FRONT END, because once you've committed to signing the client up, then you've stuck your dick all the in and can't pull out.

You have to be a true believer because nobody is going to give you any money unless you BUILD THE CASE from the ground up and show them the risk of liability.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574159)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:04 PM
Author: Outnumbered spectacular prole weed whacker

is your book worthless outside the firm? why not start ur own ID firm w that kind of book?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494101)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:08 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

I’ve thought of that but then I’d have to work even more than I am now. I’d be hiring a billing person, paralegal, secretary, associates and have to get an office etc. May work out eventually, but the thought of being tied to billing time is a concern since your limited to number of hours in a year on how much you can make

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494121)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 2:13 PM
Author: Mustard hell

Start an XO firm with your bros. I can come work for you

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494132)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 6:25 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Ha you don’t want to do ID in my state. Is hell

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49494964)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:12 AM
Author: Wine Concupiscible Property

titcr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496079)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 8th, 2025 10:49 PM
Author: Outnumbered spectacular prole weed whacker

>your limited to number of hours in a year on how much you can make

no, you can more associates. sky's the limit

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49495576)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:11 AM
Author: Wine Concupiscible Property

That’s a good deal. PI is the best way to lawyer in a bunch of different ways and it’s not even close. Every time I dabble in some other kind of law I keep thinking about how I wish I were suing someone instead

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496078)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:16 AM
Author: Mustard hell

Why do you like lawsuits?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496091)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:28 AM
Author: Wine Concupiscible Property

Work at your own pace, your workup adds value, negotiation is a fun game, occasional briefing battles are fun, a lot of times you just write a letter and make tons of money, finding a little nugget of evidence that helps is exciting, interesting parties like one guy who accused everyone of putting cum in his cereal

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496106)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 9th, 2025 9:38 AM
Author: Motley bat shit crazy principal's office

go on

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49496129)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:34 PM
Author: Comical school cafeteria

Not just PI

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574157)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:36 PM
Author: brindle reading party

"interesting parties like one guy who accused everyone of putting cum in his cereal"

DESCRIBE the discovery process for htis

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574168)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:45 PM
Author: Comical school cafeteria

Depositions and let do

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574211)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 9th, 2026 12:09 AM
Author: Boyish Black Church Building

blind taste test

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574794)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:31 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Update: founding partner sniffed out that I www thinking of leaving and confronted me after 2026 partner pay formula was calculated and I went down. If we distribute the same amount as last year, I make 30k less, and I supposed he knew I’d be pissed.

Spent like 2 hours yesterday trying to talk me out of it then brought in my buddy who is also a shareholder (and who presumably would run the firm with me in a few years) to also try and talk me out of it.

Same story today. Promised me that if I only made 270k this year he’d personally pay me 100k out of his pocket to keep me, which I thought was pretty cool of him. Final decision still in air

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574152)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:37 PM
Author: brindle reading party

So you have to suck his cock for the next 12 months and MAYBE he'll give you an extra $100k. . .before taxes?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574173)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:49 PM
Author: Diverse Cerise Preventive Strike Rigpig

i am for op but his phrasing above tells you where this is ultimately headed. “he’d give me $100k out of his OWN POCKET! gee golly what a swell guy!”

the correct way to look at it is the main partner, in order to keep the spigot turned on, is willing, only upon feeling he’s now being put to the screws on the matter, to let op keep a larger cut of op’s book that’s been going into HIS pocket for a decade now.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574226)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 9th, 2026 6:39 AM
Author: maize karate

Fuck that guy. If he wanted to keep you, he could have treated you right before.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574966)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 9:33 PM
Author: Comical school cafeteria

250 active matters sounds like an ethics problem

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574156)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2026 11:59 PM
Author: Arrogant useless brakes brunch

Not even remotely close to one.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574785)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 9th, 2026 12:15 AM
Author: maize karate

You should definitely do it. Insurance defense is 120. At least with Pi you can make money.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5807926&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310481#49574801)