Sadinsky
(courtesy
photo)
When
it
comes
to
building
a
litigation
career,
Biglaw
has
long
been
sold
as
the
default
path,
the
place
where
ambitious
associates
go
to
cut
their
teeth
before
maybe,
someday,
seeing
the
inside
of
a
courtroom.
But
take
a
closer
look,
and
you’ll
see
boutique
litigation
firms
steadily
making
their
case,
offering
not
just
comparable
work,
but
the
kind
of
hands-on
experience
Biglaw
often
keeps
just
out
of
reach,
from
faster-moving
matters
to
meaningful
courtroom
exposure
and
genuinely
collaborative
teams.
So
why
are
more
litigators
rethinking
the
traditional
Biglaw
path
in
favor
of
boutiques?
Who
better
to
ask
than
a
new
partner
who
left
Biglaw
to
join
an
elite
boutique
firm
that’s
built
its
reputation
on
actually
trying
cases
and
putting
associates
in
the
mix
early?
I
recently
had
the
pleasure
of
chatting
with Alexandra
Sadinsky,
who
left
Wachtell
about
two
years
ago
and
headed
to
litigation
boutique Elsberg
Baker
&
Maruri,
where
she’s
now
a
partner,
to
get
her
thoughts
on
the
difference
between
Biglaw
and
boutique
firms,
and
why
others
might
be
inspired
to
make
the
same
career
move.
Here
is
a
write-up
of
our
lively
conversation.
Staci
Zaretsky
(SZ):
You
made
the
jump
from
Wachtell
Lipton
to
a
partnership-track
role
at
a
litigation
boutique.
What
ultimately
convinced
you
to
leave
Biglaw,
and
what
did
you
see
at
Elsberg Baker
&
Maruri
that
felt
like
the
right
long-term
fit?
Alexandra
Sadinsky
(AS):
Leaving
Wachtell
wasn’t
an
easy
decision
—
it’s
one
of
the
great
law
firms
in
the
world,
and
I
learned
an
enormous
amount
there.
But
it
wasn’t
about
leaving
something
behind;
it
was
about
being
intentional
about
what
came
next.
My
mentors
there
encouraged
me
to
think
carefully
about
where
I
would
not
just
do
excellent
work,
but
grow
into
the
kind
of
lawyer
I
wanted
to
become.
What
drew
me
to
EBM
was
the
clarity
of
its
mission
and
how
well
it
aligned
with
my
own
ambitions.
The
work
is
as
sophisticated
and
high-stakes
as
anywhere,
but
the
focus
is
on
developing
true
trial
lawyers
—
giving
people
real
responsibility,
real
feedback,
and
a
real
path
to
partnership.
It
felt
less
like
a
lateral
move
and
more
like
finding
my
professional
home.
SZ:
Elsberg
Baker
&
Maruri
operates
as
a
tight-knit,
one-office
firm.
How
does
that
model
change
the
day-to-day
experience
of
practicing
law,
and
what
advantages
does
it
offer
compared
to
the
more
traditional
Biglaw
structure?
AS:
The
one-office
model
mattered
to
me
—
it’s
how
I
learned
to
practice
law.
Clerking
for
Judge
Cecchi
and
Judge
Chin,
I
sat
with
my
judges
and
co-clerks
every
day,
working
through
problems
in
real
time.
At
Wachtell,
I
was
three
doors
down
from
the
head
of
the
litigation
department,
and
a
quick
walk
down
the
hall
meant
you
could
test
an
idea
or
refine
an
argument
on
the
spot.
EBM
works
the
same
way
—
but
with
even
leaner
teams.
You’re
constantly
in
conversation
—
with
partners,
with
your
team
—
sharpening
arguments
and
pressure-testing
strategy
as
it
develops.
There’s
no
distance
between
the
people
doing
the
work
and
the
people
shaping
it.
That
makes
the
work
more
collaborative,
more
intense,
and
ultimately
more
effective.
You’re
not
just
executing
on
a
plan
—
you’re
helping
build
it
in
real
time.
SZ:
The
firm’s
leadership
includes
founding
partner
Silpa
Maruri.
How
meaningful
is
it,
in
your
view,
to
see
women
in
top
leadership
roles,
and
what
kind
of
signal
does
that
send
to
younger
lawyers
coming
up
in
the
profession?
AS:
What
makes
it
powerful
is
seeing
what
that
leadership
looks
like
in
practice.
Silpa
is
one
of
the
most
instinctive
and
effective
lawyers
I’ve
worked
with
—
quick
on
her
feet,
strategically
sharp,
with
a
remarkable
ability
to
cut
through
complexity
and
get
to
the
heart
of
an
argument.
When
I’m
working
through
a
difficult
issue,
she’s
often
the
first
person
I
turn
to
—
she
can
read
something
quickly
and
immediately
see
how
to
make
it
stronger.
Seeing
that
kind
of
leadership
up
close
changes
how
you
think
about
your
own
path.
It
makes
leadership
feel
tangible,
not
theoretical.
For
younger
lawyers
—
especially
women
—
it
signals
that
there
isn’t
a
single
mold
for
what
a
successful
litigator
looks
like.
Excellence,
judgment,
and
authenticity
matter.
And
Silpa
has
become
a
trusted
colleague
and
friend.
That’s
what
makes
people
stay,
grow,
and
lead
in
turn.
SZ:
As
someone
stepping
into
a
new
partnership
role
yourself,
how
do
you
think
about
mentorship,
and
what’s
one
piece
of
advice
you
consistently
give
to
junior
lawyers
trying
to
build
a
successful
litigation
career?
AS:
Mentorship
is
about
preparing
people
to
excel
when
the
opportunity
comes
—
not
just
giving
them
the
opportunity
itself.
That
means
helping
them
take
real
ownership
of
their
work:
every
word,
every
argument,
every
strategic
decision.
It
means
helping
them
find
their
own
voice
as
advocates.
You
can’t
just
imitate
someone
else’s
style
—
it
won’t
hold
when
you’re
tested.
You
have
to
understand
what
you’re
saying,
why
it
matters,
and
be
able
to
defend
it
from
every
angle.
I
worked
with
a
junior
associate
who
was
ready
to
take
ownership
of
a
third-party
discovery
effort.
First,
I
had
him
prepare
talking
points
and
observe
me
run
a
meet-and-confer.
The
next
time,
he
led
while
I
observed.
By
the
third,
he
was
running
it
himself
—
keeping
me
updated,
but
fully
in
command.
That
progression
—
pairing
responsibility
with
preparation
and
feedback
—
is
how
you
develop
great
litigators.
The
advice
I
come
back
to
most
is
simple:
care
deeply
about
getting
it
right.
Push
yourself
to
understand
every
nuance,
anticipate
every
question,
and
you’ll
be
ready
when
it
matters.
On
behalf
of
everyone
here
at
Above
the
Law,
we’d
like
to
thank
Alexandra
Sadinsky
for
taking
the
time
to
help
answer
these
questions
on
what
it
was
like
to
leave
Biglaw
for
a
boutique
firm
and
how
she’s
stepping
into
her
role
as
a
new
partner.
Staci
Zaretsky is
the
managing
editor
of
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 Bluesky, X/Twitter,
and Threads, or
connect
with
her
on LinkedIn.