Staci Zaretsky (SZ)<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 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\u00a0Baker & Maruri that felt like the right long-term fit?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alexandra Sadinsky (AS)<\/u><\/strong>: Leaving Wachtell wasn\u2019t an easy decision \u2014 it\u2019s one of the great law firms in the world, and I learned an enormous amount there. But it wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 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.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: The one-office model mattered to me \u2014 it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n EBM works the same way \u2014 but with even leaner teams. You\u2019re constantly in conversation \u2014 with partners, with your team \u2014 sharpening arguments and pressure-testing strategy as it develops. There\u2019s 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\u2019re not just executing on a plan \u2014 you\u2019re helping build it in real time.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u>:\u00a0 The firm\u2019s leadership includes founding partner Silpa Maruri<\/a>. 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: What makes it powerful is seeing what that leadership looks like in practice. Silpa is one of the most instinctive and effective lawyers I\u2019ve worked with \u2014 quick on her feet, strategically sharp, with a remarkable ability to cut through complexity and get to the heart of an argument. When I\u2019m working through a difficult issue, she\u2019s often the first person I turn to \u2014 she can read something quickly and immediately see how to make it stronger.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 especially women \u2014 it signals that there isn\u2019t 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\u2019s what makes people stay, grow, and lead in turn.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 As someone stepping into a new partnership role yourself, how do you think about mentorship, and what\u2019s one piece of advice you consistently give to junior lawyers trying to build a successful litigation career?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: Mentorship is about preparing people to excel when the opportunity comes \u2014 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\u2019t just imitate someone else\u2019s style \u2014 it won\u2019t hold when you\u2019re tested. You have to understand what you\u2019re saying, why it matters, and be able to defend it from every angle.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 keeping me updated, but fully in command. That progression \u2014 pairing responsibility with preparation and feedback \u2014 is how you develop great litigators.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll be ready when it matters.<\/p>\n On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, we\u2019d 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\u2019s stepping into her role as a new partner.<\/p>\n Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to\u00a0email<\/a>\u00a0her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The post How To Move From An Elite Biglaw Firm To An Elite Boutique<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll 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\u2019s built its reputation on actually trying cases and putting associates in the mix early?<\/p>\n I recently had the pleasure of chatting with\u00a0Alexandra Sadinsky<\/a>, who left Wachtell about two years ago and headed to litigation boutique\u00a0Elsberg Baker & Maruri<\/a>, where she\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Staci Zaretsky (SZ)<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 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\u00a0Baker & Maruri that felt like the right long-term fit?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alexandra Sadinsky (AS)<\/u><\/strong>: Leaving Wachtell wasn\u2019t an easy decision \u2014 it\u2019s one of the great law firms in the world, and I learned an enormous amount there. But it wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 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.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: The one-office model mattered to me \u2014 it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n EBM works the same way \u2014 but with even leaner teams. You\u2019re constantly in conversation \u2014 with partners, with your team \u2014 sharpening arguments and pressure-testing strategy as it develops. There\u2019s 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\u2019re not just executing on a plan \u2014 you\u2019re helping build it in real time.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u>:\u00a0 The firm\u2019s leadership includes founding partner Silpa Maruri<\/a>. 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: What makes it powerful is seeing what that leadership looks like in practice. Silpa is one of the most instinctive and effective lawyers I\u2019ve worked with \u2014 quick on her feet, strategically sharp, with a remarkable ability to cut through complexity and get to the heart of an argument. When I\u2019m working through a difficult issue, she\u2019s often the first person I turn to \u2014 she can read something quickly and immediately see how to make it stronger.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 especially women \u2014 it signals that there isn\u2019t 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\u2019s what makes people stay, grow, and lead in turn.<\/p>\n SZ<\/u><\/strong>:\u00a0 As someone stepping into a new partnership role yourself, how do you think about mentorship, and what\u2019s one piece of advice you consistently give to junior lawyers trying to build a successful litigation career?<\/strong><\/p>\n AS<\/u><\/strong>: Mentorship is about preparing people to excel when the opportunity comes \u2014 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\u2019t just imitate someone else\u2019s style \u2014 it won\u2019t hold when you\u2019re tested. You have to understand what you\u2019re saying, why it matters, and be able to defend it from every angle.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 keeping me updated, but fully in command. That progression \u2014 pairing responsibility with preparation and feedback \u2014 is how you develop great litigators.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll be ready when it matters.<\/p>\n On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, we\u2019d 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\u2019s stepping into her role as a new partner.<\/p>\n Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to\u00a0email<\/a>\u00a0her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The post How To Move From An Elite Biglaw Firm To An Elite Boutique<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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\u2019ll see boutique litigation firms steadily making their case, offering not just comparable […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":148508,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Staci-Zaretsky-kpgYlL.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148541"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148541\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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