Overview
Introduction
Midsize firm Nossaman is California cool, with four of its seven offices located in the Golden State. Though it was initially founded as a tax firm (Nossaman himself wrote the book on trusts and taxation), associates today can practice law across a vast array of corporate and litigation practices. The firm operates with a holistic, client-centered approach where lawyers work across practice areas to best meet client needs.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2023)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2023)
Base Salary
No. of U.S. Offices
No. of International Offices
Vault Verdict
If you take yourself too seriously, Nossaman might not be the fit for you—in addition to a strong resume and prior work history, a sense of humor is a trait the firm seeks. The firm’s culture is collegial and friendly, but not much socializing takes place outside of firm-sponsored events, as attorneys tend to allocate free time to family and personal lives. Associates feel respected by partners and are generally kept in the loop—associate representatives attend Executive Committee meetings, and firm finances are circulated to everyone regularly. But associates wish they had more insight into the promotion process and bonuses. Although work ebbs and flows, associates seem satisfied with their hours, especially since they are given ample flexibility when it comes to when and where i...
About the Firm
Founded in Los Angeles in 1942, Nossaman has been a key player in California law and politics for more than seven decades. The firm has pushed beyond the state’s borders with offices in Austin, DC, and Seattle.
LA Law
Nossaman got its start in LA when Walter Nossaman and Joseph Brady launched a tax law firm named Brady & Nossaman. Nossaman quite literally wrote the book on trusts, penning Trusts Administration and Taxation—an updated version of which is still in publication today. When Brady retired in 1962, Nossaman and his team merged with another tax firm to form Nossaman, Thompson, Moss, Scott & Riordan; named partner Richard Riordon would later serve as LA’s mayor through most of the 1990s. The firm continued to expand through mergers and...
Associate Reviews
- “The attorneys seem to generally enjoy each other; however, folks do not tend to socialize outside of the office for non-firm sponsored events. The firm does have monthly celebrations and other special events that seem to be well-attended. All attorneys and policy advisors are invited to the firm-wide retreat which is a great way to get to know people across offices.”
- “The firm's culture is professional. The partners are friendly, helpful, and intuitive. Everyone has high standards for work ethic. They're also very understanding with personal issues and [are] pretty compassionate folks. They're nice people all around.”
- “Attorneys socialize within their offices regularly and there is an annual firmwide retreat to a resort location. The culture is open and welcoming.”
- “Friendly colleagues that I enjoy working with. Lawyers do not socialize together outside of work often; everyone seems to have a family and the culture seems to promote spending time with them where possible.”
Why Work Here
Nossaman is an innovative mid-sized law firm, with expertise focused in distinct areas of law and policy. With a strong foundation in California, we work on cutting-edge issues across seven U.S. offices. Our attorneys come from top schools and leading firms, and we count among our ranks former elected officials and prominent business leaders -- people who have helped to shape the legislative, legal, and regulatory landscape.
We have created a work environment that offers the best service to our clients, and brings out the best in our people. Many attorneys and staff have been with the Firm for more than 30 years, and are a testimonial to the value Nossaman places on its people and culture. Everyone at Nossaman makes a contribution -- to our clients, to the Firm, and to the community at large. We support a strong work ethic, quality service, and integrity in our everyday interactions. We believe that by promoting a high standard and collegial spirit in the workplace, we also deliver a superior product to our clients.
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm looks for highly intelligent lawyers from top-tier schools, but a key factor is the ‘Nossaman personality’—everyone here is friendly and easy to get along with, and a sense of humor is key.”
- “Nossaman values prior work experience over more arbitrary measures like grades or journal experience. Personality is also key. Nossaman likes to hire entrepreneurial go-getters that don't take themselves too seriously.”
- “For the Infrastructure group, credentials/academic background appear important. I have not seen anyone hired who does not either have great academic credentials, BigLaw experience or both. This may vary with other groups.”
- “The firm tends to put great weight in the experience that someone has and rarely [hires] directly out of law school. They are looking for knowledge and experience working in particular industries that we have practice groups focused on.”