Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Reviews

Pros

Ample opportunity for advancement from within the firm
Numerical-based goals (quantification) and quality based performance reviews
Respect earned by senior management

Cons

At times, they can be too timid about pursuing new ideas

Advice to Senior Management

Firm can be unnecessarily bureaucratic, slowing down approval of new ideas.

Pros

A few great co-workers, that's about it.
Free Bulls and Hurricanes tickets when you could get them.
Great view of Durham.

Cons

Most management is comprised of amateur yes-men.
Under the guise of transparency, they manage by fear.
One-way message communication, no real community.
Obsession over numbers, even gong so far as defining quality as quantity.
Loyalty is one-way.
Management doesn't listen to sound advice from employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Any advice here would be ignored for the most part. The managers at this firm are arrogant and have no understanding of how to practice law or act in the clients' best interests. I am embarrassed I even worked for a plaintiff's mill. If you are an attorney or any kind of professional, do yourself a favor and don't work here if you value your integrity.

Pros

It's really hard finding good things to say about James Scott Farrin. The benefits package is average. The break room is well stocked. The firm parties are decent.

Cons

There are too many cons to list all of them here. Senior management is a joke, they're more like prison guards than leaders watching and listening to everything you do. Most of them consist of wives and girlfriends of the share holders. Your ethics will be challenged here. If you resist to the Farrin way you will be swiftly terminated and replaced with someone who will give you half the quality for half the price. I despise this place and nearly everyone who works here.

Advice to Senior Management

I have little to no respect for you and way you came into you position. When JSF's doors are permanently closed I will laugh at you.

Pros

Firm shows employee appreciation through Friday breakfasts, “employee of the quarter,” flowers on a staff members yearly anniversary with the firm, etc.
Nice office space, wonderful building and location
Firm shows personal concern when a staff member has a sick family, death in the family or other personal concern.
Good benefits (health, wellness, on-site lunch deliveries, on-site dry cleaning delivery)

Cons

Not a lot of casual one-to-one feedback beyond “official” quarterly reviews.
Too few paid holidays (six)

Advice to Senior Management

Follow through with idea of internal firm newsletter

Pros

If you work hard and are good at what you do, this is the place. No pats on the back or "atta boy's" should be expected for doing your job. When you get your annual review, and it's time for bonus and raises is when you get your praise (or not). This firm strives to be the best in the state and cannot do so by letting people be lazy. The demands are high, so whiners need not apply. This firm believes in itself and it's workforce as being the example of client service, because at the end of the day, clients are the ones we work for.

Cons

Since moving to downtown, my commute time has doubled. Other than that, I can't complain. The new high profile building is stunning.

Advice to Senior Management

I am not certain about other managers in the firm, but the ones I report to are fair to me.

Pros

The location was great and and the benefits package was competitive but I have a hard time saying many good things about this office.

Cons

This firm spends more time and money on monitoring it's workforce than managing clients cases. I should know because I spent more time reviewing reports on employees that may be making personal call or checking their email than taking care clients.

Advice to Senior Management

You have created a hostile work environment that does not reward employees for performance, but rather personal relationships. Employees are petrified of speaking out for fear of termination.

Pros

Decent compensation and benefits for legal support staff, easy to get time off, free breakfast every Friday, constant firmwide development and growth

Cons

Uninteresting, monotonous work with no opportunity for advancement, highly political environment with too much unnecessary drama and too much turnover, poor communication between management and lower level staff, in some departments, too many talking people and too few working people

Advice to Senior Management

Encourage better communication between attorneys and staff, work on making support staff feel more respected and valued

Pros

free coffee, easter egg hunts, free coffee, easter egg hunts, free coffee, easter egg hunt, free coffee, easter egg hunts, free coffee easter egg hunts.

Cons

mediocre raises/bonuses,
a revolving door of employees,
poor retention rate,
,self-indulgent blogs from the CEO,
 frivolous spending on marketing and ventures
legal battles with the NC State Bar Association, NC Secretary of State and the EEOC, “anonymous surveys” and reviews that are FAR from anonymous,
the joy of changing offices every three weeks,
big brother overseeing your phone and email,
being managed by wives, girlfriends and female associates of shareholders,
complete case management chaos,
the use of technology from 80’s that will cause you to miss serious deadlines in cases.
constant talk about the big move and not enough about employee frustrations.

Advice to Senior Management

spend more time working with your employees instead of working on taking them out to dinner.

Pros

Professional work environment, high legal standards, best lawyers in the state, high customer satisfaction, ethical, caring senior management make this a fantastic firm to work for and grow in.

Cons

Pay is not up to standards for non-para professional employees, making it hard to keep up with best practices and other movements in the industry.

Advice to Senior Management

Professionals in non-legal fields must be paid for their level of professionalism just as para-professionals are.