Elsberg Baker & Maruri

Headline-making litigation and trial work is just the tip of the Elsberg for this brand-new boutique…

About the Firm

Ever seen a movie with an A-list cast so stacked that it seems almost too good to be true? Enter EBM, a single-office firm that’s nothing short of a blockbuster, starring nationally recognized names like David Elsberg, Rollo Baker, and Silpa Maruri. The other three founding partners are similarly renowned, and all six came together to launch the firm in February 2024 and take the market by storm. Two years on from its premiere, Elsberg Baker & Maruri is already recognized in Chambers USA for its highly regarded commercial litigation work, which is no small feat for a firm of its age and size. Take it from the firm’s CEO, Josette Rodriguez-Winograd: “I don’t know another firm that has been ranked with Chambers within one year of its inception,” she says, adding “I think we may have set a record – and that speaks to how good these people are.”

For any celebrity, reputation is everything, and the same goes for this boutique. “I saw the coverage of the announcement, and of course, I knew about David’s reputation,” one associate reminisced of joining the firm. “Once I got a sense of the mission here,” they continued, “I was taken by this portrait of the firm as a place where associates could be involved in the business and life of the firm – more so than you could at BigLaw.”

“…it’s been incredibly fast-moving and electrifying.”

Fresh out the plastic, brand-new commercial litigation boutique EBM might only be in its infancy, but according to its juniors, there have been no teething issues. The consensus was that “it’s been incredibly fast-moving and electrifying,” with the “newness of the firm being a draw” for many. One source elaborated further: “There’s always a temptation to think twice when something is this new, but it felt exciting for me to be a part of something like this.” Another massive selling point was the professional development opportunities that the firm offers, and the verdict is that “they’ve really come through on that promise.” Given the scale of the firm, “you get hands-on experience pretty much immediately,” working directly alongside colleagues characterized by their “encyclopedic grasp of case law and how things are evolving.”

With just one office in the concrete jungle, our interviewees were all reporting to us live from New York.

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Junior Satisfaction and an Excellent Performer for Mid to Senior Satisfaction in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Summer Program

2026 is the second year in which EBM is running its ten-week summer program, and both the program and its participants have really hit the ground running. Given the firm’s all-in focus on recruiting the litigation superstars of the future, the schedule naturally centers on building up trainees’ skills in contentious work. This is done through involving them in active client matters, under the supervision of dedicated partner and associate mentors.

In addition to hard graft, participants can also expect plenty of opportunities to relax and get to know the team. Associates really appreciated how the firm’s small size was no bar to laying on a full social calendar, noting how “there are events to kickstart things throughout the summer associate season.”

Strategy & Future

Although “people still think of BigLaw firms as a relatively safe bet,” Rodriguez-Winograd tells us, “aside from the accelerating number of mergers, these 100-year-old firms are weighed down by systems and processes that they’d never put into place if they had the chance to start over.” Those at EBM saw an opportunity to “take the components of BigLaw that we love, and remove the parts that are outdated,” all to create a “steady firm that is litigation only, solely New York based, and absolutely laser-focused on trials and arbitrations.”

Rodriguez-Winograd is confident that this fresh new perspective is putting Elsberg Baker & Maruri ahead of the curve. “It’s no surprise to me when clients express how they’re not getting the value out of BigLaw, or that their last firm was billing them for massive, transitory teams of people the client had never seen or met,” she reports. The creation of “elite boutiques” like EBM is “a direct response and alternative to those options.”

Talent is on the tip of everyone’s tongue these days, so what is EBM’s strategy? “We are very careful with our hiring,” Rodriguez-Winograd explains, “and we’ll always be quality-constrained from a talent perspective; we won’t hire for the sake of getting to a set number.” Most importantly, “we are looking for quality above all else: crisp thinking people who, if challenged, will push back first and bring things to a head quickly; people who have a real passion for trial work and being on their feet. The people who want to dive in headfirst, get hands-on experience, and put themselves in the ring? Those are the kind of associates we are looking for.”

Read our full interview with Josette Rodriguez-Winograd under the ‘Get Hired’ tab.

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as a Strong Performer for AI Integration in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

The Work

The firm has recently instituted a centralized staffing system where an internal professional will help with work allocation, but an associate reports that the arrangements are “still fairly free market, so, if your hours are bursting at the seams, there’s not some overwhelming pressure to say yes to more work.” One of the many benefits of the firm’s modest size is that “you do end up working on all the partners’ matters,” and partners will “reach out to ask if you have time or are interested in certain cases.” All our interviewees were content with this system: “It’s pretty great to have some way of shaping your experience and caseload around building relationships with the partners,” one told us.

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Work Allocation & Autonomy in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Career Development

We heard there is a good amount of formal training at EBM – with a business development training budget for first years, which is “pretty great!” – but where the firm really shines is its informal mentorship. “Our strength in mentorship and professional development comes from the fact that we have so few partners and associates,” one junior told us, adding that “The level of interaction I have with partners is daily, so you learn as you go.” Another agreed, explaining how “The amount of exposure and facetime you get with people who have practiced at the highest level is what I value most.” Getting expert advice from partners is described as being like “talking to a law school professor,” while “even the lawyers with truly national reputations are accessible.”

Partnership is just as accessible, with an accelerated, equity-only partner track: “It’s viable, and the firm is doing really well from a commercial perspective. There’s a realistic opportunity there for anyone who comes here and succeeds.”

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Career Development in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Hours & Compensation

The absence of a billable hour target doesn’t mean associates don’t have their plates full: one reported that they “work a lot” and envisioned billing2,200 or 2,300 hours this year.It may sound like a tall order, but one associate reported that “it actually shocked me, the extent to which people at the firm respect your weekends and evenings.” Given the firm’s trial focus, “hours vary with the ebb and flow of cases” as well as “the phase of the case.” Most of our sources were in office around four days a week, which they were pleased with because “it’s a good way to connect with colleagues, and that’s the whole reason I joined the firm.”

“Our bonus was 75% above the Cravath scale.”

Being a boutique doesn’t stop EBM from doling out BigLaw level compensation either: “Our bonus was 75% above the Cravath scale,” one satisfied associate informed us, “and our base pay matches the market.”

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Benefits & Quality of Life in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Culture

“If you feel like you need handholding, it might not be the place for you.”

EBM, according to its juniors, is “a good place for people who take initiative and responsibility; if you feel like you need handholding, it might not be the place for you.” A colleague seconded this, saying that the firm suits “people who are self-directed, competent, and committed to doing good work.” EBM lawyers are also typically “creative, highly motivated to succeed… definitely not shrinking violets,” another source told us, adding that “We’re all academic and competitive in the way that elite litigators are!” Social events are intimate, as per the nature of the firm – “we all know each other!” – and they include monthly in-office happy hours with wine, cheese, and cakes. There are also wellness events and a holiday party that our sources were “really excited for!”

Elsberg Baker & Maruri is recognized as an Excellent Performer for Culture in our 2026 associate satisfaction survey.

Pro Bono

“Pro bono opportunities come along, and the firm is very encouraging of people bringing in pro bono cases on their own initiative,” an insider commented, noting that “They think it’s great for you to make those connections.” That said, the firm being a relative newcomer means that pro bono is “still getting off the ground.” While there is yet to be a “steady pipeline” of opportunities, sources were confident that “it will come at some point.”

Inclusion

Inclusion comes naturally at EBM, where “everyone just feels like they belong without the firm having to go out of its way to push formal programming. The culture is tight knit enough that everyone feels welcomed.” What was particularly highlighted is the firm’s inclusivity when it comes to working parents: “I’ve come to value how many of the partners and senior associates have families,” a source reflected, noting that “Everyone is super understanding of parental responsibilities and involved in their kids’ lives,” which is “a huge plus.”