litigation attorney

litigation paralegal

legal assistant

customer experience specialist

litigation manager

Christina Pendleton & Associates

If you don't like showing up on time, having a consistent work ethic, and behaving in a professional and respectful manner with clients and coworkers, then this absolutely is not the place for you.

This law firm is so horrible, they offer four sick days right out the gate when you start - you don't even have to accrue them! Then they give you two weeks paid vacation that you do accrue over your first year, and give you MORE days after your work anniversary, they also offer bereavement leave, parental leave and pay for half of your health insurance, vision, and dental plan. I'm aghast they paid for 100% of a life insurance policy and offered me a buy-up option that didn't require me to see the doctor for pennies on the dollar. Absolutely horrible.

They also offer Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, FSA, and many other insurance coverages. Unacceptable.

The lazy and incompetent managers and leadership team are available after hours and have consistently resolved technical and building issues into the evening hours and on weekends so business operations are uninterrupted. I dislike that they're always thanking me for doing my job, and arranging events so I can get to know my coworkers over a meal and sometimes a fun activity. 

I REALLY don't like the solutions they've implemented to save time and reduce my work load and stress over the last year. Again, like I've said, they're so horrible, the firm has grown and grown and continues to grow. How dare they. I don't want other people to be successful.

The hardest part of this job for anyone who has been here as long as I have is not being nostalgic of when this law firm was a mom and pop shop. 

Those were the days! No dress code so I got to smell my coworkers feet when they wore flip flops and see their armpit hair when they wore tank tops... I really really miss that. 

I also miss having a small team of me and one other person to share the work load instead of seven people... and I miss not getting pay raises - I hate when I earn more money, and very minimal paid time off - I hate taking time for myself... and BOY do I miss not getting a bonus. I hate extra money at the end of the year. 

It's absolutely horrible what this law firm has become... a well-oiled, friendly, fair, equitable work environment, a work culture that values work/life balance and ensures non-management positions are off the clock when the day is done... YUCK. A Top Workplace three years in a row. No thanks.

Absolutely astounding.

Honestly, if you show up on time, do your job, ask for help when you need it, then you're going to do great things! You'll receive ample training, the team is patient and flexible, and management is fair and equitable. 

Some people clearly don't like to be held accountable when the rubber meets the road, and clearly these people don't like nice things! 

As a paralegal, this was one of the more difficult and stressful work environments I’ve experienced. There was a high level of workplace tension, frequent staff turnover, and ongoing internal conflict that negatively affected morale and daily operations. Leadership also appeared to be dealing with significant personal matters that, in my opinion, sometimes impacted interactions with employees and the overall office atmosphere.

While still relatively new to the firm, I became involved in an investigation related to concerns surrounding the handling of client settlement funds. The situation created an especially stressful environment for staff and contributed to a culture of uncertainty within the office.

There were also noticeable concerns among employees regarding favoritism, inconsistent treatment, and a lack of inclusivity within the workplace culture. On multiple occasions, concerns involving workplace practices and potential professional or compliance issues were raised to management and attorneys, but employees often felt those concerns were not taken seriously or addressed appropriately. I also personally witnessed managers and staff being spoken to in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner, which further contributed to the negative workplace culture.

Employees were expected to handle demanding workloads while being underpaid and often undervalued for the amount of responsibility placed on them. The lack of support, combined with the extremely high turnover rate, made it difficult to see long-term growth within the firm.

Ultimately, the environment did not feel stable or professionally supportive long term, which is why I decided to pursue other opportunities. I would encourage prospective employees to thoroughly research the firm and carefully consider whether the culture and management style align with what they are seeking in a workplace.

My experience working as a paralegal at Christina Pendleton & Associates in Richmond, VA was overwhelmingly negative. The firm has a high turnover rate for a reason and low morale among both staff and attorneys for several reasons.

First and foremost, the management is disorganized and lacks clear communication and experience in management. Expectations are often unrealistic, and deadlines are constantly shifting. You will frequently be asked to take on an unreasonable workload without adequate support  and burnout was a common issue among the paralegals and staff and attorneys.

The training and professional development opportunities are practically nonexistent. Instead of being mentored or provided with the tools to succeed, you are expected to learn through trial and error. I found the office culture to be very high-pressure and uncollaborative. There was little camaraderie among the team with the exception of bonding together through trauma.  Staff morale was consistently low and management expected it to be raised by providing chips and sodas with an occasional lunch here and there. If you value teamwork and a supportive work environment, this is not the place for you.

Furthermore, the pay is not competitive for the workload expected. The benefits package is minimal, and raises or promotions seem to be few and far between, even with consistent performance.

If you're looking to grow in your paralegal career or work in a positive, professional environment, I strongly recommend seeking employment elsewhere. The firm might offer some good experience, but the overall atmosphere and management make it difficult to recommend.

I legit don’t understand the reviews I’ve seen on here. They seem super far fetched and would not be surprised if AI is being used to write them. I’ve been at the firm for several years and have received multiple raises and year end bonuses. There have been a handful of employees over the years what I would consider “bad apples” who usually see themselves out or are shown the door. These people weren’t doing their job and were very clicky and toxic.

I will say this, the firm is a great place to get experience. We have weekly trainings that are there but not mandatory so you can manage your time. We have people who have been here several years who have helped people like me advance. It’s a relaxed atmosphere (jeans and tshirt okay) and yeah we work - it’s literally a job.

Best advice not to believe everything you read in reviews and look at our client reviews.

If you're looking for a way to break into the legal field, this is a great place to do it.  The pace is FAST but manageable, and everyone is extremely supportive.  You will work hard.  You will learn a ton.  You will complain to your coworkers and bond over the highs and lows, but you will also revel in the success of those highs, knowing you were a part of it.  You will KNOW your coworkers- every one of them- and want to help them succeed just like they help you succeed.  You will realize you can do anything, learn ANYTHING, because your company supports you.

There’s a lot wrong here. The advertising about being community focused is just on paper, the pay is awful, and the turnover rate serves to prove that it’s not just disgruntled former employees leaving reviews about it. While I was there, it felt like there was an employee being fired or quitting every week. Sometimes more. Sometimes management would bundle the amount of people who were leaving into the same vague email. 

This is the first professional experience for a lot of people who work there. Going into other professional environments and having to relearn how a work environment should operate is embarrassing and upsetting. 

If you’re able to look over all of that, then go for it! They DO have free snacks and will use pizza to buy your complacency. 

One of the most unprofessional places I’ve ever worked at. Non-legal managers look like kindergarteners coming back from recess most days, very unkept, sloppy, food stains on clothing. Their work ethic matches their appearance. 

Favoritism runs rampant. It’s one of those places that constantly harp how they put their employees first, when in actuality they don’t. Hourly employees are spoken to and treated terribly, majority of my direct reports were scared to ask questions pertaining to their job because they are used to being belittled and treated like they are dumb if they do ask a question. 

Turnover rate is tremendous. They don’t even own that dog in the commercial. 

This used to be a great place to work, but changes have made it extremely toxic. Micromanagement is at an all time high, unnecessary tasks are routinely added to overworked employees, and there is no real respect for the time or sanity of employees. The owners have checked out and handed the firm to management staff who are largely not attorneys and are running it like a corporation, prioritizing all the wrong things for a law firm.

Firm is horribly managed. Leadership team is disorganized and fails to communicate. Middle management has no power to implement anything positive or meaningful. Entry level employees have no clear path to promotion or cross training. Turnover has always been an issue, but it has been especially bad in 2023 with the firm's refusal to allow long-term employees to have hybrid or remote work arrangements.

I really can say I’ve had no complaints here. I’ve worked with some of the most interesting people and some of the most kindest clients. Seeing as how I’ve never worked in a law firm I was still hired which was nice I didn’t feel overlooked. I was trained well and still am fortunate to have continuous training which is a plus in maintaining success.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Litigation attorney 16 salaries reported	$103,750 per year
Litigation paralegal 17 salaries reported	$59,412 per year
Legal assistant 7 salaries reported	$47,500 per year
Customer experience specialist 17 salaries reported	$19.23 per hour
Litigation manager 8 salaries reported	$47,500 per year

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