Pros
My experience at Marcum LLP, particularly within the Real Estate Audit division, spans a period of significant internal transition: Friedman’s acquisition, cultural disintegration, and now Marcum’s acquisition by CBIZ. Some context is important. This isn’t a typical “pros and cons” review. I’ve worked in public accounting long enough to know the expected tradeoffs: long hours, fast learning, exposure to clients. What follows, instead, are the things that stood out—what shaped my experience, for better and for worse. In the Real Estate group, associates are quickly trusted with substantive work. The clients are private, and the audits reflect that—less complexity, and fewer regulatory hurdgles, than public engagements, but with that comes more opportunity, autonomy, and faster exposure to substantive tasks to get your hands into the details. You don’t just shadow—you do. For someone looking to accelerate their technical knowledge, there’s genuine value in that, though it's difficult to accept, especially with a large recent SEC settlement, that the quality being taught is up to par. The pace is fast, and if you’re self-directed, you’ll learn a lot quickly. There are moments where you’ll feel trusted. Those moments are important. There's also value from working through change and bad cultural dynamics, especially in considering future interviews in dealing with difficult culture and situations.
Cons
After the Friedman acquisition, the culture changed—and not for the better. I’m not just talking about policies or workflow. The human element faded. Partners stopped saying hello in the halls. Smiles were no longer returned. The feeling shifted from collaborative to transactional, from professional warmth to indifference. While culture can vary by office, in the Real Estate department, partners were often non-present and unapproachable. Managers ranged from hyper-involved to completely unresponsive, with little middle ground. Communication was inconsistent, and feedback—when it came—was often reactive rather than constructive. The work itself, while educational, was narrowly focused. We weren’t allowed to work on engagements outside the real estate industry. This kind of early specialization might sound strategic, but in practice it limits career exploration and professional development. You start to feel like you’re building a toolbox for a very specific house, without the option to learn how to build anything else. Other Observations Despite showing up to the office nearly every day, I was often assigned to clients with teams located elsewhere. There was little sense of in-person community. Post-employment, accrued PTO wasn’t paid. That may seem like a footnote, but it says something. Management often insisted there was no work. But based on missed client deadlines and high turnover, I suspect the firm’s reputation may also be contributing to recruitment and retention struggles.If you’re early in your accounting or audit career and you have other options, I’d suggest exploring them. You deserve more than just a job. You deserve to work in an environment where people look you in the eye, where growth is encouraged across disciplines, and where your work is recognized before your exit interview.