Midwest T25s OCI discussion/results Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone want to quantify what "working more" actually means in this context?

I've talked to a lot of people there, both formally informally and both people I know and also people suggested by the recruiter. I've heard that they work hard but the overwhelming majority said that they're still able to find a good work/life balance that is far better than large firms in large cities.

I know the billable requirement is 50 hours more than most other firms in the city (1900 v 1850) and yes, I know the first bonus tier is actually 1950, but those are still lower than biglaw in a primary market and the people with whom I have spoken have said that those billable targets are not lower than the true expectations of the firm....

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear anything from Greenebaum?

Dinged after a screener about three weeks ago (screener was two weeks before that).

T1/25%/LR, applied to Louisville, Lexington, and Cincy offices

Had a CB with them last week, but haven't heard from them. Said they would get back to us by the middle of this week, so I wanted to see if anyone had been in contact with them.

Same boat. I will post if I hear of anything, hopefully you will do the same! Good luck!

Mail came, no letter. Not sure if that's good or bad news. Back to the waiting game.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have a CB/ offer from Benesch?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have a CB/ offer from Benesch?

A buddy of mine got called back for Benesch two weeks ago. I don't know if they're doing offers yet.

[Anonymous User]

I've spoken with a few former associates at partners at some of the big firms, and the consensus is that Husch and Cave have pretty bad work/life balance and culture. Seeing how these are the people that left the firm i'm sure they have a bias just like those you interview with will have a bias in favor of the culture or an incentive to spin it.

[Anonymous User]

UIUC above median, WE, Got a callback yesterday from HeplerBroom, however I called to cancel it (along with other ones) because I got an offer from my top choice law firm. (vault 50-100).

[Anonymous User]

UIUC above median, WE, Got a callback yesterday from Heplerbroom, however I called to cancel it (along with other ones) because I got an offer from my top choice law firm. (vault 50-100).

Congrats! What market is your offer in? When was your CB?

[Anonymous User]

UIUC above median, WE, Got a callback yesterday from Heplerbroom, however I called to cancel it (along with other ones) because I got an offer from my top choice law firm. (vault 50-100).

Congrats! What market is your offer in? When was your CB?

Rather not tell market (it would out me easily), but I got the offer less than 48hrs after my callback last week.

[blurbz]

Willing to PM your info? Your description is similar to an offer I'm considering and it'd be nice to know if there might be another Illini there!

Edit: And, of course, congratulations!

[Anonymous User]

Willing to PM your info? Your description is similar to an offer I'm considering and it'd be nice to know if there might be another Illini there!

doubt it, I know for a fact that I was the only illinois student with a CB at that particular office. Also, I know who you are blurbz, congratulations!

[blurbz]

Willing to PM your info? Your description is similar to an offer I'm considering and it'd be nice to know if there might be another Illini there!

doubt it, I know for a fact that I was the only illinois student with a CB at that particular office. Also, I know who you are blurbz, congratulations!

Creeeeeep.


But thanks!

And to you, too.

[Anonymous User]

I've spoken with a few former associates at partners at some of the big firms, and the consensus is that Husch and Cave have pretty bad work/life balance and culture. Seeing how these are the people that left the firm i'm sure they have a bias just like those you interview with will have a bias in favor of the culture or an incentive to spin it.

Edit: Not saying the culture isn't bad at Husch and Cave--I don't know much about it. Just quoting as a means of letting people know which conversation I'm continuing since this thread is going in a number of directions.

Just ran things through a cost of living calculator:

160k in Chicago could decrease to 123k in St. Louis.

BC's salary is 125k. So it's about equal in pay and, even if it's worse than most St. Louis firms in work/life balance, I haven't heard that it's as bad as places like Sidley/Kirkland in Chicago. Still looks like a win to me.

[Anonymous User]

As long as you don't mind living in st. louis

[Anonymous User]

Just ran things through a cost of living calculator:

160k in Chicago could decrease to 123k in St. Louis.

BC's salary is 125k. So it's about equal in pay and, even if it's worse than most St. Louis firms in work/life balance, I haven't heard that it's as bad as places like Sidley/Kirkland in Chicago. Still looks like a win to me.

1. account for bonuses and lock step compensation. plus living in chicago vs. st. louis.

2. a few associates i've talked to report that partner tracked bc associates work the same as partner tracked chicago associates. not all associates are partner tracked. call your school's alumni in the office, hopefully they'll give you objective info.

[Anonymous User]

Just ran things through a cost of living calculator:

160k in Chicago could decrease to 123k in St. Louis.

BC's salary is 125k. So it's about equal in pay and, even if it's worse than most St. Louis firms in work/life balance, I haven't heard that it's as bad as places like Sidley/Kirkland in Chicago. Still looks like a win to me.

1. account for bonuses and lock step compensation. plus living in chicago vs. st. louis.

2. a few associates i've talked to report that partner tracked bc associates work the same as partner tracked chicago associates. not all associates are partner tracked. call your school's alumni in the office, hopefully they'll give you objective info.

Interesting. Do you know how many BC associates are partner tracked and how many are not? I assume those that are not are similar to staff attorneys? When are those decisions made?

[Anonymous User]

living in chicago vs. st. louis.

+1

I think this is something that people just conveniently overlook or don't mention when running COL/QOL calculations. Of course this isn't applicable to everybody to be sure, but there is some inherent value in living in a city like Chicago versus a city like St. Louis—especially when you're in your 20s and 30s working as a young professional with a well-paying job.

<-----somebody who used to live in Chicago and has also spent a fair amount of time around a lot of St. Louis

[stratocophic]

Just ran things through a cost of living calculator:

160k in Chicago could decrease to 123k in St. Louis.

BC's salary is 125k. So it's about equal in pay and, even if it's worse than most St. Louis firms in work/life balance, I haven't heard that it's as bad as places like Sidley/Kirkland in Chicago. Still looks like a win to me.

1. account for bonuses and lock step compensation. plus living in chicago vs. st. louis.

2. a few associates i've talked to report that partner tracked bc associates work the same as partner tracked chicago associates. not all associates are partner tracked. call your school's alumni in the office, hopefully they'll give you objective info.

Interesting. Do you know how many BC associates are partner tracked and how many are not? I assume those that are not are similar to staff attorneys? When are those decisions made?

He means the difference between grinding out 2400+ (ie, you're one of the chosen few) vs. hitting 100 over the minimum for 5 years and then being nicely asked to pursue other opportunities (ie, you're probably not on the partner track if you're anywhere even close to the minimum).

[Anonymous User]

Just ran things through a cost of living calculator:

160k in Chicago could decrease to 123k in St. Louis.

BC's salary is 125k. So it's about equal in pay and, even if it's worse than most St. Louis firms in work/life balance, I haven't heard that it's as bad as places like Sidley/Kirkland in Chicago. Still looks like a win to me.

1. account for bonuses and lock step compensation. plus living in chicago vs. st. louis.

2. a few associates i've talked to report that partner tracked bc associates work the same as partner tracked chicago associates. not all associates are partner tracked. call your school's alumni in the office, hopefully they'll give you objective info.

Interesting. Do you know how many BC associates are partner tracked and how many are not? I assume those that are not are similar to staff attorneys? When are those decisions made?

He means the difference between grinding out 2400+ (aka, you're one of the chosen few) vs. hitting 100 over the minimum for 5 years and then being nicely asked to pursue other opportunities (aka, you're probably not on the partner track if you're anywhere even close to the minimum).

Ahhh I'm an idiot. Thanks for not calling me out on it--I should have known that!

[stratocophic]

1. account for bonuses and lock step compensation. plus living in chicago vs. st. louis.

2. a few associates i've talked to report that partner tracked bc associates work the same as partner tracked chicago associates. not all associates are partner tracked. call your school's alumni in the office, hopefully they'll give you objective info.

Interesting. Do you know how many BC associates are partner tracked and how many are not? I assume those that are not are similar to staff attorneys? When are those decisions made?

He means the difference between grinding out 2400+ (aka, you're one of the chosen few) vs. hitting 100 over the minimum for 5 years and then being nicely asked to pursue other opportunities (aka, you're probably not on the partner track if you're anywhere even close to the minimum).

Ahhh I'm an idiot. Thanks for not calling me out on it--I should have known that!

I try to limit my trolling to deserving dumbasses these days

*Scours the horizon for PDaddy*

[najumobi]

He means the difference between grinding out 2400+ (ie, you're one of the chosen few) vs. hitting 100 over the minimum for 5 years and then being nicely asked to pursue other opportunities (ie, you're probably not on the partner track if you're anywhere even close to the minimum).

holy shmokies!! really? 2400?

what do you think of firms that have a minimum of 1800, but a firm goal of 2000? would you also have to greatly exceed the firm goal of 2000 to be on partner track? i was under the impression (arbitrarily) that 2075 would be enough to be on partner track, but i guess what you say makes sense if it's basically that only the most outstanding associates make partner....

[stratocophic]

He means the difference between grinding out 2400+ (ie, you're one of the chosen few) vs. hitting 100 over the minimum for 5 years and then being nicely asked to pursue other opportunities (ie, you're probably not on the partner track if you're anywhere even close to the minimum).

holy shmokies!! really? 2400?

what do you think of firms that have a minimum of 1800, but a firm goal of 2000? would you also have to greatly exceed the firm goal of 2000 to be on partner track? i was under the impression (arbitrarily) that 2075 would be enough to be on partner track, but i guess what you say makes sense if it's basically that only the most outstanding associates make partner....

The actual number will definitely depend on the market. I mean, I'm not exactly on the partner track just yet myself... but I think it varies from firm to firm (based on my conversations with people). Some firms value biz development, some value pure grinding on the billables front (likely the most prefitigious ones). I think it'll depend a lot on the level of institutional clients they have - if they have many big name clients who aren't going anywhere, they're going to want you to crank out billables like a zombie. If they rely on the interpersonal/business skills of junior partners, they're going to want you to make it rain and network like a fiend. Just my impression based on convos with lawyers. At any rate, exit options are always there if you have experience/skills. I've been told that they judge the economy based on the number of headhunter calls they get, and they're evidently getting calls left and right ATM. One of the benefits of the layoffs - once you get experience, the lateral market's evidently your oyster.

[Anonymous User]

@Wustl - Greensfelder offer yesterday

[Anonymous User]

@Wustl - Greensfelder offer yesterday

Congrats! Labor or corporate?

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on work life at Bryan Cave/Husch in StL v. a V40-70 in Chicago? Will the St. Louis work/life be slightly better, or no?

[Anonymous User]

@Wustl - Greensfelder offer yesterday

Congrats! Labor or corporate?

+1