DC Biglaw lifestyle v. Kansas City Biglaw lifestyle Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm in the position of deciding between offers between DC biglaw for the summer and a Kansas City biglaw firm and was wondering if anyone might be able to enlighten me between the difference in lifestyles for an associate in these two markets. Firms are at the lower end of the V100. Thanks.

[Cavalier]

This:

vs this:

[2LLLL]

I doubt there's much of a difference- you're going to be working your butt of at either place

[lisjjen]

You might find this interesting.

http://www.nalp.org/buying_power_index_class_of_2010

[ran12]

DC is a pretty awesome city to live and work in. Def more liveable than other large cities like NYC and LA. It's got everything you need in the city or closeby. DC is also a tough nut to crack so you should prob take the DC offer if you have any intention to work in DC after graduation. The only thing that sucks about DC is that summers are unbearable; built on top of a swamp so it gets really humid.

[RVP11]

If you're single, do yourself a favor and go to DC.

If you're married then you have a more difficult decision, because I assume the only reason you're asking this is because you are from Kansas City and eventually want to return.

[RVP11]

I doubt there's much of a difference- you're going to be working your butt of at either place

DC hours =/= Kansas City hours.

[TatteredDignity]

I doubt there's much of a difference- you're going to be working your butt of at either place

DC hours =/= Kansas City hours.

I'm assuming he's talking about Cave for the KC firm, in which case the hours will likely be closer to DC than they would for most other KC firms.

[Borhas]

DC kind of sucks

[BaiAilian2013]

You know, the best people to ask would be junior associates at each firm... Pick one that seems chill, and ask what his/her typical day looks like, or how many all-nighters s/he has pulled since starting work. (I think the latter is a fairly safe way to ask directly about hours since it doesn't send the message that you expect to go home at 7.)

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thanks for all the input. I'll definitely see if I can ask an associate at each firm. I'm primarily interested in figuring out the lifestyle/hours of attorneys in the different cities. I'm from KC but would probably prefer DC, assuming the lifestyle wouldn't bludgeon me to death. I know I'll have to work a lot either way, but I have a fiance and would like to avoid working 80-90 hour weeks as a regular thing.

[jeeptiger09]

I know I'll have to work a lot either way, but I have a fiance and would like to avoid working 80-90 hour weeks as a regular thing.

You might want to re-think Biglaw.

[Mr. Pancakes]

KC is a great place to live. 8 of it's suburbs were rated in the top 50 places to live by cnn money magazine. Also, it has some of the best ranked school districts and a very low cost of living.

[RVP11]

I know I'll have to work a lot either way, but I have a fiance and would like to avoid working 80-90 hour weeks as a regular thing.

You might want to re-think Biglaw.

80-90 hours is not "regular" anywhere in secondary market BigLaw. It's unusual and irregular.

[BruceWayne]

You might want to re-think NYC/DC Biglaw.

[YourCaptain]

DC kind of sucks

thanks for the insight bro

[grtbooks91]

FWIW, my cousin is a partner in a KC NLJ 250 firm and he works his ass off, often to the detriment of his family life. I'm not around him enough to say where his workload falls between, say 70 and 90 hours, but in terms of QOL, his experience seems to live up to many of the 'horror' stories bandied around about big market Biglaw firms.

[romothesavior]

OP here. Thanks for all the input. I'll definitely see if I can ask an associate at each firm. I'm primarily interested in figuring out the lifestyle/hours of attorneys in the different cities. I'm from KC but would probably prefer DC, assuming the lifestyle wouldn't bludgeon me to death. I know I'll have to work a lot either way, but I have a fiance and would like to avoid working 80-90 hour weeks as a regular thing.

You'll be putting in a lot of hours no matter where you go, but KC hours won't be anything like DC/NYC hours.

[Renzo]

DC kind of sucks big fat ones

[RVP11]

DC kind of sucks big fat ones

You spend a lot of time trolling for NYC BigLaw.

[Renzo]

DC kind of sucks big fat ones

You spend a lot of time trolling for NYC BigLaw.

No, man. It's personal--I really hate DC. Chicago's nice. So is SF. Atlanta's too hot for me, but otherwise I've got nothing against it. Denver is beautiful. L.A. is kind of a hellhole, but it has good weather and beaches. But really, DC sucks.

[gulcregret]

DC kind of sucks big fat ones

You spend a lot of time trolling for NYC BigLaw.

No, man. It's personal--I really hate DC. Chicago's nice. So is SF. Atlanta's too hot for me, but otherwise I've got nothing against it. Denver is beautiful. L.A. is kind of a hellhole, but it has good weather and beaches. But really, DC sucks.

I wish more people felt this way.

[lisjjen]

.

[lisjjen]

DC kind of sucks big fat ones

You spend a lot of time trolling for NYC BigLaw.

No, man. It's personal--I really hate DC. Chicago's nice. So is SF. Atlanta's too hot for me, but otherwise I've got nothing against it. Denver is beautiful. L.A. is kind of a hellhole, but it has good weather and beaches. But really, DC sucks.

Sure the federal district is great, but ride any metro line to the end and you'll see how people in and around the city actually live.

Also Chicago. My family lives on the South side. Everybody always talks about how great Chicago is after they go see the bean and walk down the Magnificent Mile. Last time I visited, I heard automatic weapon fire in the middle of the night.

ETA: That is to say, perspective is a hell of a thing.

[Naked Dude]

DC is...more liveable than other large cities like NYC and LA.

wut. I mean, I like DC just fine, except that it's much, much, much smaller than NY and LA and surrounded by Virginia and Maryland. If I had a job lined up in LA or especially NYC, I would be there in a new york minute. It really depends on what you mean by livable. DC doesn't even come close to the variety of cuisines in NYC and LA. I like my cities big, and those are the two biggest in the good old US of A. DC just seems so vanilla compared to them. The metro is good for getting around, to the places you'd want to go at least, but those who say the NY subway is too complex probably lack the spatial intelligence to tie their own shoelaces-it's not that bad once you learn your way around. And LA traffic can suck but coming from a city with massive urban sprawl and shit for mass transit, doesn't bother me.