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[Anonymous User]

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[al_state]

Similar situation (though different firms).

JD has a good rep. in texas for their corporate work. Their name still carries weight, despite them being a satellite office in Dallas.

TK has, from my understanding, a better lit. practice. Good name in Texas, but, as you noted, not as "prestigious" (for whatever that's worth) as JD in the midwest.

You mention partnership prospects and exit options. These seem to be opposing considerations. As you may have guessed, you would have better partnership prospect at TK and better exit at JD. I won't comment on QOL as I have no anecdotal evidence either way.

If it was me, it would honestly come down to Corporate vs. Lit and partnership vs. exit. If you find yourself split 1-1 then, personally, I would go with JD as that would not limit you if you deci.

Also, I think you should ignore the vault rankings unless you're using them as a proxy for exit options. HTH

[Anonymous User]

My impression as a 2L going through a similar search in Texas is that exit options will depend, in part, on who the office's clients are. T&K might offer some options in the oil & gas field that JD might not. On the other hand, JD may do work for some clients that T&K does not have access to.

Do you want to be at a large satellite of a national firm or the headquarters of a regional firm? From what I have heard, partnership prospects may be better at T&K because of its size and the advantage of being at the firm's home office. On the other hand, there have been rumors here about T&K's financial stability. Take that for what it's worth.

By the way, I thought T&K was only doing a first half program? If you don't have a second half SA lined up, wouldn't you consider taking the full summer program?

Finally, do you have an interest in tax? If so, T&K would be the winner in my mind.

[Anonymous User]

I spoke to a kid who summered in the Jones Day Dallas office this past year, and he absolutely loved it, for what its worth. He said the firm environment is great.

[Anonymous User]

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[pjo]

Admittedly, I don't know much about the TX market or T&K, but I do know a lot about Reed Smith, who almost acquired T&K about a year ago. The deal fell apart in basically the 25th hour. Have you asked them about that? I would just be worried about going to a firm that was shopping for buyers a little over a year ago.

[nonprofit-prophet]

OP here. Priorities sort of split. Leaning more toward lit than corp, and more toward exit options than partnership prospects (since I know it's a pipe dream either way).

Are you waiting to hear back from more firms? There are better lit options in Dallas.

[Anonymous User]

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[nonprofit-prophet]

OP here. Priorities sort of split. Leaning more toward lit than corp, and more toward exit options than partnership prospects (since I know it's a pipe dream either way).

Are you waiting to hear back from more firms? There are better lit options in Dallas.

Still waiting to hear from F&J, but it's been long enough that I'm not expecting that to pan out.

That's probably for the best. I hear their Dallas office is having financial issues. I was referencing VE, McKool, and Susman anyway. If you're picking between the aforementioned two, then I'd say Jones Day. They are financially stable and seem to have great culture, since they aren't an eat what you kill firm. Though it might not seem important, parter compensation definitely impacts the office environment.

[Anonymous User]

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[nonprofit-prophet]

Yeah, I was never in the running for those firms (except VE, but I've already been dinged there). To be honest, I feel pretty lucky to even have these options given how tenuous my Texas ties are.

Also forgot to mention that I'm waiting to hear back after my Locke Lord CB. If that comes through, does that change the analysis at all?

http://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/ ... 6#org_8423

Jones Day and LL are in the same band for lit. I think that choice will come down to personal preference. I've heard a number of current associates say that LL dallas is kind of like haynes and boone. Very friendly people that work a little less than peer firms. JD has a reputation for working a bit more than average. Either one seems strong in lit, the deciding factor will be culture/people/fit.

[Anonymous User]

Also forgot to mention that I'm waiting to hear back after my Locke Lord CB. If that comes through, does that change the analysis at all?

I believe Locke Lord is a half summer program. In the office I did a CB for, they said you could do first or second half. If you get an offer there, you could split with one of the other two. I don't think you would have to pick just one.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

Jones Day, especially since you want to leave TX. Firms outside of TX have never heard of LL/TK and that would severely limit your lateral options down the road.

[chadwick218]

I've gotta say JD (and it has nothing to do with the fact that it is a nationally known firm). TK has lost a handful of very good young associates in the past year. There have also been some very quiet rumblings about possible partner defections. Without being on the inside, it's hard to say what to make of this.

[chadwick218]

OP again. Locke Lord did indeed come through. Any other thoughts?

LLBL (at least in Dallas) seems to have a "unique" culture. I would absolutely take JD over LLBL.

[Anonymous User]

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[nonprofit-prophet]

Also forgot to mention that I'm waiting to hear back after my Locke Lord CB. If that comes through, does that change the analysis at all?

I believe Locke Lord is a half summer program. In the office I did a CB for, they said you could do first or second half. If you get an offer there, you could split with one of the other two. I don't think you would have to pick just one.

It is a half summer, but I'm pretty sure the Dallas office is first half only. Since both of the others are also first half (well, JD is full summer with option to split, but only for first half), it doesn't look like splitting is in the cards.

Regarding the Chambers rankings, I wasn't sure how much stock to put in those, either. They're statewide, whereas I'm more interested in Dallas practices specifically (since neither JD nor TK have major presences in Houston, I feel like this might throw off the rankings a bit).

Anyway, I think some of you are right that it will probably come down to fit. In which case I'm probably leaning toward JD.

For each practice area, they have profiles for the rainmakers. Click on the links and see which office they are in. If it's all houston and not Dallas, then you know how to interpret the ranking.