Dechert (Charlotte) vs. Willkie Farr (New York) Forum

[Anonymous User]

I came into LS wanting to do litigation, but I don't know that I can turn down the $$$$ at Dechert in Charlotte. They only do transactional work, but $160,000 in Charlotte will go a LONG way. I guess I could learn to like it. Frankly, I might even be better suited for the work skill-wise, but who knows. Read another thread saying I could do a clerkship and switch to lit if I end up not being good at it. Plus, I really like Charlotte and am not too big a fan of NY, so that works out.

Are there any huge drawbacks to going to Charlotte over NY? Other huge drawbacks I'm not thinking of?

[Anonymous User]

I came into LS wanting to do litigation, but I don't know that I can turn down the $$$$ at Dechert in Charlotte. They only do transactional work, but $160,000 in Charlotte will go a LONG way. I guess I could learn to like it. Frankly, I might even be better suited for the work skill-wise, but who knows. Read another thread saying I could do a clerkship and switch to lit if I end up not being good at it. Plus, I really like Charlotte and am not too big a fan of NY, so that works out.

Are there any huge drawbacks to going to Charlotte over NY? Other huge drawbacks I'm not thinking of?

Where do you want to be, geographically, in the long term? Sounds like NYC isn't it, and one thing is that Dechert has offices and name recognition in a number of markets. Willkie, while a great firm, carries much more weight in NYC than it does in the rest of the country. Also, there's inter-office mobility at Dechert that you won't find at Willkie.

Also what makes you think lit? Law school, 1L in particular, tends to be lit-heavy, so have you had any transactional experience from which to judge your interest in it?

[Anonymous User]

Where do you want to be, geographically, in the long term? Sounds like NYC isn't it, and one thing is that Dechert has offices and name recognition in a number of markets. Willkie, while a great firm, carries much more weight in NYC than it does in the rest of the country. Also, there's inter-office mobility at Dechert that you won't find at Willkie.

Also what makes you think lit? Law school, 1L in particular, tends to be lit-heavy, so have you had any transactional experience from which to judge your interest in it?

I did a couple days of contract-related work 1L summer, but that's it. Just research to see how some provisions held up in court (I guess that's not even transactional work?). I kind of liked the idea of being a judge in, what, 40 years? But like I said, I guess I can always switch to lit down the road if that's still a pull for me.

[Killingly]

Why not take the big-money offer and try it out? If you hate it, do 3L OCI.

PM me. Was in a similar situation a year ago.

[Anonymous User]

For me, the appeal of lit was the adversarial aspect, but that is just as present in corp, only in a boardroom instead of a courtroom. Also if you royally screw up, you won't be in the headlines the next day.

[Anonymous User]

Why not take the big-money offer and try it out? If you hate it, do 3L OCI.

PM me. Was in a similar situation a year ago.

$160k in Charlotte sounds amazing. Decent QOL while making loans disappear substantially quicker? Yes, plz.

[Anonymous User]

Why not take the big-money offer and try it out? If you hate it, do 3L OCI.

PM me. Was in a similar situation a year ago.

$160k in Charlotte sounds amazing. Decent QOL while making loans disappear substantially quicker? Yes, plz.

OP here. Exactly my thinking. I was looking at Zillow. You can get a NICE place for the cost of a shoebox in NY.

[Anonymous User]

Why not take the big-money offer and try it out? If you hate it, do 3L OCI.

PM me. Was in a similar situation a year ago.

$160k in Charlotte sounds amazing. Decent QOL while making loans disappear substantially quicker? Yes, plz.

OP here. Exactly my thinking. I was looking at Zillow. You can get a NICE place for the cost of a shoebox in NY.

What's your debt situation like?

[Anonymous User]

What's your debt situation like?

Bad. T14 at sticker. Also part of the draw of Charlotte.

[Anonymous User]

What's your debt situation like?

Bad. T14 at sticker. Also part of the draw of Charlotte.

Oof. I'm sure you've done the math, then.

Actually omg, I checked and same salary in Charlotte is like having an extra $51,000 in disposable income per year. Holy shit, I didn't know it was that much.

[Anonymous User]

Why don't more people flock to these NY-market-paying Charlotte firms?

[Anonymous User]

Why don't more people flock to these NY-market-paying Charlotte firms?

Herd mentality and a desire for multiple roommates? I'd be in CLT in a heartbeat if it were an option.

[Anonymous User]

it sounds like you're pretty open in practice area interests and have some financial and personal reasons for dechert over willkie. you can't go wrong here, but i'd head to charlotte.

[Anonymous User]

Dechert Charlotte is a tiny satellite office (15 people) that does exclusively real estate finance and securitization. If you dislike that kind of work, you're stuck. If you dislike certain people you work with, it'll be impossible to avoid them. Career-wise, you'll be far from NYC and Philly, Dechert's two bases. I've also heard that having NYC on your resume, even for a few years, can be a boost, but don't know firsthand. Overall, Willkie seems like a better career move.

[Anonymous User]

Dechert: How much do you like CLO's? Can you see yourself doing them for the foreseeable future? Also, they laid off half the office when the recession hit. Obviously the money is better and makes more sense with your debt situation.

Willkie: much more career flexibility

[brazleton]

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[Anonymous User]

Why don't more people flock to these NY-market-paying Charlotte firms?

There are very few firms in Charlotte paying market, and there is a huge amount of turnover bc the hours are grueling. The downside I think is that it will be easier to exit from NYC big law. The upside is that, no question $160k in charlotte you are living like a king and probably the top top 1-2% of wage earners in the city.

[Cogburn87]

Charlotte is cheaper but for a reason. Enjoy celebrating your milestones at Chili's.

LJL @ biglaw milestones: "Killed it at work today! Sat in on a depo! Sure, I didn't actually do or say anything, and it seems as if the only reason I was there was so the partner could transparently squeeze a few more billable hours out of our idiot client, but it was still exciting to watch opposing counsel depose that third-party witness! If I weren't working this weekend, maybe I would go to a Michelin star restaurant to celebrate this milestone and try to ignore the fact that biglaw has ruined my life!"

Enjoy breathing in fecal matter on the subway every morning.

[brazleton]

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[brazleton]

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[Cogburn87]

You life sounds sad if the only milestones you can imagine are biglaw ones.

lol. You seem extremely naive. You're not going to have much a life outside of work when you're billing 2200+ hours every year. Unless the "milestones" you were referring to were your divorce or the development stress induced hair loss.

[brazleton]

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[notgreat]

You life sounds sad if the only milestones you can imagine are biglaw ones.

lol. You seem extremely naive. You're not going to have much a life outside of work when you're billing 2200+ hours every year. Unless the "milestones" you were referring to were your divorce or the development stress induced hair loss.

You sounds like you parrot TLS to justify life choices.

In biglaw now, on pace for probably 2200, celebrating (positive) milestones, watching those around me do the same, managing stress, enjoying NY.

Fuck you. Chili's is awesome.

[brazleton]

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[Cogburn87]

You sounds like you parrot TLS to justify life choices.

In biglaw now, on pace for probably 2200, celebrating (positive) milestones, watching those around me do the same, managing stress, enjoying NY.

What choice am I justifying exactly? I worked in NY biglaw.
Glad you're happy tho. You're probably 1/100 based on my experience. Enjoy wandering the streets on weekends.