Baker McKenzie Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey all,

I have a B&M interview next month, first round for tax in a major market.

I'd love to hear how other's experiences were with B&M, and what to really expect.

Thank in advance.

[Anonymous User]

Expect to be in the office until at least 8 or 9 pm every night if you're in DC.

[Anonymous User]

At a call-back interview in SF, a partner straight up told me he was fed up with associates looking for a semblance of work-life balance, so he wanted to make sure I'd be willing to work pretty much every weekend gleefully.

[Anonymous User]

Did a CB in Chicago.

Everyone seemed nice and they're definitely an great firm if you're shooting for tax. As a side note, their Chicago office is probably the most beautiful in the entire city (if that matters to you). They pride themselves on the sheer scale and true "global" reach of their firm; whether you view that as a positive or a negative is a personal call.

The CB was a bit strange in terms of its format though. They had all of us congregate in the main atrium, and then all the interviewers came out and led us to our respective rooms. After each interview, we would reconvene in the atrium, and switch off with another interviewer. It felt very much like being dropped off and picked up by your mom at elementary school. CB format was pretty standard, aside from each interviewer asking one tailored behavioral question dealing with a broad topic like leadership or problem solving.

Somewhat unrelatedly, their place in the legal market confuses me to some degree. They're an enormous firm based in Chicago, but they have a relatively small summer class in that office, and their reputation in other markets is quite amorphous too. Are they most like DLA Piper in terms of business model/reputation?

[RaceJudicata]

Somewhat unrelatedly, their place in the legal market confuses me to some degree. They're an enormous firm based in Chicago, but they have a relatively small summer class in that office, and their reputation in other markets is quite amorphous too. Are they most like DLA Piper in terms of business model/reputation?

Can't speak directly to their reputation or culture. But they are both vereins, so yes, their business models are very similar

[Anonymous User]

Hey all,

I have a B&M interview next month, first round for tax in a major market.

I'd love to hear how other's experiences were with B&M, and what to really expect.

Thank in advance.

Annon because their classes are small and someone might get the connection.

Close friend worked last summer in the BM tax department in a major city. Split their summer between BM and another firm. Friend, who is about the nicest and most outgoing person I know could not stand working at BM. Really liked them during the interview process, but said the summer felt like the firm put no effort into it (could just be that particular office, idk).

Not super helpful I realize, but its my only direct dealing with BM.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else have any info about B&M?

I am an junior associate in general corporate at my firm and am considering lateraling to B&M in order to break into Tax (not possible at my current firm). I don't know any associates there, but what I'm seeing on this thread is mildly disconcerting. Although I want to practice tax, I'm not sure I want to be miserable for the next few years while working there.

As a sidenote, does anyone know what other biglaw firms are heavily focused on tax? I checked Vault, but it's basically just a list of the big NY firms (Cleary, Skadden, etc). Are there any tax "boutiques" or even other biglaw firms that are tax-focused like B&M?

[3|ink]

Anyone else have any info about B&M?

I am an junior associate in general corporate at my firm and am considering lateraling to B&M in order to break into Tax (not possible at my current firm). I don't know any associates there, but what I'm seeing on this thread is mildly disconcerting. Although I want to practice tax, I'm not sure I want to be miserable for the next few years while working there.

As a sidenote, does anyone know what other biglaw firms are heavily focused on tax? I checked Vault, but it's basically just a list of the big NY firms (Cleary, Skadden, etc). Are there any tax "boutiques" or even other biglaw firms that are tax-focused like B&M?

to name a few:
Caplin & Drysdale
Miller & Chevalier
Phillips & Ivy

If you want to find more, use NALP to filter by city and practice area. Look for offices in your area with a lot of tax partners.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else have any info about B&M?

I am an junior associate in general corporate at my firm and am considering lateraling to B&M in order to break into Tax (not possible at my current firm). I don't know any associates there, but what I'm seeing on this thread is mildly disconcerting. Although I want to practice tax, I'm not sure I want to be miserable for the next few years while working there.

As a sidenote, does anyone know what other biglaw firms are heavily focused on tax? I checked Vault, but it's basically just a list of the big NY firms (Cleary, Skadden, etc). Are there any tax "boutiques" or even other biglaw firms that are tax-focused like B&M?

to name a few:
Caplin & Drysdale
Miller & Chevalier
Phillips & Ivy

If you want to find more, use NALP to filter by city and practice area. Look for offices in your area with a lot of tax partners.

Boutiques: Ivins Phillips and Roberts Holland are also pretty well known.

Biglaw: McDermott comes to mind as a tax-heavy firm. Vault is accurate in that all the top biglaw practices are in NYC (Cleary, Skadden, Cravath, etc.). They have pretty broad expertise in traditional corporate tax, partnership stuff, financial products, REITs, etc. Outside those firms' home offices, most practices tend to specialize a little more. For example, Fenwick's SV office is well regarded for international tax but I don't know if they have anyone who specializes in financial products. Morgan Lewis's DC office has two leading partnership tax folks as a result of picking up Bingham (which previously picked up McKee Nelson), but they're probably not doing a ton of project financing for energy projects. You'd look to Texas firms like Baker Botts or V&E for traditional energy expertise (e.g., MLPs). It just depends what you're interested in. Legal500 and Chambers & Partners are good resources for tracking down firm/office-specific expertise.

[Johann]

I mean all big firms have tax departments. Baker is tax heavy, but as a smaller firm I doubt they have as many tax people as Skadden or dla piper.

Joining tax department by lateraling is going to be a tall mountain without an llm. No offense to corporate people, but they are in way over their head lateraling and the only way I see this possible without an llm is if you lateral into your own firms department based on them having faith with you.

[inter-associate]

I mean all big firms have tax departments. Baker is tax heavy, but as a smaller firm I doubt they have as many tax people as Skadden or dla piper.

Trying to figure out if this is trolling or ignorance, but either way I would ignore this post. First time I've heard the mother of the Swiss verein model referred to as a "smaller firm".

[Abbie Doobie]

I mean all big firms have tax departments. Baker is tax heavy, but as a smaller firm I doubt they have as many tax people as Skadden or dla piper.

Trying to figure out if this is trolling or ignorance, but either way I would ignore this post. First time I've heard the mother of the Swiss verein model referred to as a "smaller firm".

If we're only counting U.S. lawyers then Baker isn't nearly as big as Skadden or DLA.

http://www.law360.com/articles/631981/l ... t-us-firms

[Johann]

Yep. Typical law student talking out their ass. China's bm office has nothing to do with the U.S. Firm.

[inter-associate]

Yep. Typical law student talking out their ass. China's bm office has nothing to do with the U.S. Firm.

???????

I haven't been a law student in a long time and I wasn't referring to China. I've never heard Baker referred to as a smaller firm before, but if that's your definition then okay. However, based on NALP, DLA has around 70 tax attorneys in the US, Skadden has just over 100 while Baker has over 150. There may be some inaccuracies/double counting with lawyers sharing offices, but either way your doubts were not well founded. If these numbers are wildly inaccurate someone please let me know. I'm not trying to mislead anyone.

[Anonymous User]

I'm the junior associate that asked about lateraling to BM.

I am currently at a satellite office of a biglaw firm, and there are no tax lawyers in our office. I don't think any of the biglaw firms that have offices in my market have tax lawyers in them to be honest (think: Seattle, Denver, Austin, Research Triangle type market). Therefore, I am going to have to switch markets to practice tax. The problem is, my firm really doesn't have many tax folks at all. It's like 3 or 4 partners, a few of counsel, and a few senior associates. I asked them about switching to the tax group, but they basically said they don't want to train someone new and they don't usually even hire junior tax folks (they usually just poach midlevels from NY firms I think).

Having said all that, do you think it would be possible to switch to a major market and try to break into the tax group as a junior? I am much more interested in tax law, and have good credentials (Top 5% at a T14 with A+ and A in the two tax classes I took).

I have thought about going to get the LLM, but the cost (both actual and opportunity cost) is too high to justify. Not sure it's worth sacrificing, effectively, $230k in order to switch groups. I've also heard anecdotally that it looks bad to leave a biglaw firm and get the LLM because other biglaw firms think you were shit canned/a failure at the original firm (i.e., it's a tough story to sell biglaw firms on because they probably assume no one would sacrifice that much money just to switch groups unless there were other reasons).

[Johann]

I don't know as I haven't applied. But I don't see how any biglaw firm would put you above someone with big 4 tax experience trying to lateral. So yeah I think you're fucked.

[Anonymous User]

I don't know as I haven't applied. But I don't see how any biglaw firm would put you above someone with big 4 tax experience trying to lateral. So yeah I think you're fucked.

OP - I would ignore everything this person has said. BM has one of the biggest tax practices in the country/world. I also know people who have lateraled both internally and externally from general transactional/corporate work to tax groups. Your academic credentials are probably sufficient to at least get a screener for junior associate positions. To the extent you're competing with junior people from big 4 firms, your school/grades are almost certainly going to be considerably stronger. Getting past the screener probably will probably require showing real interest and knowledge of current developments...so read Tax Notes/BNA/etc. The biggest obstacle is probably the fact that there aren't many spots for junior tax folks in general.

[RaceJudicata]

Anyone else have any info about B&M?

I am an junior associate in general corporate at my firm and am considering lateraling to B&M in order to break into Tax (not possible at my current firm). I don't know any associates there, but what I'm seeing on this thread is mildly disconcerting. Although I want to practice tax, I'm not sure I want to be miserable for the next few years while working there.

As a sidenote, does anyone know what other biglaw firms are heavily focused on tax? I checked Vault, but it's basically just a list of the big NY firms (Cleary, Skadden, etc). Are there any tax "boutiques" or even other biglaw firms that are tax-focused like B&M?

McDermott Will & Emery .. particularly for Private Client

[Anonymous User]

OP looking to lateral here.

Thanks for the advice, everyone

[Anonymous User]

OP Here,

Just thought I would update this:

Had the interview. They were all exceptionally arrogant, so much so after about 20 minutes I just wanted to GTFO. A very "you should be honored we even let you in the front door" kind of BS.

Needless to say after the free lunch I went home and didn't think about them again. Had another few interviews at Cravath, Linklaters & White & Case. Offers from Linklaters & White & Case, and I went with WC.

Very happy with my decision.