Norton Rose Fulbright Houston? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have a callback interview with NRF in Houston and I was wondering if someone could give some input about their summer associate program generally. I'm also curious about the feel of the firm generally. It's gone through quite a few mergers recently and I can imagine that could have an impact on firm culture.

[SmokeytheBear]

From the various chatter on different threads sounds like the firm generally no offered several folks this summer.

[Big Red]

From the various chatter on different threads sounds like the firm generally no offered several folks this summer.

I think I've heard this was more of an issue outside the HOU office, but I'm pretty sure NALP gives office-by-office numbers on that. No offers are becoming less common Texas wide as firms adjust to the NYC one-firm-per-summer system, NRF maybe just got the memo?

[MrT]

From the various chatter on different threads sounds like the firm generally no offered several folks this summer.

I think I've heard this was more of an issue outside the HOU office, but I'm pretty sure NALP gives office-by-office numbers on that. No offers are becoming less common Texas wide as firms adjust to the NYC one-firm-per-summer system, NRF maybe just got the memo?

They no-offered 4/19 summers in 2016. So you have about a 79% chance of a job at the end of the summer.

[Anonymous User]

NRF insider here. 80% offer rate is correct, although in TX offer rates in the 80s, while obviously not good, are also not abysmal given the TX splitting system. I think NRF always hovered in high 80s even in the good years. V&E no offered quite a few in 2016 as well (I think their offer rate was around 90%). 100% offer rates are mostly a non-Texas thing.

Pros and cons of NRF Houston:

Pros:
- As a junior you're probably not going to be working 2500 hours, not even 2300 hours, most likely not even 2000 hours in many practice groups -- even if you wanted to.
- No facetime requirement in many practice groups. The office is usually dead by 7 pm.
- You get paid Cravath base, at least for your first three years. Thereafter you only get paid Cravath base if you hit 1900 hours. Bonuses are less than the other big TX shops, sometimes around half at the more senior years. So you'll need to hit 2300 to make what someone at BB or Kirkland makes at 2000 or 2100.
- There are very few nutcases here. Everyone is truly nice. No screamer partners that I know of.
- Still a pretty decent name. When hanging out with solo randos they will be impressed with the Fulbright name.

Cons:
- You're not billing 2500 hours, not even 2300 hours, likely not even 2000 hours and maybe not even 1700 hours as a junior. Some groups are doing very well and others are very slow. High attrition among junior associates due to lack of hours (by attrition I mean lateraling out, but see last point as well).
- Overall a litigation-heavy firm in a corporate-heavy market (somewhat ameliorated by Chadbourne merger). But unfortunately for Houston their corporate team got raided by BB in February. It remains to be seen whether Houston will ever redevelop its corporate group.
- Relatedly, firm management is dominated by old school litigator types who are left behind in the new corporate-dominated market and finding it hard to compete with top notch lit boutiques on rates. Tons of litigator partners have impressive resumes but are not generating business, hence the 2nd percentile PPP among V100 firms.
- Stealth layoffs have been and are a thing.

AMA. Don't quote.

[Anonymous User]

Can confirm above anon from a family member who spent time there recently. The work just isn't there and I get the impression that much of the leadership is in denial about where things stand. They keep hiring like it's the good 'ol days, but it's not. A lot of juniors have been stealthed, many others have lateraled out after seeing the writing on the wall.

[Anonymous User]

That is very interesting to hear. I summered there and it looks like a good chunk of the juniors and midlevels at the time (now seniors) are still there. It's bizarre how much Houston changed in a few years.