Denver biglaw Forum

[ggnobbq]

Any biglaw >>> Denver biglaw > NYC/LA/DC biglaw

By the time I start law school, I will have lived in Denver for about 2.5 years. I am from the Mountain West region and would like to come back and work here, but I would rather have a biglaw offer than none at all.

Do I have strong enough ties to be competitive for a Denver biglaw position from a lower t14? Would I need CCN or higher to be competitive? Does any particular t14 place better here than any other?

[BigZuck]

I don't really understand the >>>>>> you set up for us.

But yeah, no personal experience other than trying to get big law in another ties-sensitive market. I'm guessing it's a tiny desireable market and that a carpetbagger who hasn't lived there very long will usually be passed over by the born and bred Denverians and UC/Sturm law review bros. Will probably be a tall order from any T14 but hopefully someone with personal experience will chime in.

As is the case with pretty much anyone, I don't think it's a good idea to have T14 big law dreams without NYC being a big time target and anything else you snag is gravy baby (which I think is where you might be at but I can't tell). Basically I'd put Denver out of your mind and if it magically happens, great!

[LeDique]

I've never noticed any huge impact that different T14 schools seems to have on Denver biglaw hiring. I'd say it's going to be hard to find a pattern and if you do, it will be statistically irrelevant because…there's like 12 actual biglaw jobs in Denver each year. There's probably an additional 25 jobs that are biglaw-esque. I think I've continually lowered these numbers every time I post about it, but I really don't believe there's more than 50 biglaw-esque positions that hire each year in Denver. If you want to search for a pattern or check the numbers, start here and look at the total number of CO attorneys at the (biggest firms. Then realize that a number of these biggest firms don't pay market or anything close (ex: Berenbaum Weinshienk) or outright don't hire entry level for CO (ex: Sherman and Howard). Then go look at firm bios and get a sense of where these folks who do get entry level are coming from — maybe you'll pick up a pattern. My personal sense is like 45% CU, 35% DU, 15% random t14. But I made that up completely.

So as long as you understand Denver biglaw jobs are very hard to get, I don't think which T14 makes a difference. Depending on your priorities relative cost of attendance will make a bigger difference. i.e., if you're willing to take a lower paying Denver job for being in Denver, lower cost might be the better choice. If you'd rather have any biglaw job than a Denver job, then the higher the better (or whatever the current TLS wisdom is on this front, I have no idea)

As is the case with pretty much anyone, I don't think it's a good idea to have T14 big law dreams without NYC being a big time target and anything else you snag is gravy baby (which I think is where you might be at but I can't tell). Basically I'd put Denver out of your mind and if it magically happens, great!

I'd agree with this.

[acr]

go to the highest ranked school you can get into while minimizing debt. don't rely on Denver.

[CanadianWolf]

Denver is a tough market to crack because it is a relatively small legal market. Any T-14 should be enough as, for example, Georgetown is well respected in this market.

[goldenflash19]

I'm from a different insular market, but I picture 2.5 years living/working in Denver could give you a realistic shot. If you're serious about Denver, then work there 1L, regardless of what kind of legal work it is. 2.5 years living/working there + 1L summer + other intangibles (being from the general region, possibly "dating" someone from there) would make you competitive coming from a lower T14, I imagine. Being willing to work somewhere else is a nice security blanket, too.