Milbank/Davis Polk/Cravath Scale: NYC to 215-415k Forum

[Anonymous User]

You think Kirkland would hire an SLS grad looking to switch to litigation from corporatE?

Hire? At this point I think Kirkland SPs are cold calling those people and begging them to join.

[Anonymous User]

Somewhat administrative but pretty important question. IF (a big IF at this point) DPW raises and/or announces special bonuses, do we continue this epic thread? Or start a new one giving DPW naming rights? A couple weeks ago I would have said new thread no-brainer, but it's a tough call now.

[Buglaw]

The amount of resentment toward KE here and I guess in the industry is astonishing. We get it. It's not a great look when your firm is getting passed by and becoming a has-been. But that's not our issue. The model is working, we're now the wealthiest firm in the industry (watch the revenue figure that comes out in the spring), and no one cares that you were founded in 1785 or once serviced a great m&a deal beside Marty Lipton himself. Cope more about your 1L contracts grade.

I hope this is some sort of weird troll. If not, this is the reason people don't like Kirkland or big law.

[Anonymous User]

Gibson unironically cares about grades for laterals, so I vote them.

Kirkland hired a Texas lateral that was roaming the hallways at her prior midsize firm asking for work because she did such bad work. And she only got that job because she met a partner randomly and networked despite mediocre grades.

I'd 100% rather have a firm ask for grades than a firm take on anyone who can impress them with their charismatic demeanor.

Kirkland right now will take anyone with a pulse who either attended a worthy enough law school or is at a worthy enough firm. They're not alone either -- firms just need bodies to bill $$$

I had a lateral interview for Kirkland and somehow didn't get hired. Should I just end it?

Is this a troll? At this point Mr. Magoo could get hired.

Sadly, no. Interviewed for the D.C. office and got dinged for my lack of "stand-up experience." I'm a third-year during a global pandemic, what did they expect?

[Anonymous User]

Gibson unironically cares about grades for laterals, so I vote them.

Kirkland hired a Texas lateral that was roaming the hallways at her prior midsize firm asking for work because she did such bad work. And she only got that job because she met a partner randomly and networked despite mediocre grades.

I'd 100% rather have a firm ask for grades than a firm take on anyone who can impress them with their charismatic demeanor.

Kirkland right now will take anyone with a pulse who either attended a worthy enough law school or is at a worthy enough firm. They're not alone either -- firms just need bodies to bill $$$

Delete above bolded underline, then good. See Kirkland SLC.

idunno, there seems to be some logic to their hiring there. From some quick stalking, seems to be a bunch of T14 grads, some of which came from perfectly legit firms (I saw W&C, Hueston Hennigan in the mix), and then some purely-local Utah Law Review folks. Not sure what else one would expect from an SLC outpost.

[Anonymous User]

I feel like if it's just a (marginal / moderate) re-raise then it deserves to stay in this thread, particularly given DPW's bad behavior. If it's something crazy (first years to 300!) or they announce a spring / fall bonus, then it gets its own thing. My $.02

[Anonymous User]

Somewhat administrative but pretty important question. IF (a big IF at this point) DPW raises and/or announces special bonuses, do we continue this epic thread? Or start a new one giving DPW naming rights? A couple weeks ago I would have said new thread no-brainer, but it's a tough call now.

They took too long, we can't reward this behavior.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, the last time DPW raised the scale was on a Friday.

[Anonymous User]

Depends on how much over the top, if 2-5k per class year, then no. If 10-20k per class year, then yes.

[Anonymous User]

The amount of resentment toward KE here and I guess in the industry is astonishing. We get it. It's not a great look when your firm is getting passed by and becoming a has-been. But that's not our issue. The model is working, we're now the wealthiest firm in the industry (watch the revenue figure that comes out in the spring), and no one cares that you were founded in 1785 or once serviced a great m&a deal beside Marty Lipton himself. Cope more about your 1L contracts grade.

Go ahead and keep churning those mid-market deals, buddy. Truly a prestigious model.

[Anonymous User]

I don't understand why Kirkland continues to be discussed. Maybe it's because of the huge number of attorneys they employ, or maybe it's because Kirkland is the firm of choice for the negative-EQ gunners who comprise the uChi student body, but I'm tired of this shit. K&E gets slammed for a reason -- they do shoddy work, are a pain to work across from, they have a million fake partners, and their attorneys treat one another like shit. Moving on!

[Anonymous User]

I don't understand why Kirkland continues to be discussed. Maybe it's because of the huge number of attorneys they employ, or maybe it's because Kirkland is the firm of choice for the negative-EQ gunners who comprise the uChi student body, but I'm tired of this shit. K&E gets slammed for a reason -- they do shoddy work, are a pain to work across from, they have a million fake partners, and their attorneys treat one another like shit. Moving on!

(secretly anxious Simpson partner hoping to retain a practice in the next 10 years)

[Anonymous User]

The amount of resentment toward KE here and I guess in the industry is astonishing. We get it. It's not a great look when your firm is getting passed by and becoming a has-been. But that's not our issue. The model is working, we're now the wealthiest firm in the industry (watch the revenue figure that comes out in the spring), and no one cares that you were founded in 1785 or once serviced a great m&a deal beside Marty Lipton himself. Cope more about your 1L contracts grade.

Go ahead and keep churning those mid-market deals, buddy. Truly a prestigious model.

I mean, the broader problem with Kirkland isn't the deals they are doing, it is that their "wealth" is benefiting a select few rainmakers, and everyone else is effectively getting shafted with little hope of ever getting "shares". It is an absolutely terrible model and the farthest thing from a true partnership, and really only works for top rainmakers or bottom of the barrel desperate people with no hope and nowhere else to go.

[Anonymous User]

I don't understand why Kirkland continues to be discussed. Maybe it's because of the huge number of attorneys they employ, or maybe it's because Kirkland is the firm of choice for the negative-EQ gunners who comprise the uChi student body, but I'm tired of this shit. K&E gets slammed for a reason -- they do shoddy work, are a pain to work across from, they have a million fake partners, and their attorneys treat one another like shit. Moving on!

I used to work with a senior associate who was married to a guy she met at K&E. They both lateraled out as midlevels, and she liked to joke that "their song" was that Rihanna one: "We found love in a hopeless place"

[Anonymous User]

Can’t believe I get paid more than V10 associates.

[Anonymous User]

The amount of resentment toward KE here and I guess in the industry is astonishing. We get it. It's not a great look when your firm is getting passed by and becoming a has-been. But that's not our issue. The model is working, we're now the wealthiest firm in the industry (watch the revenue figure that comes out in the spring), and no one cares that you were founded in 1785 or once serviced a great m&a deal beside Marty Lipton himself. Cope more about your 1L contracts grade.

Go ahead and keep churning those mid-market deals, buddy. Truly a prestigious model.

I mean, the broader problem with Kirkland isn't the deals they are doing, it is that their "wealth" is benefiting a select few rainmakers, and everyone else is effectively getting shafted with little hope of ever getting "shares". It is an absolutely terrible model and the farthest thing from a true partnership, and really only works for top rainmakers or bottom of the barrel desperate people with no hope and nowhere else to go.

This is such a bad take. The minimum shares right now is ~2.5m and we just had a discussion a month ago about how KE is at a minimum promoting to equity at the same rate as the rest of the V10 and more likely doing more than that.

[Anonymous User]

This is exactly why I only come to TLS during salary/bonus announcement season.

[Anonymous User]

The amount of resentment toward KE here and I guess in the industry is astonishing. We get it. It's not a great look when your firm is getting passed by and becoming a has-been. But that's not our issue. The model is working, we're now the wealthiest firm in the industry (watch the revenue figure that comes out in the spring), and no one cares that you were founded in 1785 or once serviced a great m&a deal beside Marty Lipton himself. Cope more about your 1L contracts grade.

Go ahead and keep churning those mid-market deals, buddy. Truly a prestigious model.

I mean, the broader problem with Kirkland isn't the deals they are doing, it is that their "wealth" is benefiting a select few rainmakers, and everyone else is effectively getting shafted with little hope of ever getting "shares". It is an absolutely terrible model and the farthest thing from a true partnership, and really only works for top rainmakers or bottom of the barrel desperate people with no hope and nowhere else to go.

This is such a bad take. The minimum shares right now is ~2.5m and we just had a discussion a month ago about how KE is at a minimum promoting to equity at the same rate as the rest of the V10 and more likely doing more than that.

They compressed multiple years into one year of promotions. Not to mention that Kirkland equity is some of the least lockstep in the market.

[Anonymous User]

Tomorrow. Friday, February 10th. It’s happening. Get your celebratory restaurant reservations booked.

[Anonymous User]

Hearing rumors that Paul Hastings sent an email that they will not be matching. Any confirmations?

[Anonymous User]

Hearing rumors that Paul Hastings sent an email that they will not be matching. Any confirmations?

Why send this out? Just don't do it.

[Anonymous User]

Hearing rumors that Paul Hastings sent an email that they will not be matching. Any confirmations?

[Anonymous User]

Tomorrow. Friday, February 10th. It’s happening. Get your celebratory restaurant reservations booked.

lol, pretty sure "Friday, February 10th" isn't until 2023, but at the rate this is going that wouldn't surprise me.

[Anonymous User]

Hearing rumors that Paul Hastings sent an email that they will not be matching. Any confirmations?

It was dumb but not a "we're not matching" email. It was just an autogenerated email telling us we're making $X next year, where X reflects the non-Milbank scale.

[Anonymous User]

Hearing rumors that Paul Hastings sent an email that they will not be matching. Any confirmations?

It was dumb but not a "we're not matching" email. It was just an autogenerated email telling us we're making $X next year, where X reflects the non-Milbank scale.

Can someone just paste the email?