Which offer to drop Forum

[edcrane]

Having similar interests and perferences to the OP, which of these two firms would you drop and why: Davis Polk or Simpson Thacher?

If you don't really know what you want to do and you felt good at both firms, I'd drop STB. But I would only do that after a second visit.

[Anonymous User]

I'm the poster who asked about DPW and STB. Thanks to those who responded to my post. You have given me food for thought.

I had great interviews with both and enjoyed the people in both firms. I would say I felt slightly more comfortable at STB and they were very welcoming. Also when I think about it, I'm more likely to lean to general corporate, M&A and/or equity practices. So the fact STB is less prominent in litigation than DP is probably not a big deal, after all. Another thing I like, through my research, about STB over DP is it's more of a market setter while DP is notoriously cheap and a market follower.

I guess the bottom line is it's a win-win situation and comes down to gut feeling. I look forward to visiting each again before making my final decision, although I still have my cb with Cravath next week.

[Anonymous User]

what if you add cravath for the mix, for corp?

[Anonymous User]

what if you add cravath for the mix, for corp?

That would pose a pleasant problem for me if they offer next week. But I'm more inclined to drop Cravath because they're very hard on associates from what I understand and I'm not sure my personality is cut out for the demand. But the fact they get you more involved in substantial corporate work than most other firms is tempting.

[edcrane]

I would only take cravath if you're in love with their rotation system and don't mind working another 5-6 hrs/week as compared to S&C/STB/DPW.

[edcrane]

I'm the poster who asked about DPW and STB. Thanks to those who responded to my post. You have given me food for thought.

I had great interviews with both and enjoyed the people in both firms. I would say I felt slightly more comfortable at STB and they were very welcoming. Also when I think about it, I'm more likely to lean to general corporate, M&A and/or equity practices. So the fact STB is less prominent in litigation than DP is probably not a big deal, after all. Another thing I like, through my research, about STB over DP is it's more of a market setter while DP is notoriously cheap and a market follower.

I guess the bottom line is it's a win-win situation and comes down to gut feeling. I look forward to visiting each again before making my final decision, although I still have my cb with Cravath next week.

I wouldn't put too much weight on the "market leader" vs. "market follower" distinction. In all likelihood, the total comp will be the same for each firm for the foreseeable future.

Gut feeling, though, is important.

[Anonymous User]

As an update to this thread, what about STB vs. Cleary? Mainly interested in corporate.

[Anonymous User]

Very similar firms. Simpson is much more private equity focused, and Cleary more public M&A.

[Anonymous User]

a close friend of mine at Davis Polk tells me the work environment there is AWFUL

[Anonymous User]

a close friend of mine at Davis Polk tells me the work environment there is AWFUL

Which group?

[Anonymous User]

a close friend of mine at Davis Polk tells me the work environment there is AWFUL

Relative to?

[legends159]

a close friend of mine at Davis Polk tells me the work environment there is AWFUL

Relative to?

People say the same about every firm. No firm has 100% happy people. I find that many people have this idea about DPW that everyone is happy all the time and that they are a QOL firm. While they have a reputation of being more civil and respectful of their associates, don't be fooled into thinking that they won't work you just as hard as all the other NYC firms. People who go into DPW thinking otherwise will likely find the work environment AWFUL even though they should know that the hours, pressures, demands and stress come with working in any top NYC firm.

[Anonymous User]

a close friend of mine at Davis Polk tells me the work environment there is AWFUL

Relative to?

relative to Weil, Simpson, Cleary. comparing what SAs said about their experiences.

[Renzo]

If you had the following offers, which ones would you drop?

To give you some info, I am interested in trying both lit and transactional work next summer. For lit, I'm most interested in white collar and corporate investigations. For transactional, I'm interested in M&A or possibly tax. I also like international work.

I also don't like being yelled at and prefer not to work at a sweatshop, though I imagine every large NYC firm is somewhat of a sweatshop. But a "nice firm" reputation is probably more in tune w/ my non-aggressive nature. Not really gunning for partnership either, just a place to get good experience and not want to kill myself.

All NYC:
- Sullivan & Cromwell
- Skadden
- Davis Polk
- Cleary Gottlieb
- Paul Weiss
- Debevoise

I, for one, can't see how it will possibly matter which of there firms you go to. All of these are huge, and will have both pleasant and unpleasant people. All will work you hard, but you're only going to be there for a few years. All are great resume-builders, and since you have no idea what you want to do it doesn't really matter what each of these firms excels at.

Pick the one three offices you liked the least, and close those offers. Go back and visit the other three, and go to the firm where you like the people you meet the best. That, or flip a coin.

[Anonymous User]

If you had the following offers, which ones would you drop?

To give you some info, I am interested in trying both lit and transactional work next summer. For lit, I'm most interested in white collar and corporate investigations. For transactional, I'm interested in M&A or possibly tax. I also like international work.

I also don't like being yelled at and prefer not to work at a sweatshop, though I imagine every large NYC firm is somewhat of a sweatshop. But a "nice firm" reputation is probably more in tune w/ my non-aggressive nature. Not really gunning for partnership either, just a place to get good experience and not want to kill myself.

All NYC:
- Sullivan & Cromwell
- Skadden
- Davis Polk
- Cleary Gottlieb
- Paul Weiss
- Debevoise

I, for one, can't see how it will possibly matter which of there firms you go to. All of these are huge, and will have both pleasant and unpleasant people. All will work you hard, but you're only going to be there for a few years. All are great resume-builders, and since you have no idea what you want to do it doesn't really matter what each of these firms excels at.

Pick the one three offices you liked the least, and close those offers. Go back and visit the other three, and go to the firm where you like the people you meet the best. That, or flip a coin.

A little late to the game. The OP must have made his decision by now, considering he originally posted more than 5 weeks ago....

[Hoopster]

A little late to the game. The OP must have made his decision by now, considering he originally posted more than 5 weeks ago....

I'm curious myself which firm the OP decided on.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Ya, I actually picked none of the above. Some very personal reasons for going w/ the firm I ended up choosing (for which I did not get the offer until pretty late), so don't want to disclose.

I think if I had to choose one of the above, I would have gone to Debevoise.

[ZXCVBNM]

OP here. Ya, I actually picked none of the above. Some very personal reasons for going w/ the firm I ended up choosing (for which I did not get the offer until pretty late), so don't want to disclose.

I think if I had to choose one of the above, I would have gone to Debevoise.

cravath? simpson?