Benefits of Orange County and San Diego Forum

[FlanAl]

Desirable parts San Diego and OC are not necessarily "cheaper" than LA. I've lived in all three and my COL was a bit more pricey in SD and especially in OC.

I could definitely see that happening but overall cost have to be somewhat cheaper... Last time I was in LA I paid $10 for a egg and cheese breakfast bagel from a to go place, this would never happen in anywhere in SD but I could see it happening in OC. I also paid like $10 for a beer at a LA dive, dives in SD have $5 pitchers haha.

[daesonesb]

asdf

[Anonymous User]

I don't really think there is a ton of upside to working in the OC. The freeway is still clogged during rush hour, its way suburban, and socially conservative but not in a traditional way (think Phoenix, not Virginia). There's less to do as far as night life goes.

I think that you just listed all the very good reasons to live in OC (I assume we're talking more about Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport and the "beach cities" more than places like Anaheim or Fullerton). Suburban living, conservative people - not exactly what most students at T14 schools are looking for, but that sounds like a great place for many, especially to be married or raise a family. The freeway might be busy at certain times likes any city with over a million people, but it's not nearly as bad as downtown LA. You can commute 20 minutes and live in a suburban house close to the beach, which isn't really possible in LA.

[Oban]

Another con is that there isn't much quality night life/culture in OC. You have costa mesa and the "downtowns" of irvine/orange/anaheim where there is ok action, but most of the OC is TGI fridays and CPK. There are some interesting areas of OC though, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Fullerton, etc. But they are expensive and have shitty commutes. Also visting your friends in LA will suck and you will spend many nights making that long as drive down the 5/405 home.

[Anonymous User]

There's plenty of great restaurants and things to do at night in places like Newport, Corona del Mar, Laguna, Balboa. Clubs? No, maybe not. But plenty of good restaurants, bars, lounges.

The people in OC are going to be much different than the people in LA and probably won't have as many friends in LA. It's a self-selection thing.

As far as "culture" goes, there are plenty of local restaurants that aren't chains, if that's what you're looking for. Clubs? Not really, but that's because people living in OC aren't really the types that go to clubs.

[Anonymous User]

I don't really think there is a ton of upside to working in the OC. The freeway is still clogged during rush hour, its way suburban, and socially conservative but not in a traditional way (think Phoenix, not Virginia). There's less to do as far as night life goes.

Also lawyers from LA seem to be of the opinion that the legal community is pretty insular down there. During OCI it seemed like it would be hard to crack in if you didn't have pretty significant ties.

You are basically saying "Mormon," when referring to non-traditional social conservatism because that is the major social difference between the OC and Phoenix brand and the Virginia brand.

I would say that OC conservatism may be more fiscal than social. But they still do have the aforementioned Mormon/evangelical conservative roots.

I think it is easier to break into the more selective OC shops (GDC, Irell) than the less selective for non-Southern California natives.

Also, when I say Southern California when referencing ties needed for OC, I mean San Diego, OC, and everything on the coast north of LA between Oxnard and Paso Robles. LA (Long Beach to Thousand Oaks) is different culturally and may be excepted.

[Anonymous User]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

[Anonymous User]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

This statement generally isn't true from what I've observed.

[daesonesb]

[quote=

[FlanAl]

was the above a good quote?

[RVP11]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

I got an offer at a V25 in San Diego without any of those. You do probably need to be from southern California, or have lived in San Diego County before, though.

[NoleinNY]

OC is OK. Northeast OC sucks but is cheapish. Anything at or west of Irvine is awesome, but starts hitting LA price ranges. I have a few friends that live in the Costa Mesa / Newport Beach area and have a blast.

[harborleaguemvp]

From SD, lived in Newport for school. You easily can find nice spots (close to the beach) for relatively cheap. Both are amazing locations.

[Mr. Somebody]

OC gets a bad rap on here. There are some nice places to live if you're young and single.

[desertlaw]

OC gets a bad rap on here. There are some nice places to live if you're young and single.

OC is the only BigLaw location where you can live on the beach in a warm city and not have a brutal commute. That alone is worth something. Maybe you don't have the nightlife like LA or NYC, but most other cities in the US don't have that either.

[FlanAl]

sd gives you this as well. guess these are some of the benefits.

[Ludo!]

I still don't get why this thread was necroed but I hope the title attracts Beargrl

[FlanAl]

the empty quote is what necroed it. I'm still curious as to daesonesb's motivation. I feel like there might have been something helpful.

[BearsGrl]

OC has tall buildings.

[NoleinNY]

OC gets a bad rap on here. There are some nice places to live if you're young and single.

OC is the only BigLaw location where you can live on the beach in a warm city and not have a brutal commute.

Unless you work at Bingham McCutchen or Greenberg Traurig in Santa Monica. (Or anywhere in DTLA once the Expo line's next phase is completed.)

[Anonymous User]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

This statement generally isn't true from what I've observed.

Actually, this is very true for some firms with offices in SD like Covington. Also, Cooley's SD office is BY FAR the hardest to get into out of all of its offices.

[RVP11]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

This statement generally isn't true from what I've observed.

Actually, this is very true for some firms with offices in SD like Covington. Also, Cooley's SD office is BY FAR the hardest to get into out of all of its offices.

Covington SD is all IP.

Cooley is no harder to get than Latham or MoFo. What makes these offices hard to get is the fact that the summer class sizes are small. But you don't need some astronomically high GPA.

T14 + well above median + strong interviewing + ties to the area = fighting chance at a top San Diego firm.

[erico]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

I got an offer at a V25 in San Diego without any of those. You do probably need to be from southern California, or have lived in San Diego County before, though.

So...Mofo?

[RVP11]

Don't even bother for San Diego unless you are top 1% at a T-14, were born there, have family there, and want to live there for the rest of your life.

I got an offer at a V25 in San Diego without any of those. You do probably need to be from southern California, or have lived in San Diego County before, though.

So...Mofo?

It was one of Covington (10)/Latham (11)/Jones Day (19)/MoFo (23)/Paul Hastings (27), yes.

[FlanAl]

what are the numbers in parentheses after the firm names? vault rankings? darn for a second I thought those were summer class sizes haha!