K&E questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Intentionally anon to say this: if you are senior associate or higher, you are safe to lateral. If mid to junior, I would recommend staying away. Not enough work, too much associates, toxic, competitive environment.

This is helpful insight, I wonder if you are willing to elaborate. I have been getting calls from K&E to join an office at a junior level.

Do you not recommend joining as a junior for any office, or just Texas (or another office)? All practice groups? What if the lateraling attorney has some connections to some of the attorneys (both partners and associates, mostly from law school but also some past work)? K&E has a general reputation for being cutthroat, but I'm wondering if you could elaborate on your advice. Do most junior lateraling attorneys get swept into the corner because the kids already in the club do not play nice with newcomers (or something similar)?

[Anonymous User]

K&E has a general reputation for being cutthroat, but I'm wondering if you could elaborate on your advice. Do most junior lateraling attorneys get swept into the corner because the kids already in the club do not play nice with newcomers (or something similar)?

The bolded is very office- and practice group-dependent. Generally this reputation arises out of the NY office and various transactional groups, though there is some self-selection by 2Ls at OCI based on this reputation that trickle into the other offices and groups. But it's unlikely that that the litigation groups in DC or LA (for example) will fit your K&E stereotype as opposed to some private equity bros in NY. Source: I'm a K&E associate who was initially worried about this reputation.

[Anonymous User]

Is the PE group generally miserable regardless of the office?

[Anonymous User]

People in the Chicago office are generally pretty normal. It's a sweatshop wherever you go, but never seen anything remotely cutthroat.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know anything about the Kirkland Dallas office? Like how big they want it to be and what practice groups they are trying to grow there? They seem to be growing really slowly so I'm just wondering

I know the Houston office has 50ish summers for the 150 attorneys in that office so they are obviously trying to grow fast, even if it is just with juniors. Does the Dallas office have a large summer class too?

Mods please don't un-anon me. I know this question doesn't seem like it need to be anon, but I've definitely said enough under my username to identify me and I don't want my office to know I am already looking at lateral options.

K&E's Dallas office currently has about 20 summer associates.

[Anonymous User]

To K&E capital markets associates, what is expected of a third year?