Let's talk about Atlanta! Forum

[Anonymous User]

Where can I find a lockstep table on the 150 scale?

Jones Day isn't lockstep. I've heard varying accounts about how this works out for associates and also heard it might vary by city.

So how does it work for JD Atlanta? How does it compare to a 145 lockstep firm, for example.

Jones Day is merit-based past the first year. It is also (proudly) a black-box. Only you will know what you make, and that's the only salary you will know. It is meant to eliminate incentives to compete.

Have you been offered? CB'd? Screened?

[Anonymous User]

So how does it work for JD Atlanta? How does it compare to a 145 lockstep firm, for example.

Jones Day is merit-based past the first year. It is also (proudly) a black-box. Only you will know what you make, and that's the only salary you will know. It is meant to eliminate incentives to compete.

Have you been offered? CB'd? Screened?

So any general idea on what to expect through anecdotes? Guesses?

At the CB stage, seeing several firms. Do PH and KT follow lockstep?

[Anonymous User]

So how does it work for JD Atlanta? How does it compare to a 145 lockstep firm, for example.

Jones Day is merit-based past the first year. It is also (proudly) a black-box. Only you will know what you make, and that's the only salary you will know. It is meant to eliminate incentives to compete.

Have you been offered? CB'd? Screened?

So any general idea on what to expect through anecdotes? Guesses?

At the CB stage, seeing several firms. Do PH and KT follow lockstep?

JD Summer here. In talking to others at the firm, the line usually is "I can look up online and see what my friends at other firms make. If I were unhappy with my compensation, I would have left for another firm already and I haven't."

Edit: Not a summer in Atlanta, forgot to mention that.

[Anonymous User]

So any general idea on what to expect through anecdotes? Guesses?

At the CB stage, seeing several firms. Do PH and KT follow lockstep?

Maybe I can offer some insight. I'm a paralegal at one of K&S/A&B who's been considering going to law school so I've stayed plugged into the market. Market in ATL is 135. As far as I know, only Jones Day pays above that at 150 (according to a friend who interviewed with them), PH/KT might follow but those are smaller offices here.

Also I was just talking with one of the hiring partners and he can confirm that hiring is definitely back down. Our office is only taking 11 or 12 summers total, all through current/just completed OCI. That's down from 15-20 this summer. For what it's worth, he said offer rate of that small class should be 100%, barring monumental work fuckup.

ATL is still a bloodbath, and like many are suspecting, this is probably the new normal.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone heard back from AGG post-CB?

[Anonymous User]

Went into K&S for a callback last week. Still haven't heard anything. UCLA/UT/Vandy, top 20%, strong ties to Atlanta and Georgia in general. Anyone heard from K&S since your CB?

[Anonymous User]

So any general idea on what to expect through anecdotes? Guesses?

At the CB stage, seeing several firms. Do PH and KT follow lockstep?

Maybe I can offer some insight. I'm a paralegal at one of K&S/A&B who's been considering going to law school so I've stayed plugged into the market. Market in ATL is 135. As far as I know, only Jones Day pays above that at 150 (according to a friend who interviewed with them), PH/KT might follow but those are smaller offices here.

Also I was just talking with one of the hiring partners and he can confirm that hiring is definitely back down. Our office is only taking 11 or 12 summers total, all through current/just completed OCI. That's down from 15-20 this summer. For what it's worth, he said offer rate of that small class should be 100%, barring monumental work fuckup.

ATL is still a bloodbath, and like many are suspecting, this is probably the new normal.

Unless you're fudging your numbers to maintain anonymity, they are wrong. A&B took >20 summers last year, and K&S took <15. Neither fits into your range. An associate friend at K&S tells me they are looking to get bigger this year, in the range of 20. I would be surprised if A&B is cutting back from >20 to 11, but I guess that's possible.

And FWIW, KT pays 135. PH may pay higher, not sure.

[Anonymous User]

Just telling you what a hiring partner who conducts OCI relayed to me, broski

[Anonymous User]

Went into K&S for a callback last week. Still haven't heard anything. UCLA/UT/Vandy, top 20%, strong ties to Atlanta and Georgia in general. Anyone heard from K&S since your CB?

Got an offer earlier this week from K&S. Not ranked as high as Vandy, etc. and outside top 20%.

[Anonymous User]

So any general idea on what to expect through anecdotes? Guesses?

At the CB stage, seeing several firms. Do PH and KT follow lockstep?

Maybe I can offer some insight. I'm a paralegal at one of K&S/A&B who's been considering going to law school so I've stayed plugged into the market. Market in ATL is 135. As far as I know, only Jones Day pays above that at 150 (according to a friend who interviewed with them), PH/KT might follow but those are smaller offices here.

Also I was just talking with one of the hiring partners and he can confirm that hiring is definitely back down. Our office is only taking 11 or 12 summers total, all through current/just completed OCI. That's down from 15-20 this summer. For what it's worth, he said offer rate of that small class should be 100%, barring monumental work fuckup.

ATL is still a bloodbath, and like many are suspecting, this is probably the new normal.

Unless you're fudging your numbers to maintain anonymity, they are wrong. A&B took >20 summers last year, and K&S took <15. Neither fits into your range. An associate friend at K&S tells me they are looking to get bigger this year, in the range of 20. I would be surprised if A&B is cutting back from >20 to 11, but I guess that's possible.

And FWIW, KT pays 135. PH may pay higher, not sure.

The 11-12 number is what the K&S people told me at the callback.

Went into K&S for a callback last week. Still haven't heard anything. UCLA/UT/Vandy, top 20%, strong ties to Atlanta and Georgia in general. Anyone heard from K&S since your CB?

Got an offer earlier this week from K&S. Not ranked as high as Vandy, etc. and outside top 20%.

Thanks. I also know at least one of the people from my interview date received an offer this week.

[Anonymous User]

Sutherland offers today or yesterday?? I know they were supposed to meet yesterday.

[Anonymous User]

I'm curious about the reputation of Alston + Bird in Atlanta. Anyone have any experience there or an opinion of the firm generally?

[Anonymous User]

I'm curious about the reputation of Alston + Bird in Atlanta. Anyone have any experience there or an opinion of the firm generally?

My opinion, generally - I'm a fan.

They really focus on the client and seem to stress the "no asshole" mentality w.r.t. associates. Certainly expect a lot of hours, but not quite the same craziness as NYC big law.

[Anonymous User]

I'm curious about the reputation of Alston + Bird in Atlanta. Anyone have any experience there or an opinion of the firm generally?

My opinion, generally - I'm a fan.

They really focus on the client and seem to stress the "no asshole" mentality w.r.t. associates. Certainly expect a lot of hours, but not quite the same craziness as NYC big law.

Thanks. Any idea what sets them so far apart from other law firms that they are always in Fortunes top 100 places to work?

[Anonymous User]

I'm curious about the reputation of Alston + Bird in Atlanta. Anyone have any experience there or an opinion of the firm generally?

My opinion, generally - I'm a fan.

They really focus on the client and seem to stress the "no asshole" mentality w.r.t. associates. Certainly expect a lot of hours, but not quite the same craziness as NYC big law.

Thanks. Any idea what sets them so far apart from other law firms that they are always in Fortunes top 100 places to work?

I have two summers worth of experience there. They respect your personal life to the extent that it is possible in Big Law. They recruit classes with teamwork in mind. They don't want to have classes of people looking to one up each other and stab everyone else in the back. They value home grown partners, so they don't try to chew you up and spit you out, a la many NY firms. They have a lot of work/life balance initiatives: flexible work options, reduced time track that still leads to partnership (I know several women on this track), it's own day care center (at least in the ATL office), concierge services (including people who will wait at your house for the repair guy, take your car to servicing, go grocery shopping, all for a nominal fee). And, they're willing to improve. Associates are encouraged to share their thoughts with the firm, and the firm actively goes out of its way to fix a problem wherever it can.

[Anonymous User]

alston gets a touchy-feely rep but as far as i can tell it's just another big firm doing big firm things but talking about being a different sort of place.

the real "lifestyle firms" in atlanta (if "lifestyle firms" actually exist) are MLA, SGR, AGG, maybe Sutherland too. but you're going to work your ass off no matter where you go. i think alston is a little disingenuous to put it in prospective SAs' minds that it will be somehow different and better there.

[Anonymous User]

alston gets a touchy-feely rep but as far as i can tell it's just another big firm doing big firm things but talking about being a different sort of place.

the real "lifestyle firms" in atlanta (if "lifestyle firms" actually exist) are MLA, SGR, AGG, maybe Sutherland too. but you're going to work your ass off no matter where you go. i think alston is a little disingenuous to put it in prospective SAs' minds that it will be somehow different and better there.

I think the fact that Alston has a 1900 billable hour rate is indicative that it's not a small town firm with small town hours. That being said, it doesn't have the same big firm ego that many NY firms are known for. It is humane place for associates when comparing it to other large firms, and the chances for partnership are actually decent. So while it's not a picnic every day of the week, for the type of work that you do and the opportunities available, it is a viable option.

[Anonymous User]

alston gets a touchy-feely rep but as far as i can tell it's just another big firm doing big firm things but talking about being a different sort of place.

the real "lifestyle firms" in atlanta (if "lifestyle firms" actually exist) are MLA, SGR, AGG, maybe Sutherland too. but you're going to work your ass off no matter where you go. i think alston is a little disingenuous to put it in prospective SAs' minds that it will be somehow different and better there.

You just named the smaller firms. That doesn't necessarily correlate with "lifestyle." For instance, SGR has a longstanding reputation for being one of the crappiest places to work, with the worst partners.

[Anonymous User]

MLA and Sutherland have nearly 200 attorneys in town. is that small? even if it is, just because they're small doesn't mean what i'm saying isn't true. are you saying AGG doesn't have the lifestyle firm reputation? if SGR has a longstanding rep for being awful, i haven't gotten that memo. but maybe you know better than me, so i'll assume you're right and say forget SGR.

[Anonymous User]

I said "smaller," as in smaller than the biggest firms like K&S, A&B, Kilpatrick, etc. And yes, MLA and AGG probably do have a bit more in the way of "lifestyle." A bit lower hours perhaps. Sutherland, I don't think so. Maybe a hair, but that's it.

[Anonymous User]

anon @ 8:40, can you elaborate on SGR's bad reputation? i haven't gotten an offer yet but they would be high on my list. where does this rep come from? do you know people who are there and hate it or something?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone reported Alston & Bird offers post-CB? Had my CB 2 weeks ago but no word yet.

[Anonymous User]

anon @ 8:40, can you elaborate on SGR's bad reputation? i haven't gotten an offer yet but they would be high on my list. where does this rep come from? do you know people who are there and hate it or something?

I'm also curious about this.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone reported Alston & Bird offers post-CB? Had my CB 2 weeks ago but no word yet.

It can take awhile. I had to ask them to speed up their decision last year (after being "rushed in" for a callback over a week after the notification - they evidently had to squeeze me in) so as not to run afoul of an offer deadline and it still took them like 10 days. They're worth the wait though

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone reported Alston & Bird offers post-CB? Had my CB 2 weeks ago but no word yet.

It can take awhile. I had to ask them to speed up their decision last year (after being "rushed in" for a callback over a week after the notification - they evidently had to squeeze me in) so as not to run afoul of an offer deadline and it still took them like 10 days. They're worth the wait though

Yeah they definitely aren't about speed. Did CB 2 weeks ago and at a school with a very, very high cb:offer ratio and I still dont know of anyone hear who has heard back yet.