Baker Botts v Fulbright v Jones Day v V&E for Dallas Forum

[Anonymous User]

My sources tell me that Baker Botts Dallas had an 80% 2L offer rate in the summer of 2010 (8 out of 10). My sources have further confirmed that 1 of the no-offers seemed to express far more interest in working for another firm, while the other no-offer did not seem to have biglaw ambitions.

[Anonymous User]

Alternatively, V&E Dallas gave out offers to 91% of 2L SAs (10/11).

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day Dallas gave 85% of its 2L summer class offers (11/13).

[Anonymous User]

What are peoples thoughts on exit options at any of these 4 firms in Texas? It would seem as though BB, FJ, and VE would offer far better exit options than JD.

[Anonymous User]

What are peoples thoughts on exit options at any of these 4 firms in Texas? It would seem as though BB, FJ, and VE would offer far better exit options than JD.

Earlier poster said JD might be better exit options if you're considering leaving TX, while the big 3 are better to stay in. It's probably true to an extent, but I'm thinking (/hoping... since I'm thinking of choosing JD over one of the 3) that JD does pretty damn well in Dallas.

[Anonymous User]

What are peoples thoughts on exit options at any of these 4 firms in Texas? It would seem as though BB, FJ, and VE would offer far better exit options than JD.

Earlier poster said JD might be better exit options if you're considering leaving TX, while the big 3 are better to stay in. It's probably true to an extent, but I'm thinking (/hoping... since I'm thinking of choosing JD over one of the 3) that JD does pretty damn well in Dallas.

Are you leaning towards litigation or corporate? Then again, I'm not sure that it would make a big difference.

[Anonymous User]

What are peoples thoughts on exit options at any of these 4 firms in Texas? It would seem as though BB, FJ, and VE would offer far better exit options than JD.

Earlier poster said JD might be better exit options if you're considering leaving TX, while the big 3 are better to stay in. It's probably true to an extent, but I'm thinking (/hoping... since I'm thinking of choosing JD over one of the 3) that JD does pretty damn well in Dallas.

Are you leaning towards litigation or corporate? Then again, I'm not sure that it would make a big difference.

Litigation. I hear the transactional group is kind of a sweatshop down there, but I couldn't say for sure.

[Anonymous User]

Litigation. I hear the transactional group is kind of a sweatshop down there, but I couldn't say for sure.

I will note that while I am interested in corporate, they seemed to pair me almost exclusively w/ litigation associates. The few corporate associates that I met all appeared a little down and out.

[Anonymous User]

For corporate work in Texas, BB and VE clearly dominate JD in the Chambers Rankings. BB and VE are both Band 1 in just about every corporate category. JD is likely to occasionally break Band 2.

[Anonymous User]

For corporate work in Texas, BB and VE clearly dominate JD in the Chambers Rankings. BB and VE are both Band 1 in just about every corporate category. JD is likely to occasionally break Band 2.

And litigation? I know JD is at least decent in IP, but what about outside of that?

[Anonymous User]

Chambers Rankings (for Texas) - Baker Botts

Banking & Finance (Band 2)
Bankruptcy/Financial Restructuring (Band 2)
Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
Real Estate (Band 1)
Tax (Band 1)
Intellectual Property (Band 1)
Technology (Band 1)

[Anonymous User]

Chambers Rankings (for Texas) - Fulbright Jaworski

Banking & Finance (Band 3)
Bankruptcy/Financial Restructuring (Band 1)
Corporate/M&A (Band 4)
Real Estate (Band 3)
Tax (Band 2)
Intellectual Property (Band 2)
Technology (Band 2)

[Anonymous User]

Chambers Rankings (for Texas) - Jones Day

Banking & Finance (Band 3)
Bankruptcy/Financial Restructuring (Band 4)
Corporate/M&A (Band 2)
Real Estate (Band 3)
Tax (Band 4)
Intellectual Property (Band 2)
Technology (Band 2)

[Anonymous User]

Chambers Rankings (for Texas) - Vinson & Elkins

Banking & Finance (Band 1)
Bankruptcy/Financial Restructuring (Band 1)
Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
Real Estate (Band 1)
Tax (Band 1)
Intellectual Property (Band 2)
Technology (Band 2)

[Anonymous User]

Despite Baker Botts finishing dead last in the poll above, I have nonetheless decided to summer with Baker Botts. I'll be spending the second half with another firm in town.

Thank you for everyone's insight. I have since declined all outstanding offers.

This thread is now dead!

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know whether you work on the weekends as an SA at these firms (in Dallas) and what the typical work week schedule is like (i.e. what time work starts/ends)?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know whether you work on the weekends as an SA at these firms (in Dallas) and what the typical work week schedule is like (i.e. what time work starts/ends)?

Not at JD... they go 8 or 8:30 to 5 or 6 on average. More if you have lots of projects, but less if there's SA events. Standard schedule, but not bad.

[Anonymous User]

Never worked a weekend during 1L or 2L summer at BB. People yell at you to go home at 5:00 every day.

[Stanford4Me]

Worked at JD Dallas. Went 9-5 (or earlier) 95% of the time. The only time I worked very late was because I made a mistake on a project I was planning on turning in the next day, which was also my last day, so I stayed late because my last day was full of people saying bye and me getting my end of summer evaluation. Even then, a lot of attorneys were coming by my office asking me why I was still working. Even when I explained, they told me I should just leave but I didn't want to do that.

Sometimes if we had an event during the week at like 7 I'd stay and work at the office because it was inconvenient for me to go home them come back to where our events were normally held (probably a little identifying information somewhere in there but who cares).

Never worked a weekend.

Things will obviously change once I go FT.

[Anonymous User]

Worked at JD Dallas. Went 9-5 (or earlier) 95% of the time. The only time I worked very late was because I made a mistake on a project I was planning on turning in the next day, which was also my last day, so I stayed late because my last day was full of people saying bye and me getting my end of summer evaluation. Even then, a lot of attorneys were coming by my office asking me why I was still working. Even when I explained, they told me I should just leave but I didn't want to do that.

Sometimes if we had an event during the week at like 7 I'd stay and work at the office because it was inconvenient for me to go home them come back to where our events were normally held (probably a little identifying information somewhere in there but who cares).

Never worked a weekend.

Things will obviously change once I go FT.

As a follow up to the bolded, does anyone know what the typical work schedule is like for a full-time associate at one of these firms in Dallas/Texas specifically?