Let's talk about Atlanta!
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 10:23 pm
Now updated to reflect one associate's opinion! 
I started this thread back in 2011 when I was getting ready to go through OCI. Here's the original post:
Now I'm old and wizened from my billable hour requirement, but I think I know a bit more about the market. I work for one of the firms listed below. So, for what it's worth, here's my take on the major ATL firms:Is it still a shithole full of landmines?
Potential firms to discuss:
King and Spalding: proudly recognizes itself as a sweatshop, probably the most prestigious--but has some baggage. Seems like they're extending the partnership track out for 2+ years. Very low likelihood of making partner generally, nearly nonexistent outside of Atlanta. In the words of a person I know there, "better clear that 2000 mark by a significant amount or shit gets real."
Alston + Bird (the + is why their satisfaction is so high): People seem to think it's the more touchy-feely firm, but supposedly just like K&S but less alpha male.
Paul Hastings: xo bitch about Atlanta PH as the biggest sweatshop without the prestige associated with other big name firms.
Mckenna: heard good things, but their pay took a huge hit.
Rogers and Hardin (heard they're good now, but will have issues in the mid-future due to older partners leaving).
Bondurant (just kidding, nobody here is qualified enough to work there)
Arnall Golden Gregory
Jones Day: I'd like more information here.
Finnegan/Fish
Freeman Mathis
Hunton Williams
Morris Manning Martin: had the infamous associate sacrifice, didn't help the infinitely deferred find new jobs. Douchey behavior, but it seems to be doing fairly well for itself now. PPP is very high, I won't say exactly how much--but it's competitive with the big boys.
Kilpatrick Townsend
DLA Piper
Sutherland
Troutman Sanders
Any guestimates of school/grades? Any firms I missed?
King and Spalding: Very high PPP and very high associate turnover. I know quite a few folks who really like working here, but it's practice group dependent. I wouldn't go here unless I had aspirations to be in a marquee practice group. I have heard nothing but horror stories about the toxic tort and products liabilities groups. I get the sense that working here is more political than other firms. I've had two cases against them and wasn't impressed either time.
Alston + Bird : One time, I went to a panel put on by A&B. A panelist talked about how they put together a panel on being a female partner and invited all the female associates to attend. They did the presentation, and the superstar female senior associate in the panelist's group quit the same week. Don't know what that says about the firm, but I thought it was hilarious. Even though A&B ostensibly has a band 1 practice group in the same area I practice in, I've had zero interaction with their team and am not close to any associates here. There's some salary compression when you get more senior.
Paul Hastings[: Above-market comp. Don't go here. It has a bunch of issues: (1) satellite office; (2) charges NYC rates in ATL; (3) used to have terrible partners.
Dentons: When it was McKenna, I heard good things about it.
Rogers and Hardin: I fully expect the firm will be gone in 5 years--maybe sooner. The firm hasn't done any succession planning and goes through associates like nobody's business, particularly on the corporate side.
Bondurant: the one person I know here likes it, but good luck getting a position. Above-market comp.
Arnall Golden Gregory : "Chill" midlaw firm with a lower billable requirement. Great middle-market firm to work for.
Jones Day: Above-market comp. Seems to be highly practice group dependent. All the lit associates I know over there like it, but I've heard terrible things about the corporate group.
Finnegan/Fish: Idk.
Freeman Mathis: Decent firm that's basically the farm team for biglaw firms in Atlanta. If you don't get a biglaw offer, go work for FMG for 2-3 years and you'll get picked up. However, be aware you'll be working close to biglaw hours. Don't go to the construction group--insane partners.
Hunton Williams: Hunton hasn't really grown or contracted. The two associates I know really like working there, though.
Morris Manning Martin : I will forever hold a grudge against MMM for fucking over SAs in the Great Recession. At one point, they canned all their corp/real estate associates except 2 (total). It's a good firm, but sorta backstabby. It also has only one class of partnership, which means that making partner is really hard. MMM is also in Buckhead, and I hate Buckhead.
Kilpatrick Townsend: Very good firm and great people.
dla piper
Burr Forman: IMO, a quintessential example of a firm that's going to get squeezed out of high-end work by national firms and have their low-end work stolen by smaller shops. Good people, but they don't do a lot of really sophisticated work. An associate friend of mine left them to join my firm, and he says he's doing more sophisticated work here.
Sutherland: Heard bad things about the securities litigation group. An associate at my current firm used to work at Eversheds and made it clear that she hated working there, though I never asked for specifics. The corporate folks I know over there seem to like it, though. Eversheds has a non-billable requirement, so enjoy writing blog posts.
Troutman Sanders: An old-line Atlanta firm that I can't really get a handle on. They have some groups that are being squeezed out due to rate pressure.
Nelson Mullins : below-market comp and a middle-market firm, but you'll have to work market hours.
Quick notes (or just names) on some other firms
Balch - just say no. Satellite office that services one major client (NEWELL RUBBERMAID).
Squire Sanders - just entered the ATL market
Baker Hostetler - basically McKenna's healthcare group
Baker Donelson - I have a negative opinion of them because they shanked someone who I really like. I can't go into more detail than this.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka - Above-market, but some insane partners.
Parker Hudson -
Ogletree -
Fisher Phillips -
Ford Harrison -
Duane Morris -
Locke Lorde -
Seyfarth Shaw -
Smith Gambrell -