How tough is Cali with top grades from HLS but no ties? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have 10 Hs from HLS, but no ties with California. Finance/accounting background, but no formal w/e and looking to get into corporate work in Cali (M&A, capital markets, PE or even more technology-oriented work). Preferably SF or SV, but can do LA. Top managerial position on a relevant secondary journal and excellent 1L summer job.

Anyone have any idea how difficult it will be? I think I can make a convincing narrative for why I want to be in Cali (e.g., want to raise a family there, love the more laid-back culture, better weather etc.), but I am thinking of still bidding in NY just in case. I heard that interviewers won't take me seriously if they find out I'm bidding on NY, but is that really true?

Firms I'm looking at in particular are Morrison Foerster, Wilson Sonsini, Skadden and Latham NorCal offices. Also Skadden and Latham LA offices. There are some others, but those are the main ones. I assume the difficulty of getting into these offices will be on par with getting an offer from Wachtell?

[adameus]

10H's dude. I think you are going to be okay and congrats on that!

[Anonymous User]

10H's dude. I think you are going to be okay and congrats on that!

Thanks, but from the stories I've heard of HLS people with great grades and no Cali ties getting totally shut out of there (particularly in NorCal), I'm very cautious. Just want to gather as much information as I can.

[rayiner]

I have 10 Hs from HLS, but no ties with California. Finance/accounting background, but no formal w/e and looking to get into corporate work in Cali (M&A, capital markets, PE or even more technology-oriented work). Preferably SF or SV, but can do LA. Top managerial position on a relevant secondary journal and excellent 1L summer job.

Anyone have any idea how difficult it will be? I think I can make a convincing narrative for why I want to be in Cali (e.g., want to raise a family there, love the more laid-back culture, better weather etc.), but I am thinking of still bidding in NY just in case. I heard that interviewers won't take me seriously if they find out I'm bidding on NY, but is that really true?

Firms I'm looking at in particular are Morrison Foerster, Wilson Sonsini, Skadden and Latham NorCal offices. Also Skadden and Latham LA offices. There are some others, but those are the main ones. I assume the difficulty of getting into these offices will be on par with getting an offer from Wachtell?

Not even close. Although corporate work in Cali is pretty dead.

[rayiner]

10H's dude. I think you are going to be okay and congrats on that!

Thanks, but from the stories I've heard of HLS people with great grades and no Cali ties getting totally shut out of there (particularly in NorCal), I'm very cautious. Just want to gather as much information as I can.

If you're cautious, then lock down a Sull Crom offer (they'll give you one the minute you walk into the screener) then go for broke with whatever CA firms strike your fancy. I'd consider the SV offices of STB/Weil/DPW/Skadden. They tend to represent NYC banks in SV deals and as a result have actually had work to do recently compared to the home-grown CA firms.

[Anonymous User]

I have 10 Hs from HLS, but no ties with California. Finance/accounting background, but no formal w/e and looking to get into corporate work in Cali (M&A, capital markets, PE or even more technology-oriented work). Preferably SF or SV, but can do LA. Top managerial position on a relevant secondary journal and excellent 1L summer job.

Anyone have any idea how difficult it will be? I think I can make a convincing narrative for why I want to be in Cali (e.g., want to raise a family there, love the more laid-back culture, better weather etc.), but I am thinking of still bidding in NY just in case. I heard that interviewers won't take me seriously if they find out I'm bidding on NY, but is that really true?

Firms I'm looking at in particular are Morrison Foerster, Wilson Sonsini, Skadden and Latham NorCal offices. Also Skadden and Latham LA offices. There are some others, but those are the main ones. I assume the difficulty of getting into these offices will be on par with getting an offer from Wachtell?

2009 EIP data shows extremely low offer rates for most NorCal and some SoCal offices -- as low as Wachtell; hence the question.

And the offices I listed have pretty good corporate rankings according to Chambers. Sure, not as good as their NYC rivals, but not that bad either. Latham, for example, is in the same group as top NYC offices for M&A work.

[Anonymous User]

10H's dude. I think you are going to be okay and congrats on that!

Thanks, but from the stories I've heard of HLS people with great grades and no Cali ties getting totally shut out of there (particularly in NorCal), I'm very cautious. Just want to gather as much information as I can.

If you're cautious, then lock down a Sull Crom offer (they'll give you one the minute you walk into the screener) then go for broke with whatever CA firms strike your fancy. I'd consider the SV offices of STB/Weil/DPW/Skadden. They tend to represent NYC banks in SV deals and as a result have actually had work to do recently compared to the home-grown CA firms.

Thanks for the info. Is SulCrom really that much of a grade whore? Surprising...

[rayiner]

10H's dude. I think you are going to be okay and congrats on that!

Thanks, but from the stories I've heard of HLS people with great grades and no Cali ties getting totally shut out of there (particularly in NorCal), I'm very cautious. Just want to gather as much information as I can.

If you're cautious, then lock down a Sull Crom offer (they'll give you one the minute you walk into the screener) then go for broke with whatever CA firms strike your fancy. I'd consider the SV offices of STB/Weil/DPW/Skadden. They tend to represent NYC banks in SV deals and as a result have actually had work to do recently compared to the home-grown CA firms.

Thanks for the info. Is SulCrom really that much of a grade whore? Surprising...

It's not that they're a grade whore, it's that they're not super picky about fit. They want top grades and someone who isn't a social retard, they're not trying to get you to parrot back their marketing material. As such they're more predictable than some other firms.

[seatown12]

I think I can make a convincing narrative for why I want to be in Cali (e.g., want to raise a family there, love the more laid-back culture, better weather etc.)

I also think your grades are too good to really be worried, but lol at this. This is probably what every East Coast kid who wants "Cali" gives as his/her reason.

[Anonymous User]

Everything about you screams NYC -- finance background, HLS, wanting to do corp....I would reconsider whether you truly need to be in cali. Corp work in California is basically dead. Even if you do get hired there, you risk your office being so slow that you get laid off or just getting no experience because all of the major deals happen in NYC. Unless you want to do lit, I would shoot for NYC.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

[071816]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

This begs the question, in your view which LA firms are still doing active deals?

[09042014]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

This begs the question, in your view which LA firms are still doing active deals?

You should google what that phrase really means. /Idiom Nazi

[071816]

I realize to beg the question is a type of logical fallacy and that I didn't use it correctly here (technically speaking). Oh well.

Edit: meant it as "raises the question"

[Julio_El_Chavo]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

+1

There is quite a bit of corporate work at select firms in the bay area as well.

[adameus]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

+1

There is quite a bit of corporate work at select firms in the bay area as well.

this begs the question, what are those select firms?

[GeePee]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

+1

There is quite a bit of corporate work at select firms in the bay area as well.

this begs the question, what are those select firms?

If a certain someone were on TLS, he would comment on your misuse of "begs the question," but that's a discussion for a different thread.

[smittytron3k]

0% chance you strike out in CA. Enjoy your Sears prize and don't worry about striking out, for our sake as well as yours.

[adameus]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

+1

There is quite a bit of corporate work at select firms in the bay area as well.

this begs the question, what are those select firms?

If a certain someone were on TLS, he would comment on your misuse of "begs the question," but that's a discussion for a different thread.

see above in the thread. although, I'm pretty sure that certain someone is not Desert Fox.

[Anonymous User]

0% chance you strike out in CA. Enjoy your Sears prize and don't worry about striking out, for our sake as well as yours.

Not even close to Sears, but thanks. Curious how likely NorCal is in particular.

[Anonymous User]

Not even close to Sears, but thanks.

You never know...

[Anonymous User]

Go for Kirkland SF. Their private equity practice is booming these days.

[SweetrollStealer]

I wouldn't say corporate work in California is dead. I'm doing corporate work in LA and our firm is so busy right now, summers are getting work as fast as they want it (and associates are crazy busy and just waiting for the new class to come in ASAP). If you really want California, just do your research as to which firms are still doing active deals.

+1

There is quite a bit of corporate work at select firms in the bay area as well.

this begs the question, what are those select firms?

Based on the direction this thread is going, my guess would be that the CA firms with the most corporate work to do are the CA firms that have the most corporate work to do.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. While I am happy to hear words of support about my Cali prospects, I'd appreciate if anyone could offer some advice on how to approach interviews (especially for NorCal) given that I'm from the East, will be bidding in NYC, and am interested in corporate work (which, as another poster said, all scream NYC).

Also, any pitfalls I should avoid or hurdles to overcome? Yes, I know corporate work in Cali is not as good as in NYC, but I'd like to live there long term and feel a lateral move may not work out thus risking the possibility of being stranded in NYC (where I'd like to be for only 2 years or so). However, any thoughts on my risk assessment would be appreciated. Do latin honors factor into successfully lateraling?

[Rule11]

OP here. While I am happy to hear words of support about my Cali prospects, I'd appreciate if anyone could offer some advice on how to approach interviews (especially for NorCal) given that I'm from the East, will be bidding in NYC, and am interested in corporate work (which, as another poster said, all scream NYC).

Also, any pitfalls I should avoid or hurdles to overcome? Yes, I know corporate work in Cali is not as good as in NYC, but I'd like to live there long term and feel a lateral move may not work out thus risking the possibility of being stranded in NYC (where I'd like to be for only 2 years or so). However, any thoughts on my risk assessment would be appreciated. Do latin honors factor into successfully lateraling?

Just lie, friend. Your girlfriend/boyfriend is from California and you want to start a family there.

But anyway this is just a non-issue. If you somehow miss the CA boat at OCI (e.g., you shart during all of your interviews), take your 10 Hs (which are likely to continue to multiply) and get a 9th circuit clerkship. Yeah, it will be non-corp work for one year, but then you'll have all the ties you need.