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Hello, I am top10% from lower t14. I am interested in working with energy, particularly clean energy. I would prefer to be in NYC. Any suggestions for firms to bid on/consider (if theyre not at OCI)?

I really appreciate any help

I am looking at (all NY offices):
Latham & Watkins
Vinson & Elkins
Chadbourne & Parke
hogan lovells

If you want to work in energy, you need to go to Texas. I am at a New York firm that has an energy group. The energy group is in Texas.

Hmmm... energy law in NYC will likely be more transactional than litigation-based (litigation/regulatory work happens in DC and state capitals). Also, a lot of the cleantech work is in SV or Boston, while a huge amount of the project finance work is in Texas - depending on your OCI options, you may want to look into firms in one or more of those locations.

There are still some good options out there for someone with your grades, and all of the firms you listed are pretty solid from what I know about the field (although Hogan's practice group is really best known for its DC energy regulatory work). In no particular order:

1. Look at all of the NYC offices of the big TX firms - Baker Botts, Fulbright, V&E, Bracewell, etc. Off the top of my head, I don't know which ones are best regarded in New York (as opposed to their home base), but all of the large Texas firms have substantial energy practices and at least some energy work in their satellite offices. Downside is that they may be more oil and gas based than clean energy, but I'd bet that there's at least a bit of renewable energy project work thrown in there as well.

2. Similarly, take a look at the Silicon Valley firms with NYC offices - WSGR, Cooley Godward, Gunderson, etc. These firms may focus more on the cleantech/startup aspects (VC financing rounds; cleantech IP).

3. Grab-bag of other firms that might be worth bidding on, in no particular order:
- Kaye Scholer has a well-regarded wind farm development practice
- White & Case
- Milbank
- Dewey
- Skadden
- Orrick

Good luck!

If you really want energy you should shoot for Houston instead of NYC if you want an oil & gas focus, and Silicon Valley if you want a cleantech focus. V&E, Baker Botts, Fulbright, and the Latham and Skadden satellites in Houston have some of the more interesting work for Oil & Gas, not too sure about cleantech.