Quinn Emanuel Forum

[Anonymous User]

So what do you guys think, is Quinn a good place to work? I liked the people, but, as usual, am afraid of the hours. Thoughts from those considering it?

Here's my analysis of SF office. The points can go either way depending on where your priorities lie.
-> Branch seems to revolve around Charles Verhoeven. IE the cases are setup so that they can be handed off for him to go to trial, he is the name on all the docs, etc. Seems like you could be f*cked if you rub him the wrong way lol.

Thanks for a very helpful post. We seem to have similar impressions. Any idea HOW many more hours you work at Quinn than the other bay area firms? I love the idea of being scarppy, hardworking, being the best, but I don't want to be taken advantage of and work more than my peers - that just seems stupid. It's a very difficult decision. I also have an offer from Simpson Thacher in NY and, weirdly enough, it seemed like the people there weren't working so much that they were sick. I got the feeling from some of the Quinners that they really, really work a lot. But they seemed to like it. Is it stupid to go to Simpson when you just have an idea of maybe doing transactional, but you're pretty sure you want lit? Re handing off trials to Verhoeven - do you think juniors at Quinn really get more experience like they say? Do the big dogs take over when things get interesting?

If you have an option at a firm that gives you more options, options that you may be interested in, it may make sense to go that route. If you may want to do transactional and take Quinn, you have no option. So long as Simpson gives you the career development in either track that you'd like, it seems like it may be the better option.

I think Quinn seems like the ideal place for someone that knows they want to litigate and wants to jump right in and have earlier responsibility. I think you can get a lot of great experience elsewhere, but it seems like associates get more substantively involved sooner at Quinn.

I don't think you can really go wrong, but if you want to keep options outside of litigation open, it may be more prudent to go with Simpson (and it is a great firm, of course).

[Anonymous User]

So what do you guys think, is Quinn a good place to work? I liked the people, but, as usual, am afraid of the hours. Thoughts from those considering it?

Here's my analysis of SF office. The points can go either way depending on where your priorities lie.
-> Branch seems to revolve around Charles Verhoeven. IE the cases are setup so that they can be handed off for him to go to trial, he is the name on all the docs, etc. Seems like you could be f*cked if you rub him the wrong way lol.

Thanks for a very helpful post. We seem to have similar impressions. Any idea HOW many more hours you work at Quinn than the other bay area firms? I love the idea of being scarppy, hardworking, being the best, but I don't want to be taken advantage of and work more than my peers - that just seems stupid. It's a very difficult decision. I also have an offer from Simpson Thacher in NY and, weirdly enough, it seemed like the people there weren't working so much that they were sick. I got the feeling from some of the Quinners that they really, really work a lot. But they seemed to like it. Is it stupid to go to Simpson when you just have an idea of maybe doing transactional, but you're pretty sure you want lit? Re handing off trials to Verhoeven - do you think juniors at Quinn really get more experience like they say? Do the big dogs take over when things get interesting?

If you have an option at a firm that gives you more options, options that you may be interested in, it may make sense to go that route. If you may want to do transactional and take Quinn, you have no option. So long as Simpson gives you the career development in either track that you'd like, it seems like it may be the better option.

I think Quinn seems like the ideal place for someone that knows they want to litigate and wants to jump right in and have earlier responsibility. I think you can get a lot of great experience elsewhere, but it seems like associates get more substantively involved sooner at Quinn.

I don't think you can really go wrong, but if you want to keep options outside of litigation open, it may be more prudent to go with Simpson (and it is a great firm, of course).

Quinners get full bonus at 2200 billable, and there is no pressure to do more than that. Incremental bonus thereafter. Not as meritocractic as a lot of shops on the hours side, more on the quality side. Longer partner track, so a lot more intangibles than hours determine where you end up. No up or out policy either. They have 9 year associates.

[Anonymous User]

Offers are 100% for SAs, as far as I know. Career stability seems good in that it's not an up-and-out kind of joint. As long as you are billing, you're welcome to stay even if you're not on partner track. That said, people do burn out and leave all the time.

It's got a unique sort of atmosphere that's not for everyone. It's a good fit for aggressive self-starters who definitely want litigation.

is quinn known to cold-no-offer?

[Anonymous User]

Offers are 100% for SAs, as far as I know. Career stability seems good in that it's not an up-and-out kind of joint. As long as you are billing, you're welcome to stay even if you're not on partner track. That said, people do burn out and leave all the time.

It's got a unique sort of atmosphere that's not for everyone. It's a good fit for aggressive self-starters who definitely want litigation.

is quinn known to cold-no-offer?

Not in my class, as far as I know. I did hear some stories from an associate I'm friendly with about someone who got cold-offered a few years ago (I'm sure it may have happened since then also). The guy was a complete douche/made regular incredibly offensive comments. So, don't do that (at any firm).

The 100% offer thing is in line with the no up-or-out policy. If you are a warm body who is billing your quota and doing good work, you can stay there. If no one likes you, you won't get on the cases you want to be on or the assignments you want. But, right now, Quinn has more work than they can throw at people. So, unless you're so offensive people will be telling stories about you many years later, you'll probably be able to return after your summer.

[Anonymous User]

Offers are 100% for SAs, as far as I know. Career stability seems good in that it's not an up-and-out kind of joint. As long as you are billing, you're welcome to stay even if you're not on partner track. That said, people do burn out and leave all the time.

It's got a unique sort of atmosphere that's not for everyone. It's a good fit for aggressive self-starters who definitely want litigation.

is quinn known to cold-no-offer?

Not in my class, as far as I know. I did hear some stories from an associate I'm friendly with about someone who got cold-offered a few years ago (I'm sure it may have happened since then also). The guy was a complete douche/made regular incredibly offensive comments. So, don't do that (at any firm).

The 100% offer thing is in line with the no up-or-out policy. If you are a warm body who is billing your quota and doing good work, you can stay there. If no one likes you, you won't get on the cases you want to be on or the assignments you want. But, right now, Quinn has more work than they can throw at people. So, unless you're so offensive people will be telling stories about you many years later, you'll probably be able to return after your summer.

Can I PM you to talk about taking an offer? Think I'm about to do so...

[Anonymous User]

anyone know how bonus works at quinn?
i know that every 200 hours after 2200, you get a extra bonus, but how much? and how likely is it that you will bill more than 2200 at quinn?
is there an average of how much bonus associates at quinn make each year?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear anything from Quinn DC?

[Anonymous User]

anyone know how bonus works at quinn?
i know that every 200 hours after 2200, you get a extra bonus, but how much? and how likely is it that you will bill more than 2200 at quinn?

For better or worse, it is quite likely. I'll put it this way: if you want to bill more than 2,200 hours, you will not have a hard time doing so.

[Anonymous User]

anyone know how bonus works at quinn?
i know that every 200 hours after 2200, you get a extra bonus, but how much? and how likely is it that you will bill more than 2200 at quinn?
is there an average of how much bonus associates at quinn make each year?

detailed chart here:

http://abovethelaw.com/2010/12/associat ... e-catches/

[Anonymous User]

has anyone worked at QE or know someone who has worked there?
is the QOL at QE as bad as they say it is?

[Lieut Kaffee]

has anyone worked at QE or know someone who has worked there?
is the QOL at QE as bad as they say it is?

The more I think about it, the more my take is:

People should have a pretty good sense if Quinn is something they want. It just seems much different than other Big Law because of its trial focus. Yes, you are going to pull more all-nighters working at a firm where your day-to-day work is juggling a few different trials. Yes, at the end of the year, you're going to have racked up more hours than your Big Law peers.

But if you want to be a trial lawyer in Big Law, that's not going to bother you. You're going to be doing work that's exciting and that you really can't get anywhere else.

So if you find yourself on the fence about whether Quinn is right for you, you're probably not a gung-ho-for-trials kind of person. So go somewhere else. If you want to be in Big Law for a few years and use it as a stepping stone to something else, putting yourself through Quinn is probably not worth it.

[Anonymous User]

Dinged by DC office via email

[Anonymous User]

Dinged by DC office via email

Did you get a CB in DC? Anyone get a CB in DC?

[Anonymous User]

Dinged by DC office via email

Did you get a CB in DC? Anyone get a CB in DC?

No they just did a resume collect at my school and I got the rejection today

[Anonymous User]

any thoughts on quinn versus firms with less growth/less leverage/but also a good lit practice?

[Anonymous User]

has anyone worked at QE or know someone who has worked there?
is the QOL at QE as bad as they say it is?

The more I think about it, the more my take is:

People should have a pretty good sense if Quinn is something they want. It just seems much different than other Big Law because of its trial focus. Yes, you are going to pull more all-nighters working at a firm where your day-to-day work is juggling a few different trials. Yes, at the end of the year, you're going to have racked up more hours than your Big Law peers.

But if you want to be a trial lawyer in Big Law, that's not going to bother you. You're going to be doing work that's exciting and that you really can't get anywhere else.

So if you find yourself on the fence about whether Quinn is right for you, you're probably not a gung-ho-for-trials kind of person. So go somewhere else. If you want to be in Big Law for a few years and use it as a stepping stone to something else, putting yourself through Quinn is probably not worth it.

Can you elaborate on that last sentence, " If you want to be in Big Law for a few years and use it as a stepping stone to something else, putting yourself through Quinn is probably not worth it."

Does this mean its hard to go in house/step to another stone from QE?? Or do you mean that the crazy workload just isn't worth it when you can get the same stepping stone opportunities at another v15 or v25 firm? Maybe you meant something totally different?

Got a QE LA callback next Friday.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on training, mentoring, and exit options from QE v. larger firms like GDC, OMM, etc.? While I like QE, I don't know if I could manage working there for more than 5-6 years. How feasible would it be to move from mid-level associate at QE to another well-regarded firm?

[Lieut Kaffee]

Can you elaborate on that last sentence, " If you want to be in Big Law for a few years and use it as a stepping stone to something else, putting yourself through Quinn is probably not worth it."

Does this mean its hard to go in house/step to another stone from QE?? Or do you mean that the crazy workload just isn't worth it when you can get the same stepping stone opportunities at another v15 or v25 firm? Maybe you meant something totally different?

Got a QE LA callback next Friday.

That is precisely what I meant. The way I see it, Quinn is very unique, and it's only a good fit for someone who wants a long-term career as a civil trial lawyer. Period. For the large number of people out there who want big law on their resume to do something else in 4-5 years, if they had the GPA to get Quinn then I assume they also got other firms that offer a slightly less crazy lifestyle with no drop in exit options.

[Anonymous User]

Can you elaborate on that last sentence, " If you want to be in Big Law for a few years and use it as a stepping stone to something else, putting yourself through Quinn is probably not worth it."

Does this mean its hard to go in house/step to another stone from QE?? Or do you mean that the crazy workload just isn't worth it when you can get the same stepping stone opportunities at another v15 or v25 firm? Maybe you meant something totally different?

Got a QE LA callback next Friday.

That is precisely what I meant. The way I see it, Quinn is very unique, and it's only a good fit for someone who wants a long-term career as a civil trial lawyer. Period. For the large number of people out there who want big law on their resume to do something else in 4-5 years, if they had the GPA to get Quinn then I assume they also got other firms that offer a slightly less crazy lifestyle with no drop in exit options.

how are the exit options from QE? I know it is a relatively a "baby" for law firms; does it have the prestige to carry its associates to other similarly ranked firms (i.e. V20)?

[Lieut Kaffee]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think going to Quinn causes a drop in exit options either. I did not mean to suggest so above. In terms of lateraling to other firms or government, I would assume Quinn is comparable to its peers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if other employers would look favorably on the early trial training you can get at Quinn.

[Anonymous User]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think going to Quinn causes a drop in exit options either. I did not mean to suggest so above. In terms of lateraling to other firms or government, I would assume Quinn is comparable to its peers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if other employers would look favorably on the early trial training you can get at Quinn.

i see what you are saying now.
but what are QE's peers? i feel like its hard to determine since QE went from being a V50 to a V20 in a matter of few years...

[Anonymous User]

If you do IP litigation at Quinn or any other firm, are you too specialized to really exit into another practice later?

[Anonymous User]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think going to Quinn causes a drop in exit options either. I did not mean to suggest so above. In terms of lateraling to other firms or government, I would assume Quinn is comparable to its peers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if other employers would look favorably on the early trial training you can get at Quinn.

i see what you are saying now.
but what are QE's peers? i feel like its hard to determine since QE went from being a V50 to a V20 in a matter of few years...

There are plenty of sources for information out there from rankings (both nationally or locally, and generally or in particular practices), research on firms and their outlooks, and information about clients, cases, and personell. I feel like it's fairly easy to get a good idea of the overall picture by exploiting those resources. Maybe even contact some attorneys you know or have a connection with and see what they know or think.

Beyond that, I don't believe that are many other tea leaves out there.

[Lieut Kaffee]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think going to Quinn causes a drop in exit options either. I did not mean to suggest so above. In terms of lateraling to other firms or government, I would assume Quinn is comparable to its peers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if other employers would look favorably on the early trial training you can get at Quinn.

i see what you are saying now.
but what are QE's peers? i feel like its hard to determine since QE went from being a V50 to a V20 in a matter of few years...

That is a good question. Then again, I'm not knowledgeable about lateral hiring at all. Roughly speaking, I considered Quinn to be a "peer" of many the firms I looked into: Gibson, Latham, Irell, etc.

[Anonymous User]

If you do IP litigation at Quinn or any other firm, are you too specialized to really exit into another practice later?

I am not in practice or anything, but from what I understand it is a relatively special circumstance where a litigator switches to transactional practice after a few years. If you are concerned about being unsure of what you want to do, there are firms that let you, or force you, to rotate through their practice areas during the SA program.