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I know it's not going to be NYC corporate, but what is the corporate scene like in DC?

let me try this from a different angle: if I want to make a career in corporate law, is it stupid to go to DC given that DC is where I absolutely want to live and will be much happier? I have an offer from one of the DC Corporate "Band 1" firms, and I am trying to decide between that and a V5 in NYC. I really want to take the DC firm but I have this nagging concern that I'll be hurting my career/limiting my options down the road...

Anonymous User wrote:let me try this from a different angle: if I want to make a career in corporate law, is it stupid to go to DC given that DC is where I absolutely want to live and will be much happier? I have an offer from one of the DC Corporate "Band 1" firms, and I am trying to decide between that and a V5 in NYC. I really want to take the DC firm but I have this nagging concern that I'll be hurting my career/limiting my options down the road...

What type of corporate work are you interested in? M&A? Securities? Banking?

Anonymous User wrote:let me try this from a different angle: if I want to make a career in corporate law, is it stupid to go to DC given that DC is where I absolutely want to live and will be much happier? I have an offer from one of the DC Corporate "Band 1" firms, and I am trying to decide between that and a V5 in NYC. I really want to take the DC firm but I have this nagging concern that I'll be hurting my career/limiting my options down the road...

All those firms are top firms anyway. Quality of life is underrated, and you'll have great exit options from any of those firms, especially DC exit options.

TheFriendlyBarber wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:let me try this from a different angle: if I want to make a career in corporate law, is it stupid to go to DC given that DC is where I absolutely want to live and will be much happier? I have an offer from one of the DC Corporate "Band 1" firms, and I am trying to decide between that and a V5 in NYC. I really want to take the DC firm but I have this nagging concern that I'll be hurting my career/limiting my options down the road...

What type of corporate work are you interested in? M&A? Securities? Banking?

M&A, public and private

I would (and did) take the V5 in NY.

Quality of life is important, but so is the skills you're going to build in your first years of practice and the cases you'll work on. DC just isn't a big M&A hub. If you really want to avoid NYC, you'd be better off going to Chicago or SV instead. Plus, I'm not entirely comfortable with the M&A options in DC. You've got:

Kirkland
Skadden
Latham
Hogan
Gibson

I've heard questionable things about Skadden DC. Latham axed 30% of their DC associates in the recession. Hogan has not been doing well post-merger and post-recession. Their summer class has shrunk from ~60 to ~40 to ~25, even as peer firms have been recovering.

Kirkland and Gibson are solid picks nationally, and if you really really really must be in DC would be my choices.

The other Anon mentioned great exit options, but I'd ask: how do you know? The DC firms have great relationships with government, but they have very limited institutional relationships that would help someone wanting to go in-house for corporate M&A.

Anonymous User wrote:I would (and did) take the V5 in NY.

Quality of life is important, but so is the skills you're going to build in your first years of practice and the cases you'll work on. DC just isn't a big M&A hub. If you really want to avoid NYC, you'd be better off going to Chicago or SV instead. Plus, I'm not entirely comfortable with the M&A options in DC. You've got:

Kirkland
Skadden
Latham
Hogan
Gibson

I've heard questionable things about Skadden DC. Latham axed 30% of their DC associates in the recession. Hogan has not been doing well post-merger and post-recession. Their summer class has shrunk from ~60 to ~40 to ~25, even as peer firms have been recovering.

Kirkland and Gibson are solid picks nationally, and if you really really really must be in DC would be my choices.

What have you heard about Skadden?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I would (and did) take the V5 in NY.

Quality of life is important, but so is the skills you're going to build in your first years of practice and the cases you'll work on. DC just isn't a big M&A hub. If you really want to avoid NYC, you'd be better off going to Chicago or SV instead. Plus, I'm not entirely comfortable with the M&A options in DC. You've got:

Kirkland
Skadden
Latham
Hogan
Gibson

I've heard questionable things about Skadden DC. Latham axed 30% of their DC associates in the recession. Hogan has not been doing well post-merger and post-recession. Their summer class has shrunk from ~60 to ~40 to ~25, even as peer firms have been recovering.

Kirkland and Gibson are solid picks nationally, and if you really really really must be in DC would be my choices.

What have you heard about Skadden?

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 23&t=88632

It's totally rumor and innuendo, but considering the career risk involved I'm not one to take it lightly. I'd rather start out at a V5, see (with the benefit of having been in the industry for awhile) what the situation is for M&A in DC, then try to make a lateral move rather than take my chances.

Maybe I'm just super risk averse, but I remember counseling someone on whether to go to Howrey and also counseling my personal friend to take one firm (that no-offered him) over another (that had 100% offers) and it's made me very cautious. Chase prestige, get to the highest-ranked, biggest, strongest firm in the practice area you want. Lateral later when ITE blows over.

I've heard over and over again that Gibson DC is pretty legit for corporate. Not a bad alternative if you don't want to get stuck in NYC.

Anonymous User wrote:

TheFriendlyBarber wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:let me try this from a different angle: if I want to make a career in corporate law, is it stupid to go to DC given that DC is where I absolutely want to live and will be much happier? I have an offer from one of the DC Corporate "Band 1" firms, and I am trying to decide between that and a V5 in NYC. I really want to take the DC firm but I have this nagging concern that I'll be hurting my career/limiting my options down the road...

What type of corporate work are you interested in? M&A? Securities? Banking?

M&A, public and private

Latham's DC office is a hub for PE (Carlyle and others). Probably your best bet in DC for "NY-like" M&A work