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Wondering peoples thoughts on Splitting in Texas assuming you have an offer at a 2nd Half summer firm and 1st half. My school has told me it might hurt my chances of an offer at the firms if they know i am splitting. Do people think that is true in Texas? Should I just pick one?

Anonymous User wrote:Wondering peoples thoughts on Splitting in Texas assuming you have an offer at a 2nd Half summer firm and 1st half. My school has told me it might hurt my chances of an offer at the firms if they know i am splitting. Do people think that is true in Texas? Should I just pick one?

Use the search function.

The conventional wisdom at UT is that it absolutely does not hurt your chances. Especially since many of the TX firms only let you stay for 6-8 weeks, many expect their top recruits to be splitting. I split 1L summer and got offers to come back to both; all the 2Ls at my first half firm split, and all I have spoken to since school started got offers.

Thank you! (To the person with the extremely helpful response "Use the Search Function" -- The search function works like crap on this site and I didn't find any specific answer on hurting chances).

Anonymous User wrote:The conventional wisdom at UT is that it absolutely does not hurt your chances. Especially since many of the TX firms only let you stay for 6-8 weeks, many expect their top recruits to be splitting. I split 1L summer and got offers to come back to both; all the 2Ls at my first half firm split, and all I have spoken to since school started got offers.

Contemplating splitting between one of the "Big Three" (allowing a first-half 6 week or 10 week stay) and another Texas firm (second half only). I am genuinely concerned that splitting will send the wrong signals to the former firm--divided loyalty/lack of interest--and that six weeks is not enough time to spend with a firm. On the other hand, I really liked the other Texas firm, it's in my hometown, and I would like to develop connections with them even if it's not the firm I join after graduation.

Do you really trust the UT wisdom?

.

I think splitting would be fine.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Contemplating splitting between one of the "Big Three"

Big 3? I didn't know Latham Houston allowed splitting???

Splits are acceptable, 12 weeks of pay > 6 weeks of pay. If you have a choice, take the firm you want the most for the 1st half. Popular opinion says that is the firm you end up accepting an offer at.

The big three in TX are V&E, Baker Botts, and Fulbright.

subconsciously it might hurt, and they see less of you...so who knows. imo, it is negligible and they understand it is common practice. id do it if it were an option, though it is a bit disingenuous if you have ZERO interest in the 2nd firm...

I still wouldn't worry about splitting, lol. More money, less problems.

Anonymous User wrote:

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Contemplating splitting between one of the "Big Three"

Big 3? I didn't know Latham Houston allowed splitting???

Splits are acceptable, 12 weeks of pay > 6 weeks of pay. If you have a choice, take the firm you want the most for the 1st half. Popular opinion says that is the firm you end up accepting an offer at.

The big three in TX are V&E, Baker Botts, and Fulbright.

lol @ fulbright being part of the big 3 still. Is that just cause the building their headquarters inhabits is named after them? Enron Field FTW

you must not be from houston.....or texas

Texas is a market very accustomed to splitting, by the way.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:you must not be from houston.....or texas

LOL, yes, because Enron Field is SO at the fore-front of every non-Houstonian's mind.

Enjoy your Fulbright offer. I'm sure you'll make a great trial lawyer. I'll reference you if you give me some identifying info.

I think he meant in that you don't think FJ is one of the Big 3 any longer (though I guess I'd agree it is the bottom of the 3)...who would you replace there?

Ive heard that the market is moving away from offering 2nd half programs, though.

Anonymous User wrote: Latham, if we were talking about transactions. Who cares if were talking about lit.

pretty sure everyone means overall. it's cute that you're off in your own world with your own views of what people mean, but generally things like T14 or Big 3 in TX or Big 4 in accounting refer to a commonly recognized group.

it's still a bit early to say latham is a big 3 in transactional work imo, and i certainly dont know of many current TX attorneys who think that way ("reputationally-speaking" at least). that being said, i can definitely see it being true in the near future...though they seem much more like a transactional boutique atm, w/ ~40 attorneys...

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote: Latham, if we were talking about transactions. Who cares if were talking about lit.

pretty sure everyone means overall. it's cute that you're off in your own world with your own views of what people mean, but generally things like T14 or Big 3 in TX or Big 4 in accounting refer to a commonly recognized group.

it's still a bit early to say latham is a big 3 in transactional work imo, and i certainly dont know of many current TX attorneys who think that way ("reputationally-speaking" at least). that being said, i can definitely see it being true in the near future...though they seem much more like a transactional boutique atm, w/ ~40 attorneys...

Current TX attorneys must be behind the news cycle then. Most of the top V&E, BB, and Akin Gump lawyers left for Latham. For a less than 2 year old office, it is already doing better TX work than arguably anyone but the firms it took its partners from. If you want to rank TX Big 3 based on employment litigation strength, go ahead; but Texas is still an energy driven state and its best to associate your name with the top energy firms. I'll call Fulbright if I need civil rights work, though.

ITT: I out myself on which firm I want to work for.

All the 2Ls who split at my firm got offers. Firms want you to spend first half with them because something like 90%+ of people who split first half end up accepting their offer from the first half firm. They may not like that you're splitting, but if they no-offer you it won't be because you split.

Now that everybody has whipped it out and measured, can we get the thread back on topic?

What about doing 8 weeks at the first half firm and 6 at the second half? Is this possible or must it be 6 or 10 at the first half firm?

*anon b/c I'm thinking about something like this after my second half firm told me they are very flexible about my start date.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote: Latham, if we were talking about transactions. Who cares if were talking about lit.

pretty sure everyone means overall. it's cute that you're off in your own world with your own views of what people mean, but generally things like T14 or Big 3 in TX or Big 4 in accounting refer to a commonly recognized group.

it's still a bit early to say latham is a big 3 in transactional work imo, and i certainly dont know of many current TX attorneys who think that way ("reputationally-speaking" at least). that being said, i can definitely see it being true in the near future...though they seem much more like a transactional boutique atm, w/ ~40 attorneys...

Current TX attorneys must be behind the news cycle then. Most of the top V&E, BB, and Akin Gump lawyers left for Latham. For a less than 2 year old office, it is already doing better TX work than arguably anyone but the firms it took its partners from. If you want to rank TX Big 3 based on employment litigation strength, go ahead; but Texas is still an energy driven state and its best to associate your name with the top energy firms. I'll call Fulbright if I need civil rights work, though.

ITT: I out myself on which firm I want to work for.

No kidding. You're misrepresenting the shit out of the legal market while you're at it. Latham is, no doubt, a burgeoning power in the Houston legal market, but to claim it's the top in transactional work in Texas is ignorant.

Anonymous User wrote:Now that everybody has whipped it out and measured, can we get the thread back on topic?

What about doing 8 weeks at the first half firm and 6 at the second half? Is this possible or must it be 6 or 10 at the first half firm?

*anon b/c I'm thinking about something like this after my second half firm told me they are very flexible about my start date.

A 16 week summer sounds brutal, but if they are open I see no problem. Most have specific dates, though.

Anonymous User wrote:Now that everybody has whipped it out and measured, can we get the thread back on topic?

What about doing 8 weeks at the first half firm and 6 at the second half? Is this possible or must it be 6 or 10 at the first half firm?

*anon b/c I'm thinking about something like this after my second half firm told me they are very flexible about my start date.

The most I've heard of was something like 7 and 6. Of course, I haven't heard from many splits (not at school in Texas). I actually think firms want you to stay longer because they feel they have a better chance of keeping you if you stay longer.

FulbrighTTT

Anonymous User wrote:Now that everybody has whipped it out and measured, can we get the thread back on topic?

What about doing 8 weeks at the first half firm and 6 at the second half? Is this possible or must it be 6 or 10 at the first half firm?

*anon b/c I'm thinking about something like this after my second half firm told me they are very flexible about my start date.

If the first firm has a program that runs 8 weeks, then I don't know why you couldn't go 8 and then 6. I think there are a few first half firms that run a first half program that runs 8 weeks. I think all they want is you to 1) start there and 2) Do a minimum of 6 weeks. They should have no problem with you wanting to do the full 8 weeks (and they probably encourage it).

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:No kidding. You're misrepresenting the shit out of the legal market while you're at it. Latham is, no doubt, a burgeoning power in the Houston legal market, but to claim it's the top in Texas is ignorant.

Who is challenging Latham with their work? T4 is BB, VE, Akin, and Latham. We all know Dallas is irrelevant at best, anyways, so hayboo would just be mentioned for the lulz.

Um for Corporate you got Weil, AK, and Jones Day. For Lit you have...well everyone since there is no lit department.

The anon abuse in this thread is absolutely ridiculous. Simply discussing the relative strength of comparable firms is no reason to post anonymously. Prepare to be outed.