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So these are the offers I've narrowed it down to. I'm not looking for opinions on what you think is the best firm for yourself, I'd like consideration of my perhaps semi-unique interests.

I'm interested in litigation, particularly white collar (FCPA in particular), but I do want a well rounded litigation experience. I am 100% interested in litigation, so corporate only interests me insofar as it sweetens the litigation experience.

I'm from Massachusetts and hope to return there at some point, ideally in the USAO office or maybe in a DA's office in one of the major counties. However, I currently am at NYU/CLS and really do love living in New York. I think that being in New York at first offers me the greatest breadth of options without really eliminating any either. Hypothetically, after 2-5 years in NYC I'd like to move back to MA and either lateral into the Boston market or go for a USAO spot. I feel like I can demonstrate commitment to MA by taking the bar ahead of time and also aiming for a clerkship in the state. My overriding concern is that staying in New York will hurt chances of getting a USAO job in MA or pursuing government interests in MA. Thoughts on that would be appreciated. As to the firms...

Ropes: Clearly the best in Boston. Famed for QoL. It's very corporate-heavy.
DPW: Probably where I'm leaning in NY. Feel like I fit here well.
Sullcrom: Didn't think I'd like them at all going in, but they sorta wowed me with their dinners and firm visit.
Cleary: Probably out at this point due to relative Corp-focus/marginally lower prestige compared to S&C and DPW. I like that litigators can work abroad there though.

Anyways, thoughts would be really really appreciated.

not a single thought?

Pretty sure SullCrom is the only one of those that does much white collar work at all.

Anonymous User wrote:So these are the offers I've narrowed it down to. I'm not looking for opinions on what you think is the best firm for yourself, I'd like consideration of my perhaps semi-unique interests.

I'm interested in litigation, particularly white collar (FCPA in particular), but I do want a well rounded litigation experience. I am 100% interested in litigation, so corporate only interests me insofar as it sweetens the litigation experience.

I'm from Massachusetts and hope to return there at some point, ideally in the USAO office or maybe in a DA's office in one of the major counties. However, I currently am at NYU/CLS and really do love living in New York. I think that being in New York at first offers me the greatest breadth of options without really eliminating any either. Hypothetically, after 2-5 years in NYC I'd like to move back to MA and either lateral into the Boston market or go for a USAO spot. I feel like I can demonstrate commitment to MA by taking the bar ahead of time and also aiming for a clerkship in the state. My overriding concern is that staying in New York will hurt chances of getting a USAO job in MA or pursuing government interests in MA. Thoughts on that would be appreciated. As to the firms...

Ropes: Clearly the best in Boston. Famed for QoL. It's very corporate-heavy.
DPW: Probably where I'm leaning in NY. Feel like I fit here well.
Sullcrom: Didn't think I'd like them at all going in, but they sorta wowed me with their dinners and firm visit.
Cleary: Probably out at this point due to relative Corp-focus/marginally lower prestige compared to S&C and DPW. I like that litigators can work abroad there though.

Anyways, thoughts would be really really appreciated.

Ropes in Boston has a very strong economic crimes/health care fraud litigation section.

Anonymous User wrote:Pretty sure SullCrom is the only one of those that does much white collar work at all.

FWIW Chambers ranks both SullCrom and DPW Band 1 for white collar/gov't investigation.

Anonymous User wrote:Pretty sure SullCrom is the only one of those that does much white collar work at all.

DPW does a lot of White Collar. Cleary doesn't really do that much.

OP, I would ask practitioners and/or people who are AUSAs in Boston how much the office values working at a Boston firm beforehand. If the answer is a lot, then go to Ropes. If the answer is not so much, it's a toss up between DPW and S&C. Those two are pretty different culturally, so that should help you make a decision (sounds like you're leaning DPW).

imchuckbass58 wrote:OP, I would ask practitioners and/or people who are AUSAs in Boston how much the office values working at a Boston firm beforehand. If the answer is a lot, then go to Ropes. If the answer is not so much, it's a toss up between DPW and S&C. Those two are pretty different culturally, so that should help you make a decision (sounds like you're leaning DPW).

Agreed.

A few things, Ropes isn't "clearly" the best Boston firm - only R&G associates think that, or people that don't know Boston very well. They have a fantastic litigation shop, but it isn't well known for white-collar/internal investigations - WH is probably the only Boston firm that is. Given this, and the fact that you want to work in NYC for a bit, go SullCrom/DPW and try to lateral after a few years.

As for USAO in Mass, many of the attorneys came from big firms - I remember specifically DPW and Skadden in NY, and Goodwin, Bingham and Wilmer in Boston. You'll be fine coming from a big guy in NY.

quiver wrote:

imchuckbass58 wrote:OP, I would ask practitioners and/or people who are AUSAs in Boston how much the office values working at a Boston firm beforehand. If the answer is a lot, then go to Ropes. If the answer is not so much, it's a toss up between DPW and S&C. Those two are pretty different culturally, so that should help you make a decision (sounds like you're leaning DPW).

Agreed.

I summered at the USAO in Boston. Almost all the AUSAs had spent time at a Boston firm or local DA's office. A few came over from other USAO offices or from Main Justice. Some had started their careers in NY firms, but lateraled over to a Boston firm before making the switch to AUSA. The office did a career panel for us that stressed the importance of having local recommendations and trial experience--most of their hires come in as people with excellent credentials (almost everyone I worked for had done a fed clerkship) AND had someone close to the Massachusetts USAO making a call for them. It is extremely tough to get a job there right now because of the massive government hiring freeze..hopefully things improve in a few years, because they do seem a bit understaffed.

imchuckbass58 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Pretty sure SullCrom is the only one of those that does much white collar work at all.

DPW does a lot of White Collar. Cleary doesn't really do that much.

OP, I would ask practitioners and/or people who are AUSAs in Boston how much the office values working at a Boston firm beforehand. If the answer is a lot, then go to Ropes. If the answer is not so much, it's a toss up between DPW and S&C. Those two are pretty different culturally, so that should help you make a decision (sounds like you're leaning DPW).

DPW is reported to send a lot of people to AUSA's office in NY.

I would take Sullcrom if I were you. I think they have a stronger lit rep. and will position you better w/ exit options esp. if you want to leave NY.

Anonymous User wrote:I would take Sullcrom if I were you. I think they have a stronger lit rep. and will position you better w/ exit options esp. if you want to leave NY.

No they do not, no they will not.

http://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/ ... 9#org_3833

Not to mention S&C does a lot of internal investigations, which if you're trying to get trial experience is probably not where you want to be.