* Forum

[Anonymous User]

*

[Anonymous User]

TLS-ers,

i'm making my final decision, and i'm split between two firms: Covington DC vs. Quinn NY. i need help choosing. i def want ip lit. of course, the latter has it more than the former. u supposedly get substantive work early on at Quinn (and little training), and u supposedly get lots of doc review (but lots of training) early on at Covington. i want a good work-life balance plus an enjoyable workplace. Vault ranks neither for satisfaction. from what I hear, associates are miserable at Quinn, but it seems that associates work equally many long hours at Covington. Quinn is hip, Covington is formal. Quinn pays a big bonus based on hours, Covington pays almost no bonus. Covington is slightly more prestigious. the associates at Quinn seem outgoing, chatty, and cool. the associates at Covington are older, reserved, and seem buried in their work. I like DC more than NYC.

(1) can you poke holes in my comparison?
(2) will one help me obtain a clerkship over the other?
(3) where are associates more satisfied?
(4) am i missing some crucial piece of info that should help me choose?
(5) based on the above info, where would u go & why?

Your comparison is mostly accurate from my experience, but I would add one very important factor, especially in light of the fact that you like DC more - Cost of living. DC is much cheaper than NYC: approximately $103,440 in DC = $160K in NYC (according to NALP http://abovethelaw.com/2011/10/nalp-buy ... -in-texas/). That's a lot of money. And if, as you say, Quinn associates are cool but miserable, is that worth it? I wouldn't think so.

[Blindmelon]

Easy Covington for me, but either would be a fine choice. I think Cov. DC is stronger IP Lit than Quinn NYC and Cov. is a stronger name overall. Also, DC is cheaper than NYC as the above poster stated - still expensive as hell though.

[Julio_El_Chavo]

Covington DC opens a lot of doors, probably more than Quinn NY.

[Anonymous User]

bump...also in same boat as OP

[Big Shrimpin]

Is this not like the fourth or fifth poll about Quinn NY v. Covington DC?

[spondee]

i'm split between two firms: Covington DC vs. Quinn NY. i need help choosing. i def want ip lit. of course, the latter has it more than the former.

Easy Covington for me, but either would be a fine choice. I think Cov. DC is stronger IP Lit than Quinn NYC and Cov. is a stronger name overall. Also, DC is cheaper than NYC as the above poster stated - still expensive as hell though.

I think Blindmelon's right here. And it should make your decision easy.

[johndhi]

Hi OP -

for me, Quinn is the right choice. I think your comparison is pretty solid. Didn't know these firms hired 3Ls - congrats on that. I'm going to one of the West Coast Quinns as a 2L this summer.

If you really want to do IP lit, do IP lit.

[johndhi]

Hi OP -

for me, Quinn is the right choice. I think your comparison is pretty solid. Didn't know these firms hired 3Ls - congrats on that. I'm going to one of the West Coast Quinns as a 2L this summer.

If you really want to do IP lit, do IP lit.

[Blindmelon]

Hi OP -

for me, Quinn is the right choice. I think your comparison is pretty solid. Didn't know these firms hired 3Ls - congrats on that. I'm going to one of the West Coast Quinns as a 2L this summer.

If you really want to do IP lit, do IP lit.

West Coast Quinn does a lot more IP lit than NYC Quinn... also Covington has been in the IP Lit field much longer.

[Anonymous User]

Covington has been around longer....so, of course, they've done IP longer.

[Old Gregg]

Covington has been around longer....so, of course, they've done IP longer.

LOL no. The bulk of their IP "expertise" is from the now defunct Heller Ehrman. IP is no more indigenous to Covington than the entire partnership is at Quinn.

[Old Gregg]

u supposedly get substantive work early on at Quinn (and little training), and u supposedly get lots of doc review (but lots of training) early on at Covington.

I don't know enough about Covington, but I do know enough about Quinn to know that's absolutely false. Quinn is a miserable place. Covington is paradise in comparison. If you can work at a firm that's just as, if not more, prestigious than the other, but work significantly less and make almost the same (and probably the same, given cost of living differences), by all means choose the one where you work less.

[Anonymous User]

I don't know enough about Covington, but I do know enough about Quinn to know that's absolutely false. Quinn is a miserable place. Covington is paradise in comparison. If you can work at a firm that's just as, if not more, prestigious than the other, but work significantly less and make almost the same (and probably the same, given cost of living differences), by all means choose the one where you work less.

Is this Quinn NY where people are miserable?

[Anonymous User]

Is this Quinn NY where people are miserable?

Bump.

[Anonymous User]

Here are my two cents:
1) Training is nothing more than law school classes and nothing comparable to real work.
2) For practicing attorneys, practice-specific prestige, rather than general firm reputation, matters.
3) For high-tech matters, Quinn is simply dominating the field - they represent all major Android-based phone makers along with Google against Apple/Microsoft. For bio/pharma, Covington DC can be a good choice too especially if you think you might switch over to healthcare stuff.