NYC vs. other secondary markets? Forum

[TLSNYC]

Thinking ahead to 2L summer associate positions, I am contemplating aiming for a position in a secondary market in the NE (based on personal relationships w/ lawyers, I think i have a good shot with some firms there). I also am considering working in NYC. At what point is it smarter to work for a top firm in NYC, i..e skadden, paul weiss than a very good firm in a smaller legal market? what if the NYC isn't as prestigious as those V10s?

my real concern is exit options - no matter which firm I go to, I only want to stay for a few years before trying to go into gov't or something else tangentially legal

[RVP11]

Thinking ahead to 2L summer associate positions, I am contemplating aiming for a position in a secondary market in the NE (based on personal relationships w/ lawyers, I think i have a good shot with some firms there). I also am considering working in NYC. At what point is it smarter to work for a top firm in NYC, i..e skadden, paul weiss than a very good firm in a smaller legal market? what if the NYC isn't as prestigious as those V10s?

my real concern is exit options - no matter which firm I go to, I only want to stay for a few years before trying to go into gov't or something else tangentially legal

There are situations in which taking the secondary market firm makes more sense. But, because of the underlined above, I don't think you're in one of those situations. If you want to go into FedGov or exit law within 3-5 years, and you have no compelling reason to be in the secondary city, then maximize prestige and gun for V10.

The equation changes a lot if you're comparing a more ordinary, not-very-prestigious firm like Dewey to a firm that dominates in its secondary market. But V10 > everything else, for your goals.

[Anonymous User]

Along these lines, this might be a silly question (for a number of reasons, I know), but does a V10 associate have significantly better lateral exit opportunities than a V50 in (say) Boston? For instance, if I strike out on partnership at a V10 (silly to even talk about, I understand), would I potentially be in a position where I could lateral to that V50 in Boston and have a decent chance of partnership after a few years? Or is it equally unlikely I'll make partner anyway and I might as well start wherever I'll be happier?

[RVP11]

Along these lines, this might be a silly question (for a number of reasons, I know), but does a V10 associate have significantly better lateral exit opportunities than a V50 in (say) Boston? For instance, if I strike out on partnership at a V10 (silly to even talk about, I understand), would I potentially be in a position where I could lateral to that V50 in Boston and have a decent chance of partnership after a few years? Or is it equally unlikely I'll make partner anyway and I might as well start wherever I'll be happier?

If you know that you want to be a partner in a Boston firm, it would be silly to take a firm in NYC or a firm in Boston because of Vault ranking.

I don't know if there's a single firm in the country where laterals, compared to homegrown associates who've come up through the firm's summer program, have a better chance of making partner. If you know you eventually want to work for Firm X in Market X, go to Firm X in Market X. If you don't know where you want to be in the distant future, maximize your opportunities by going to the most prestigious place you can.

[Anonymous User]

Along these lines, this might be a silly question (for a number of reasons, I know), but does a V10 associate have significantly better lateral exit opportunities than a V50 in (say) Boston? For instance, if I strike out on partnership at a V10 (silly to even talk about, I understand), would I potentially be in a position where I could lateral to that V50 in Boston and have a decent chance of partnership after a few years? Or is it equally unlikely I'll make partner anyway and I might as well start wherever I'll be happier?

If you know that you want to be a partner in a Boston firm, it would be silly to take a firm in NYC or a firm in Boston because of Vault ranking.

I don't know if there's a single firm in the country where laterals, compared to homegrown associates who've come up through the firm's summer program, have a better chance of making partner. If you know you eventually want to work for Firm X in Market X, go to Firm X in Market X. If you don't know where you want to be in the distant future, maximize your opportunities by going to the most prestigious place you can.

Awesome, thanks. Intuitive, but good to see it written out.