Dallas vs. Houston for in-house or working in Asia Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am from TX, went to undergrad in TX, and rank top 20% at a top 15.

My goal is to work in NYC; however, I realize NYC firms may be skeptical of my desire to work there. So, as a backup, as between Dallas and Houston, which city provides more high-quality transactional or securities work? My eventual goal is to transfer to either a UK or a U.S. firm in either Shanghai or Hong Kong (I speak Mandarin but am white). I'd also like good in-house exit options. I know a U.S. lawyer in a second-tier Chinese city who went in-house at a petroleum-related start-up there and ended up making huge bucks; I would be open to that route as well.

I know NYC would be, by far, my best choice, given my goals, but as a second choice, where should I be aiming if I have to stay in TX and decide not to do an LLM to break into NYC?

I am bidding almost exclusively on Dallas and NYC since I think Dallas offers better quality of life and more of an east-coast feel than Houston, but I was wondering whether Houston might be better since it is larger and a port city.

[Anonymous User]

I realize NYC firms may be skeptical of my desire to work there.

Not really. NYC firms think everyone wants to work/live here. So, you do not need ties.

[Anonymous User]

I realize NYC firms may be skeptical of my desire to work there.

Not really. NYC firms think everyone wants to work/live here. So, you do not need ties.

Unfortunately, in the last few years, that has changed somewhat, particularly with respect to Texas people. My CSO is either making stuff up out of the blue (not completely unbelievable), or there's been a recent change ITE.

Also, a V30 partner told me at a mixer that you better have a damn good reason to want to be in NYC before we'll invest in you.

[de5igual]

Between Dallas and Houston, you're going to get more high profile work in Houston, especially for energy related transactional/litigation work. Dallas on the other hand, is really no different from any other large secondary market and will only handle work that is more local in nature.

According to what some of the interviewers at the NY Job Fair have said, NYC firms are skeptical of Texas (I'm guessing you go to UT?) students because historically, most NYC offers are not accepted in favor of Texas firms. This is also why fewer and fewer NYC firms show up at OCI. However, showing up the NY Job Fair should show some commitment (since you're paying your way to go there).

[Anonymous User]

Looks like I might be the guy who turns down the V50 offer in Houston to do a Tax LLM at NYU just to establish "ties."

[Bildungsroman]

a top 15.

You know, you can just say "UT".

[Old Gregg]

Looks like I might be the guy who turns down the V50 offer in Houston to do a Tax LLM at NYU just to establish "ties."

Would probably be one of the stupidest moves one could make.


Also, no ties needed for NYC. We are all transplants here, for the most part.

[formerbiglawpartner]

Back to the original post. A number of the top firms in Houston already have Hong Kong offices, so you could foreseeably lateral to one of those offices. Also, the level of practice at the big three in Houston is far more sophisticated than anything you would get in Dallas, frankly. In any event, if you truly have Mandarin and good corporate experience for a few years, you'll be sought after for any number of firms' offices as a lateral to their China offices. (Check out Lateral Link.)

By the way, I find your comment about Dallas having more of an "east coast feel" rather amusing unless, by "east coast," you mean provincial.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Back to the original post. A number of the top firms in Houston already have Hong Kong offices, so you could foreseeably lateral to one of those offices. Also, the level of practice at the big three in Houston is far more sophisticated than anything you would get in Dallas, frankly. In any event, if you truly have Mandarin and good corporate experience for a few years, you'll be sought after for any number of firms' offices as a lateral to their China offices. (Check out Lateral Link.)

By the way, I find your comment about Dallas having more of an "east coast feel" rather amusing unless, by "east coast," you mean provincial.

Does this apply to Big Three offices in Dallas like VE? Their corporate practice groups seem to work closely with Houston. I'd imagine their work is on a similar level. Is that not the case?

[formerbiglawpartner]

I can't speak specifically about VE, but most Dallas offices tend to do more local fare. In contrast, Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, the "energy capital of the world," and a port city which means it is far more international. If you aspire to do international, you are better off in Houston than land-locked Dallas. Depending on the size of the Dallas branch office and the firm culture, your training may be substantially better in the home office as well. Of course, New York should be on your list for international.

[rad lulz]

I realize NYC firms may be skeptical of my desire to work there.

Not really. NYC firms think everyone wants to work/live here. So, you do not need ties.

If he went to UG in TX and LS in TX he may have a problem. Had a similar problem going to UG in the South and LS in the South. As did others I know. With his grades though someone ought to take a chance.

Also he may have a problem when saying shit like T15 in Texas.

[Anonymous User]

Back to the original post. A number of the top firms in Houston already have Hong Kong offices, so you could foreseeably lateral to one of those offices. Also, the level of practice at the big three in Houston is far more sophisticated than anything you would get in Dallas, frankly. In any event, if you truly have Mandarin and good corporate experience for a few years, you'll be sought after for any number of firms' offices as a lateral to their China offices. (Check out Lateral Link.)

By the way, I find your comment about Dallas having more of an "east coast feel" rather amusing unless, by "east coast," you mean provincial.

Does this apply to Big Three offices in Dallas like VE? Their corporate practice groups seem to work closely with Houston. I'd imagine their work is on a similar level. Is that not the case?

Dallas VE does mostly local work - but.... it does MUCH less corporate work than the Houston office. There are no huge corporate groups in Dallas. The biggest corporate groups in town are at Haynes and Boone and Jones Day.