NJ Firms: 2012 Edition Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anybody applying to NJ firms?

Figured we could get a list going of all the main firms, and firms with satellite offices in Jersey that have SA spots.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody applying to NJ firms?

Figured we could get a list going of all the main firms, and firms with satellite offices in Jersey that have SA spots.

Yup. I'm applying. But I go to one of the Jersey schools, so most of the firms will be coming to OCI. The few that don't I plan on mass mailing.

Just as an FYI McCarter & English will have a "summer clerk" program next summer. The way they described it is that you would be doing essentially the same work as an SA, but there is not guarantee of employment at the end. I guess if your work is good, and you build some strong relationships you could probably come back after graduating. Not sure if I would chose this over a more traditional SA program at another firm if I had the choice. But it's better than nothing.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody applying to NJ firms?

Figured we could get a list going of all the main firms, and firms with satellite offices in Jersey that have SA spots.

Yup. I'm applying. But I go to one of the Jersey schools, so most of the firms will be coming to OCI. The few that don't I plan on mass mailing.

Just as an FYI McCarter & English will have a "Summer Clerk" program next summer. The way they described it is that you would be doing essentially the same work as an SA, but there is not guarantee of employment at the end. I guess if your work is good, and you build some strong relationships you could probably come back after graduating. Not sure if I would chose this over a more traditional SA program at another firm if I had the choice. But it's better than nothing.

Can you list the firms coming to your OCI, and what firms you plan on mass mailing?

I have:

Lowenstein Sandler
Riker Danzig
Porzio
Bressler
Cole Schotz
Drinker Biddle
Day Pitney
Greenbaum
Patton Boggs (Newark)
Proskauer (Newark)
connell foley
Archer & Grenier

[Anonymous User]

I have:

Lowenstein Sandler
Riker Danzig
Porzio
Bressler
Cole Schotz
Drinker Biddle
Day Pitney
Greenbaum
Patton Boggs (Newark)
Proskauer (Newark)
Connell Foley
Archer & Grenier

I'm from NJ and go to a T14 and I did the NJ callback rounds last year. You're missing the following in terms of firms that hire SA's:
McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter (MDMC)
Sills Cummis & Gross
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik

Also, that's interesting about McCarter English. I'd be curious on what kind of makeup they're looking for... top of the class at Rutgers/SHU or below median T14's or 40%-median T30's that recruit NJ (i.e. BU/BC/Fordham/GW).

[Anonymous User]

I have:

Lowenstein Sandler
Riker Danzig
Porzio
Bressler
Cole Schotz
Drinker Biddle
Day Pitney
Greenbaum
Patton Boggs (Newark)
Proskauer (Newark)
Connell Foley
Archer & Grenier

I'm from NJ and go to a T14 and I did the NJ callback rounds last year. You're missing the following in terms of firms that hire SA's:
McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter (MDMC)
Sills Cummis & Gross
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik

Also, that's interesting about McCarter English. I'd be curious on what kind of makeup they're looking for... top of the class at Rutgers/SHU or below median T14's or 40%-median T30's that recruit NJ (i.e. BU/BC/Fordham/GW).

ITE I'm sure McCater will be super picky because they can. But if you are top of your calss at RU/SHU you should be able to snag a traditional SA position. So I am not sure why they would take that gamble with McCarter.

So far I have screeners set up with Riker, Porzio, Bressler and Lowenstien. Would be more than happy at any of these firms. Hopefully something pans out.

[Anonymous User]

I have:

Lowenstein Sandler
Riker Danzig
Porzio
Bressler
Cole Schotz
Drinker Biddle
Day Pitney
Greenbaum
Patton Boggs (Newark)
Proskauer (Newark)
Connell Foley
Archer & Grenier

I'm from NJ and go to a T14 and I did the NJ callback rounds last year. You're missing the following in terms of firms that hire SA's:
McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter (MDMC)
Sills Cummis & Gross
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik

Also, that's interesting about McCarter English. I'd be curious on what kind of makeup they're looking for... top of the class at Rutgers/SHU or below median T14's or 40%-median T30's that recruit NJ (i.e. BU/BC/Fordham/GW).

ITE I'm sure McCater will be super picky because they can. But if you are top of your calss at RU/SHU you should be able to snag a traditional SA position. So I am not sure why they would take that gamble with McCarter.

So far I have screeners set up with Riker, Porzio, Bressler and Lowenstien. Would be more than happy at any of these firms. Hopefully something pans out.

I'm assuming these are through your OCI? Are you the guy with the Jersey school?

[Anonymous User]

I have:

Lowenstein Sandler
Riker Danzig
Porzio
Bressler
Cole Schotz
Drinker Biddle
Day Pitney
Greenbaum
Patton Boggs (Newark)
Proskauer (Newark)
Connell Foley
Archer & Grenier

I'm from NJ and go to a T14 and I did the NJ callback rounds last year. You're missing the following in terms of firms that hire SA's:
McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter (MDMC)
Sills Cummis & Gross
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik

Also, that's interesting about McCarter English. I'd be curious on what kind of makeup they're looking for... top of the class at Rutgers/SHU or below median T14's or 40%-median T30's that recruit NJ (i.e. BU/BC/Fordham/GW).

ITE I'm sure McCater will be super picky because they can. But if you are top of your calss at RU/SHU you should be able to snag a traditional SA position. So I am not sure why they would take that gamble with McCarter.

So far I have screeners set up with Riker, Porzio, Bressler and Lowenstien. Would be more than happy at any of these firms. Hopefully something pans out.

I'm assuming these are through your OCI? Are you the guy with the Jersey school?

Not through OCI, NJ Law Firm Group Job Fair. Yes I go to a jersey school.

[Anonymous User]

Is it fair to say that Lowenstein and McCarter are the two big dogs in NJ and the rest of the firms fit into their own tiers? Which would you recommend to someone, Lowenstein or McCarter, for someone interested in moving into fed or state gov position after a few years, i.e. either as a prosecutor or some kind of political/policy position. Assume offers at both, etc. I just want to know how people think they stack up.

[keg411]

Is it fair to say that Lowenstein and McCarter are the two big dogs in NJ and the rest of the firms fit into their own tiers? Which would you recommend to someone, Lowenstein or McCarter, for someone interested in moving into fed or state gov position after a few years, i.e. either as a prosecutor or some kind of political/policy position. Assume offers at both, etc. I just want to know how people think they stack up.

Yes, Lowenstein/McCarter are the top dogs. They consider themselves on par with the NYC firms. However, I definitely would not take McCarter's new program over any of the other NJ firms just because there is no guaranteed offer. NO ONE should pick either of these firms thinking they are "lifestyle" firms because they definitely aren't -- they want NYC hours in NJ.

If you want to be a prosecutor, there is no need to go to biglaw first. You should be working for criminal law judges and/or at one of the local prosecutor offices (and you should definitely be working at one of the prosecutor's office 2L summer). If you just want to go to the AG's office, then McCarter/Lowenstein might make sense... but you'd probably want to do an App. Div./Supreme clerkship first. Know someone who bounced from one of McCarter/Lowenstein after less than one year for the AG's office.

Also, while ITE McCarter will certain get it's "pick" to some extent, no one should go there over a traditional SA.

[Anonymous User]

Good luck with Archer, last summer they only hired 3 SAs. Invited 25 for callbacks. Insane.

[keg411]

Good luck with Archer, last summer they only hired 3 SAs. Invited 25 for callbacks. Insane.

See: every NJ firm except for Lowenstein/MDM&C. If I still have it, I'll post the NJ Law Journal article about the number of 2012 SA's. (But my parents remodeled, so I might not still have it this year). And yes, most of them probably gave a pretty high number of callbacks too.

[Anonymous User]

Good luck with Archer, last summer they only hired 3 SAs. Invited 25 for callbacks. Insane.

See: every NJ firm except for Lowenstein/MDM&C. If I still have it, I'll post the NJ Law Journal article about the number of 2012 SA's. (But my parents remodeled, so I might not still have it this year). And yes, most of them probably gave a pretty high number of callbacks too.

2012 SA's ( As per the NJ Law Journal)

Archer - 8*
Bressler - 6*
Cole - 4*
Connell - 5
Day Pitney - 6*
Drinker - 4*
Fox Rothschild - 4
Greenbaum - 0
Lerner - 4
Lowenstein - 18*
McCarter -0
McElroy - 15*
Norris - 0
Porzio - 5*
Riker - 8*
Sills - 7*

*These numbers include 1L SAs

[Anonymous User]

Not to make things seem even worse, but the small SA classes are in addition to tough offer rates. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that 100% offer rates are pretty rare for most of these firms, aside from Lowenstein Sandler. In fact, I know someone at one of the named firms who was already given the hint that he may need to do 3L OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Also, some of those offer classes are misleading. I know Archer may be listed with 8 spots, but 5 of those spots were already dedicated to Temple students through some sort of program.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody know anything about Cohn Lifland?

Looks like they take "summer clerks" -> does that mean the same thing as McCarter?

[Anonymous User]

Also, some of those offer classes are misleading. I know Archer may be listed with 8 spots, but 5 of those spots were already dedicated to Temple students through some sort of program.

What kind of program? Diversity?

[Anonymous User]

While you can find salary information online for most nj firms, I have not been able to locate any information in regards to bonuses. Has anyone come across this information? I know ITE it's probably not much, but I'm still curious.

[keg411]

While you can find salary information online for most nj firms, I have not been able to locate any information in regards to bonuses. Has anyone come across this information? I know ITE it's probably not much, but I'm still curious.

They never report to ATL, so I'm guessing they're pretty small if at anything. Keep in mind that most of these are midsized firms and they generally run on a different model than traditional BigLaw (although that doesn't necessarily mean less hours).

[Anonymous User]

Just as a heads up, I had a screener set up for Porzio set up through a upcoming diversity fair. Just got an email saying that they were going to complete there 2013 Summer Associate hiring by pretty must asking the 1L summer class this year to return as 2L associates. So they are canceling interviews going forward. Probabally not worth your time to mass mail them or waste a bid at OCI if they are still on your schools roster.

[keg411]

Just as a heads up, I had a screener set up for Porzio set up through a upcoming diversity fair. Just got an email saying that they were going to complete there 2013 Summer Associate hiring by pretty must asking the 1L summer class this year to return as 2L associates. So they are canceling interviews going forward. Probabally not worth your time to mass mail them or waste a bid at OCI if they are still on your schools roster.

What are they going to do if the 1L's turn them down in favor of real BigLaw?
I will .

[Anonymous User]

Just as a heads up, I had a screener set up for Porzio set up through a upcoming diversity fair. Just got an email saying that they were going to complete there 2013 Summer Associate hiring by pretty must asking the 1L summer class this year to return as 2L associates. So they are canceling interviews going forward. Probabally not worth your time to mass mail them or waste a bid at OCI if they are still on your schools roster.

What are they going to do if the 1L's turn them down in favor of real BigLaw?
I will .

That's exactly what I thought when I got the email. I guess they will cross that bridge when they get to it. Sucks though. I wasted a bid.

[Anonymous User]

Just as a heads up, I had a screener set up for Porzio set up through a upcoming diversity fair. Just got an email saying that they were going to complete there 2013 Summer Associate hiring by pretty must asking the 1L summer class this year to return as 2L associates. So they are canceling interviews going forward. Probabally not worth your time to mass mail them or waste a bid at OCI if they are still on your schools roster.

What are they going to do if the 1L's turn them down in favor of real BigLaw?
I will .

That's exactly what I thought when I got the email. I guess they will cross that bridge when they get to it. Sucks though. I wasted a bid.

Luckily I withdrew them from my bid list. Thanks for the heads up though.

[Anonymous User]

Heard from a friend that he has a friend claiming to be a summer at McCarter. Apparently, he finds out next week if he got an offer. Bulls*it or not? I thought they didn't have the summer program this and were doing the semi-summer program thing next summer?

[Anonymous User]

Heard from a friend that he has a friend claiming to be a summer at McCarter. Apparently, he finds out next week if he got an offer. Bulls*it or not? I thought they didn't have the summer program this and were doing the semi-summer program thing next summer?

Could be true. I know they had summer clerks this year and are doing it again next year. I think you can still get an offer from being a summer clerk, but it's on a case by case basis, and also based on the needs of the firm. The new set up allows them to be fickle because they set the expectation from the door that this more than likely will not lead to full-time employment.

[sadsituationJD]

McCarter is a complete dump- ever been to their "office" in the Newark Center? Its downright embarrassing. This firm is a complete joke, they have for years teetered on the edge of going under. They got saved a few years back when some partner there was apparently blowing an Astra-Zeneca exec who tossed them the doc review portion of the Seroquel pharma litigation. So McCarter got to hire (as low paid temps) hordes of losers from SH and RN for a few months and bill the shit out of the gig. Naturally the substantive portion of the litigation was handled by a real NYC biglaw firm- no CEO worth his salt would give anything important or substantive to a laughingstock toilet operation like McCarter.

Lowenstein is a nasty sweatshop, and if you aren't Jewish they aren't going to hire you. Stay away from this place, it has a terrible reputation.

The other "firms" mentioned are probably doing mostly lateral hiring right now. They don't need (and can't afford) no-nothing losers from toilets like SH and RN who bring nothing to the table. For these shops you need portable business or substantive skills, and 3 Ls offer neither.

I doubt in this market if even "top of the classers" from R-N or Seton Hall are going to garner interest from the NJ shops. There are top 25% kids from real schools (Top 14) resume-bombing these places, so why would they bother with an SH or RN grad (after all, being top of the class at these schools is a bit like winning the Special Olympics: even after you get the gold medal, you're still a retard lol.