Reed Smith CB Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any intelligence on whether 3Ls or post-JD are being interviewed?

bump- anyone have any information on this?

Might I recommend sending a mass-mail with a follow up phone call 5 days later, particularly if you are a strong candidate.

[Anonymous User]

Any rejections yet from NYC 9/19 callbacks?

[Anonymous User]

Serious question: why do they pay below market? Is it to stay competitive on rates?

I think it's more about being a Pittsburgh based firm. There's absolutely no reason to pay 160 in Pitt and it's probably bad for morale to have associates in the home office making less than their classmates in NYC / DC. ITE they're still more than able to fill their class with people who will leap at 145 and I suppose they don't mind being everyone's second choice.

Disagree. K&L Gates has no problem doing this (they pay 160k in NYC, but less in Pittsburgh). Also, Reed only pays 115 or so in Pittsburgh, so either way they are making less than peers in major markets. Reed pays below market across the board, Pittsburgh included.

I accepted a non-Pennsylvania Reed Smith offer over a few other firms, really because of Reed Smith's easygoing culture over a Kirkland-esque sweatshop. Reed Smith was a place I could see myself working for 10+ years and not getting burned out.

And Reed Smith may return to $160k in the near future.

why do you think this?

[Anonymous User]

I accepted a non-Pennsylvania Reed Smith offer over a few other firms, really because of Reed Smith's easygoing culture over a Kirkland-esque sweatshop. Reed Smith was a place I could see myself working for 10+ years and not getting burned out.

And Reed Smith may return to $160k in the near future.

why do you think this?

bump

[Anonymous User]

I accepted a non-Pennsylvania Reed Smith offer over a few other firms, really because of Reed Smith's easygoing culture over a Kirkland-esque sweatshop. Reed Smith was a place I could see myself working for 10+ years and not getting burned out.

And Reed Smith may return to $160k in the near future.

why do you think this?

bump

You realize the answer is likely something along the lines of: because other firms who reduced their base pay are slowly returning to normal numbers post-economic crisis? There's no specific reason. Reed Smith just changed their summer program from 8 weeks to 10. First-years also start in the fall now, instead of being deferred to January. All seem like positive trends.

[Anonymous User]

I accepted a non-Pennsylvania Reed Smith offer over a few other firms, really because of Reed Smith's easygoing culture over a Kirkland-esque sweatshop. Reed Smith was a place I could see myself working for 10+ years and not getting burned out.

And Reed Smith may return to $160k in the near future.

why do you think this?

bump

You realize the answer is likely something along the lines of: because other firms who reduced their base pay are slowly returning to normal numbers post-economic crisis? There's no specific reason. Reed Smith just changed their summer program from 8 weeks to 10. First-years also start in the fall now, instead of being deferred to January. All seem like positive trends.

this is great info...thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Anyone been dinged by the Chicago office? Snail mail or email?

[Anonymous User]

Reed Smith pays slightly below market in EVERY market where they are located. In primary markets they pay 145k, secondary markets (like PGH) they pay 125k (not 115k), which is actually slightly below market for PGH (market is 130k). They know they are below market and it is very unlikely to change, even in the primary markets. A lot of the reason they do this is because they pay substantially more at the mid/senior associate level than other firms (at least in the secondary markets). Read ATL, and you'll find that people ooh and ahh when S&C gives 7500 bonuses. At Reed Smith, bonuses range from 2500 on the low to 50,000 on the high end for the superstar associates. Although you won't make more than your peers as a junior, you can conceivably be making more than them as a senior associate or even mid-level because of the bonus (which, I might add, is based on work quality, not just hours).

Source? I haven't had any luck pulling up recent bonus info in my searches.

[Anonymous User]

Reed Smith pays slightly below market in EVERY market where they are located. In primary markets they pay 145k, secondary markets (like PGH) they pay 125k (not 115k), which is actually slightly below market for PGH (market is 130k). They know they are below market and it is very unlikely to change, even in the primary markets. A lot of the reason they do this is because they pay substantially more at the mid/senior associate level than other firms (at least in the secondary markets). Read ATL, and you'll find that people ooh and ahh when S&C gives 7500 bonuses. At Reed Smith, bonuses range from 2500 on the low to 50,000 on the high end for the superstar associates. Although you won't make more than your peers as a junior, you can conceivably be making more than them as a senior associate or even mid-level because of the bonus (which, I might add, is based on work quality, not just hours).

Source? I haven't had any luck pulling up recent bonus info in my searches.

I used to work there. I still am close with ppl in management. Also, I wouldn't hold your breath about them increasing salary to market. Their "mo" is that they don't pay market, they know they don't, and they don't care. It's almost like part of their culture.

[Anonymous User]

Reed Smith pays slightly below market in EVERY market where they are located. In primary markets they pay 145k, secondary markets (like PGH) they pay 125k (not 115k), which is actually slightly below market for PGH (market is 130k). They know they are below market and it is very unlikely to change, even in the primary markets. A lot of the reason they do this is because they pay substantially more at the mid/senior associate level than other firms (at least in the secondary markets). Read ATL, and you'll find that people ooh and ahh when S&C gives 7500 bonuses. At Reed Smith, bonuses range from 2500 on the low to 50,000 on the high end for the superstar associates. Although you won't make more than your peers as a junior, you can conceivably be making more than them as a senior associate or even mid-level because of the bonus (which, I might add, is based on work quality, not just hours).

Source? I haven't had any luck pulling up recent bonus info in my searches.

I used to work there. I still am close with ppl in management. Also, I wouldn't hold your breath about them increasing salary to market. Their "mo" is that they don't pay market, they know they don't, and they don't care. It's almost like part of their culture.

Thanks much. They used to pay market, no? Can you speak to the hours/work life balance at all? They really pushed that hard during the callback. I'm in a NYC/LA/Chi market.

[Anonymous User]

Reed Smith pays slightly below market in EVERY market where they are located. In primary markets they pay 145k, secondary markets (like PGH) they pay 125k (not 115k), which is actually slightly below market for PGH (market is 130k). They know they are below market and it is very unlikely to change, even in the primary markets. A lot of the reason they do this is because they pay substantially more at the mid/senior associate level than other firms (at least in the secondary markets). Read ATL, and you'll find that people ooh and ahh when S&C gives 7500 bonuses. At Reed Smith, bonuses range from 2500 on the low to 50,000 on the high end for the superstar associates. Although you won't make more than your peers as a junior, you can conceivably be making more than them as a senior associate or even mid-level because of the bonus (which, I might add, is based on work quality, not just hours).

Source? I haven't had any luck pulling up recent bonus info in my searches.

I used to work there. I still am close with ppl in management. Also, I wouldn't hold your breath about them increasing salary to market. Their "mo" is that they don't pay market, they know they don't, and they don't care. It's almost like part of their culture.

Thanks much. They used to pay market, no? Can you speak to the hours/work life balance at all? They really pushed that hard during the callback. I'm in a NYC/LA/Chi market.

+1 to all this, would love to hear a former RS associate's perspective. I'm also in a major market.

RS also advocated about the work/life balance at my CB. Of course we expect to work hard, but they said we can expect to enjoy our evenings and weekends more so than other peer firms.

Maybe you could chime in regarding associate year-over-year salary raises as well. Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

bump...please come back RS sage

[Anonymous User]

bump...please come back RS sage

+1...maybe make a new account and we can PM you if you don't feel comfortable posting here?

[Anonymous User]

Sorry for the lack of responses, I don't check TLS that often anymore.

RS is a great place to work, and I really did like the culture there. Full-disclosure: I worked in a secondary market; but I got the assumption that all offices are basically the same with culture. In fact, things vary more with practice group than they do with office (like in general, the associates doing litigation, whether Philly, Pgh, NYC) tended to work earlier hours (like 7:30 or 8 to about 6) whereas those in the C&S group tend to work 9 or 9:30 to about 7 or 7:30. There's really no "screamers", some people are more difficult to work for, but I genuinely liked everyone in my group (even those in my group, but not my office).

I'm not 100% sure about whether they used to pay market, but I can guarantee that it is highly unlikely that they will go back to market anytime soon. I wouldn't take the whole switching back to 10wk programs and moving start dates up as a sign of increased salary. I know that they were planning to do both of those as soon as they felt the recovery was actually here to stay. Regarding salary though, as far as I know, it was not part of the plan to increase salary when mgmt felt the improved economy was here to stay.

But really, the reason you're going to RS is because of the culture. Some people don't "get it", but the majority of ppl at RS really like the ppl they work with and how the firm handles its business. Greg Jordan is a greater leader to have at the helm. He's very innovative and has a great business mind. I know after the whole implosion of Dewey he sat down with the partners and discussed the steps they put in place to make sure the same thing wouldn't happen at RS.

Anyway, hth. I'll check in later today/tomorrow.

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone heard back either way from 9/19 NYC callbacks?

[Anonymous User]

Sorry for the lack of responses, I don't check TLS that often anymore.

RS is a great place to work, and I really did like the culture there. Full-disclosure: I worked in a secondary market; but I got the assumption that all offices are basically the same with culture. In fact, things vary more with practice group than they do with office (like in general, the associates doing litigation, whether Philly, Pgh, NYC) tended to work earlier hours (like 7:30 or 8 to about 6) whereas those in the C&S group tend to work 9 or 9:30 to about 7 or 7:30. There's really no "screamers", some people are more difficult to work for, but I genuinely liked everyone in my group (even those in my group, but not my office).

I'm not 100% sure about whether they used to pay market, but I can guarantee that it is highly unlikely that they will go back to market anytime soon. I wouldn't take the whole switching back to 10wk programs and moving start dates up as a sign of increased salary. I know that they were planning to do both of those as soon as they felt the recovery was actually here to stay. Regarding salary though, as far as I know, it was not part of the plan to increase salary when mgmt felt the improved economy was here to stay.

But really, the reason you're going to RS is because of the culture. Some people don't "get it", but the majority of ppl at RS really like the ppl they work with and how the firm handles its business. Greg Jordan is a greater leader to have at the helm. He's very innovative and has a great business mind. I know after the whole implosion of Dewey he sat down with the partners and discussed the steps they put in place to make sure the same thing wouldn't happen at RS.

Anyway, hth. I'll check in later today/tomorrow.

thanks much. FWIW, apparently they paid market as recently as 2009 (from above the law), but I made my choice to go there next summer not expecting that to change.

feel free to not answer, but might I ask why you left? you are painting a pretty nice picture of RS, so just curious.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry for the lack of responses, I don't check TLS that often anymore.

RS is a great place to work, and I really did like the culture there. Full-disclosure: I worked in a secondary market; but I got the assumption that all offices are basically the same with culture. In fact, things vary more with practice group than they do with office (like in general, the associates doing litigation, whether Philly, Pgh, NYC) tended to work earlier hours (like 7:30 or 8 to about 6) whereas those in the C&S group tend to work 9 or 9:30 to about 7 or 7:30. There's really no "screamers", some people are more difficult to work for, but I genuinely liked everyone in my group (even those in my group, but not my office).

I'm not 100% sure about whether they used to pay market, but I can guarantee that it is highly unlikely that they will go back to market anytime soon. I wouldn't take the whole switching back to 10wk programs and moving start dates up as a sign of increased salary. I know that they were planning to do both of those as soon as they felt the recovery was actually here to stay. Regarding salary though, as far as I know, it was not part of the plan to increase salary when mgmt felt the improved economy was here to stay.

But really, the reason you're going to RS is because of the culture. Some people don't "get it", but the majority of ppl at RS really like the ppl they work with and how the firm handles its business. Greg Jordan is a greater leader to have at the helm. He's very innovative and has a great business mind. I know after the whole implosion of Dewey he sat down with the partners and discussed the steps they put in place to make sure the same thing wouldn't happen at RS.

Anyway, hth. I'll check in later today/tomorrow.

thanks much. FWIW, apparently they paid market as recently as 2009 (from above the law), but I made my choice to go there next summer not expecting that to change.

feel free to not answer, but might I ask why you left? you are painting a pretty nice picture of RS, so just curious.

Yeah it was a tough decision to leave. I ended up going in-house with one of my client's (really liked the client [i.e. my current employer] and the steady, non-billable hours were too much to pass up)

[Anonymous User]

They know they are below market and it is very unlikely to change, even in the primary markets.

Not sure this is true. Primary markets were dropped to $130K when the recession hit. Rates were raised to $145K a year or two ago. It's possible, assuming the economy and PPP keep on the up and up, that rates will be raised once again.

[Anonymous User]

Reviving this thread. Any offers or dings from NY yet? My CB was 8/28. I know there's another round of CBs tomorrow. Is it time to follow up?

[Anonymous User]

Reviving this thread. Any offers or dings from NY yet? My CB was 8/28. I know there's another round of CBs tomorrow. Is it time to follow up?

had CB than as well and silence also.

[Anonymous User]

+1 hoping to hear soon

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear yet?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear yet?

Silence still (8/28)

[Anonymous User]

Do the 8/28 folks have other offers on the table?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone hear anything today either way?