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would this be crazy? i am interested in having some kind of personal of life, but i am also concerned with exit options (particularly going in-house). there's always a lot of talk about there being good reasons to choose other v10 firms over cravath, but what about a v20?

There are legit reasons. Having a life isn't one of them. V20 life won't materially differ IMO.

Fresh Prince wrote:There are legit reasons. Having a life isn't one of them. V20 life won't materially differ IMO.

Agree with this. Unclear you'll work materially less (depending on the V20). That said, in many cases the exit options aren't materially different, so culture, practice area mix, etc. are all valid reasons.

OP here. i don't have a problem working long hours, but i've heard time and again (second hand, mind you) the associates at cravath tend to work wachtell hours without wachtell pay...some associates claiming to have gone years without vacation, working every single weekend, etc. i know for sure this is not the case at the v20 i am considering. is the misery of cravath hours exaggerated? any inside info on this?

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. i don't have a problem working long hours, but i've heard time and again (second hand, mind you) the associates at cravath tend to work wachtell hours without wachtell pay...some associates claiming to have gone years without vacation, working every single weekend, etc. i know for sure this is not the case at the v20 i am considering. is the misery of cravath hours exaggerated? any inside info on this?

It's not exaggerated, but people mistake what the difference really is. There's a perception that at Cravath, everyone magically bills 2500, while at DPW everyone magically bills 2000. Not how it works. You can get slammed at any firm. I summered at a firm that is known for being humane/nice, and there were a few associates billing in the high 2000s, a few over 3000 just because their matters were really crazy.

The difference is more a cultural/proportional thing. That is, I'm willing to believe that at Cravath the portion of associates getting slammed is 75/25 instead of 60/40 at, say, Cleary. I also very much believe that Cravath is a hard-charging culture so partners will be less reluctant to keep you in the office all weekend on something of questionable value.

But it's a difference on the margins. I have friends who went to "lifestyle" firms, and their practice area heated up or they got put on a trial, in which case they're working just as hard as someone at Cravath.