Simpson Thacher Palo Alto v Kirkland SF v Latham SV Forum

[Anonymous User]

I have offers from the first two, and am considering the third after enjoying my callback there. (That's not to say I'll get offered, but if I do I want to be ready to make a decision.). I'm looking to do transactional. Each office seemed to have a different culture/personality, but I'd be happy enough with any of them I think. So it comes down to the work, training, responsibility, and hours.

STB - The work seems like more high end, complex M&A for larger corporations, and PE. I get the sense the clients are local as opposed to NY. I'm also not sure that many associates are breaking 2100, but I could be wrong.

Kirkland - They have beautiful offices. I get the sense that my life would be split between work and going out with work people, which sounds fun, but I've heard that associates work a lot more than other bay area firms. Wherever I end up, I'd prefer to make it to at least the fifth or sixth year rather than in-house after three, after burning out. Also it's a lot of PE work, and I don't know if that would get a bit repetitive?

Latham - Does both emerging companies work and more traditional M&A, and you don't have to decide right away what to focus on, so I like that. Not sure of the average billables but I would guess around 2200 for associates. The mass layoffs would likely be in the back of my mind.

Thoughts?
Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

bump bump...anyone have any thoughts about any of these? thanks.

[sundance95]

I don't get why you'd do Latham SF for transactional over KE, unless you loathe PE work (which you seem to reference as a plus at STB). So your choice should really come down to: do I want to live in SF or Palo Alto? I know how I would answer that Q, but not how you would.

[Anonymous User]

I don't get why you'd do Latham SF for transactional over KE, unless you loathe PE work (which you seem to reference as a plus at STB). So your choice should really come down to: do I want to live in SF or Palo Alto? I know how I would answer that Q, but not how you would.

It would be Latham SV, not SF. The advantage I see to it is that I'm not sure which type of transactional work I would enjoy more, and I am not sure if I prefer to work with emerging companies or established ones. Kirkland SF wouldn't give me that option; Latham SV would. I'd guess the hours are pretty similar between the two? From your post, I'm guessing that you think Kirkland does higher end transactional work?

How would STB compare? I've not been too successful in finding too much information about it.

[sundance95]

Kirkland SF is one of Kirkland's most profitable offices entirely because of the PE work. If I had a transactional offer from Latham and a comparable firm that wasn't Latham, I'd take the non Latham offer in a heartbeat, given their history of over leveraging and laying off associates.

[sambeber]

PM me.

[Anonymous User]

Hi OP

I was wondering if you've heard back from Latham SV yet? I also went for a callback and I'm still waiting to hear back. And when was your callback?

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Wondering if I can bump up this thread to see if anyone can offer can insight on how to land these offers.
Any info on the stats? (Grades? WE? Networking/ ties?)

[Anonymous User]

^^^ wondering the same thing

[Anonymous User]

FWIW I have heard absolutely nothing but dreadful things about QOL at Kirkland SF. Screamy partners, sweatshop hours, tons of associate burnout. Don't know anything about Latham SV apart from the reputation being good. I had a friend who summered with STB's PA office and absolutely loved the people and the work there. YMMV.

[Anonymous User]

I summered at STB Palo Alto and can provide a few thoughts.

1) Fantastic partners and associates (partners regularly sit down at the common lunch room and talk to associates and summers all the time)
2) Great work (did M&A and capital markets on par with what I did at the NY STB office, which I split with)
3) Amazing events (e.g., wine tasting in Napa Valley and Monterey Bar aquarium)
4) Good mentoring and instruction
5) The hours seemed very tolerable. People left the office at 7 quite frequently and were in at 10ish usually. On the other hand, I know my associate mentor sometimes worked very late nights.
6) Palo Alto definitely has a suburban feel to it -- very different from my time in New York.

I enjoyed my time at STB PA a lot, but it's in Palo Alto which could be great for some people and not so much for others.

[Anonymous User]

I summered at STB Palo Alto and can provide a few thoughts.

1) Fantastic partners and associates (partners regularly sit down at the common lunch room and talk to associates and summers all the time)
2) Great work (did M&A and capital markets on par with what I did at the NY STB office, which I split with)
3) Amazing events (e.g., wine tasting in Napa Valley and Monterey Bar aquarium)
4) Good mentoring and instruction
5) The hours seemed very tolerable. People left the office at 7 quite frequently and were in at 10ish usually. On the other hand, I know my associate mentor sometimes worked very late nights.
6) Palo Alto definitely has a suburban feel to it -- very different from my time in New York.

I enjoyed my time at STB PA a lot, but it's in Palo Alto which could be great for some people and not so much for others.

Same anon, but I also had an offer at SF Kirkland and after talking to people who summered there/worked there, there definitely seemed to be a lot more of an attention to billables and less pleasantry going on. Can't speak about Latham, but they seem great too.

[Anonymous User]

I would take anything any summer associate tells you with a grain of salt, but I summered at K&E SF, and I can tell you I didn't encounter a single "screamy" partner or a "ton" of associate burnout. In fairness, people there (as in every BigLaw office) work a fair amount, but it isn't like my Blackberry was exploding on nights or weekends. As I said, I'd take everything with a grain of salt and talk to as many summers and associates as possible, but I'm not sure the post above is an accurate representation, as least vis-a-vis other large firms.

[Anonymous User]

To the anon who summered at STB, what was the process like in requesting to split your summer at STB between NY and PA? Did you have to interview with both offices, or just one?

[Anonymous User]

I would take anything any summer associate tells you with a grain of salt, but I summered at K&E SF, and I can tell you I didn't encounter a single "screamy" partner or a "ton" of associate burnout. In fairness, people there (as in every BigLaw office) work a fair amount, but it isn't like my Blackberry was exploding on nights or weekends. As I said, I'd take everything with a grain of salt and talk to as many summers and associates as possible, but I'm not sure the post above is an accurate representation, as least vis-a-vis other large firms.

Diff anon than above, I have also heard of screamers and burnout at KE SF. Granted, this was from associates who are no longer there, but probably a better source than a summer (no offense to above poster)