Debevoise? Forum

[Anonymous User]

What do people here know about Debevoise in respect to exit options, hours worked, general environment, etc? I'm having a bit of trouble deciding between debevoise nyc and midlaw firm. The midlaw firm is a statewide firm in a state with no state income tax. For all intents and purposes, it is the "800 pound gorilla in the room" and competes with all the V50's that have offices down here.

I don't want to stay in NYC forever, and my after tax income will essentially be the same between Deb and the mid law firm. How stupid would it be to give up the deb offer and go to the secondary market? I wouldn't mind practicing here for the rest of my life, the midlaw firm has been around since the 1920's, and has almost no attrition (although the summer class is tiny, a total of 6-7 for a firm of 170 attorneys).

A lot of my friends think that it would be stupid of me to pass up Debevoise. Thoughts?

[sunynp]

Does the midlaw firm give 100% offers? If not, go to debovoise. You need to have a permanent offer.

[Anonymous User]

Don't worry about what your friends say. Debevoise is f'in great firm and has a great QOL relative to most firms. After much thought though, I gave up a Debevoise offer this week to go down to my home state (no income tax either) for a firm that isn't even in the Big 3 in that state. There were many factors involved in my decision (not too fond of NYC), but I think what my decision turned on was getting a head start on establishing relationships in a market that I would actually end up in.

Also, I clerked at my chosen firm this past summer and saw how the people who HAD worked in NY for V5 firms and then lateralled to my firm were viewed as sortof outsiders. That seems like an exaggeration, but seriously, people really did seem to treat them differently

[Anonymous User]

Does the midlaw firm give 100% offers? If not, go to debovoise. You need to have a permanent offer.

Yes, the firm gives out 100% rates. They pride themselves on only taking on as many summers as they can advance to partner, and they have some crazy straight through partner rates. Something along the lines of 50% of their summers end up being partners (equity and income).

The other anon: I hear you, I've spent enough of my life in NYC to know I don't want to go back there, so I'm trying to asses whether the whole "DAT PREFTIGE" and "exit options" are really worthwhile when I can start my career in what would be my #1 exit option anyway.

[sunynp]

Does the midlaw firm give 100% offers? If not, go to debovoise. You need to have a permanent offer.

Yes, the firm gives out 100% rates. They pride themselves on only taking on as many summers as they can advance to partner, and they have some crazy straight through partner rates. Something along the lines of 50% of their summers end up being partners (equity and income).

The other anon: I hear you, I've spent enough of my life in NYC to know I don't want to go back there, so I'm trying to asses whether the whole "DAT PREFTIGE" and "exit options" are really worthwhile when I can start my career in what would be my #1 exit option anyway.

If you know where you want to live and work, and you are sure you will get a permanent job with that firm, why would you go to debovoise? If you dont want to be in new York, why would you come here?

[Anonymous User]

Does the midlaw firm give 100% offers? If not, go to debovoise. You need to have a permanent offer.

Yes, the firm gives out 100% rates. They pride themselves on only taking on as many summers as they can advance to partner, and they have some crazy straight through partner rates. Something along the lines of 50% of their summers end up being partners (equity and income).

The other anon: I hear you, I've spent enough of my life in NYC to know I don't want to go back there, so I'm trying to asses whether the whole "DAT PREFTIGE" and "exit options" are really worthwhile when I can start my career in what would be my #1 exit option anyway.

If you know where you want to live and work, and you are sure you will get a permanent job with that firm, why would you go to debovoise? If you dont want to be in new York, why would you come here?

the prestige and the promise of greater exit options (whaterver that means. wtf are exit options anyway?)?

[Anonymous User]

Does the midlaw firm give 100% offers? If not, go to debovoise. You need to have a permanent offer.

Yes, the firm gives out 100% rates. They pride themselves on only taking on as many summers as they can advance to partner, and they have some crazy straight through partner rates. Something along the lines of 50% of their summers end up being partners (equity and income).

The other anon: I hear you, I've spent enough of my life in NYC to know I don't want to go back there, so I'm trying to asses whether the whole "DAT PREFTIGE" and "exit options" are really worthwhile when I can start my career in what would be my #1 exit option anyway.

If you know where you want to live and work, and you are sure you will get a permanent job with that firm, why would you go to debovoise? If you dont want to be in new York, why would you come here?

the prestige and the promise of greater exit options (whaterver that means. wtf are exit options anyway?)?

You already said your #1 exit option is this mid-law firm you were offered a position with. How can you have "greater" exit options than this?