Summer decision - Davis Polk (SV) v. Kirkland (SF)

[Anonymous User]

Everyone on this site has been super helpful for the last few years, so I thought I'd try to solicit some opinions on this choice. I'm having a very tough time deciding, but here are the relevant facts.

About me:

- Solely interested in corporate work
- Would like to go in-house after 3-6 years
- Interested in both big tech companies and startups, but not to the exclusion of other interesting opportunities
- Intention is to stay in the Bay Area long term, but for family reasons there is some possibility that I'd end up in New York down the road (5-10 years or so, perhaps)

The firms:

In favor of Davis Polk:

-Slightly more prestigious nationwide and on the east coast
-Exposure to public company work
-In the Silicon Valley ecosystem
-Lockstep partner compensation perhaps leads to better work environment
-Really liked the people, didn't LOVE them

In favor of Kirkland:

-Clicked more with the people
-Free market system is attractive in theory
-Bigger bonuses, perhaps
-High deal volume leads to lots of experience (but all private company/PE transactions work)

Would love to hear opinions about anything I might be wrong about or ill-informed; information or intuitions about comparative exit options would be especially helpful, as would thoughts on relative reputations/stature in the Bay Area.

My basic bottom line so far is that I liked the fit at Kirkland better with the people, but everything else (variety of work, prestige, client base) points towards Davis Polk. Having trouble sorting it all out.

Thanks!

Edit: also have offers at Gibson Dunn (SV), Jones Day (SV), and O'Melveny (SF). Feel free to make a strong case for one, if you feel compelled.

[Anonymous User]

DPW is more prestigious in NY. But they're about equal in prestige nationally. This is partly because K&E is based in Chicago, not New York.

[Anonymous User]

Any sense of how that translates to reputation in the Bay Area?

[Anonymous User]

Are you comfortable living in suburbia for the near future?

[Anonymous User]

Most DPW associates live in the city and drive or take Caltrain to Menlo Park. I'd probably do that at first, but generally speaking am ok with suburbia.

[bk1]

I feel like KE's overwhelming amount of PE work would make transitioning into an SV tech company or startup a lot more difficult than DPW's broader practice, but I could be wrong.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not sure what K&E's situation is, but it's worth keeping in mind that DPW's SV office is small enough that there aren't internal subdivisions within the corporate department. Corporate attorneys do some IPO's, some M&A, some corporate advisory, etc. From what I've gleaned, generalist experience tends to play better when it comes to exit options.

On the flip side, I think K&E is higher profile in the Bay area.

[Anonymous User]

I also did a callback at Davis Polk SV and liked the people, but also didn't feel like I had much in common with anyone. Pretty much *everyone* there is married and/or has kids, for instance.

Not saying I need to be going out for drinks every night with other associates, but every once in awhile would be nice.

[Anonymous User]

I also did a callback at Davis Polk SV and liked the people, but also didn't feel like I had much in common with anyone. Pretty much *everyone* there is married and/or has kids, for instance.

Not saying I need to be going out for drinks every night with other associates, but every once in awhile would be nice.

Less after-hours socializing is the norm in the Bay Area, but with larger firms/offices (compared to DPW's tiny office) you can at least find some people that do.

[Anonymous User]

Since you're corporate-focused, your ok in narrowing it down to these two. So much of this depends on your desired lifestyle -- it seems like it doesn't make too much of a difference at first, but you're talking about living in suburbia versus having a long commute, whether it's by train or car. All the New York firms are trying to get more California clients versus being on the finance-provider side, but Davis Polk seems to be getting more of the local-side work than other firms, so that might definitely be a consideration. Also bear in mind, you can always lateral if you wanted to start out at Kirkland and have that kind of work down the road (and maybe were more ready to just move down to Silicon Valley or in enough of a groove that you're willing to live in Noe Valley or SOMA and drive/train down.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

morning bump. any other opinions?

[Anonymous User]

Also interested.

[bk1]

Also interested.

This is your own thread. No need to pretend to be multiple people to drum up interest.