Jones Day vs. Latham (NY) Forum

[Anonymous User]

For corporate.

I know that TLS hates Latham because of layoffs. The concern with Jones Day is their black-box compensation and the "Jones Days, Nights, and Weekends" reputation.

[Anonymous User]

For corporate.

I know that TLS hates Latham because of layoffs. The concern with Jones Day is their black-box compensation and the "Jones Days, Nights, and Weekends" reputation.

Interviewed with both, so I dont know more than you, but I dont think that you would work harder at JD than Latham. The associates I met at Latham worked just as hard as any anywhere I met.

JD is also very stable. I dont think that they really laid people off in the recession either. Latham obviously did. JD had the highest deal volume last year, but this may be because of the uptick of mid-market-sized deals. Latham probably does as much/more? of the biggest deals.

Lastly, the cultures are known to be very different, Latham, work hard play hard, JD, more formal.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't worry about the compensation system; in my experience, openness just leads to bickering. Everyone works hard and everyone gets paid a lot--you don't to squabble or gossip about who makes what and whether they deserve it.

I'd go with JD just because with Latham, you are playing Russian Roulette with your career.

[Anonymous User]

I'd go with JD just because with Latham, you are playing Russian Roulette with your career.

Looking at their summer offer rates post-recession, they've obviously made an attempt to dispel that reputation. "Russian Roulette" is a bit of an extreme characterization. Also, doesn't Jones Day lean more towards litigation?

[Anonymous User]

I'd go with JD just because with Latham, you are playing Russian Roulette with your career.

Looking at their summer offer rates post-recession, they've obviously made an attempt to dispel that reputation. "Russian Roulette" is a bit of an extreme characterization. Also, doesn't Jones Day lean more towards litigation?

I was thinking less of summer offers (though that has historically been a major problem for Latham) and more in terms of layoff anxiety as a junior associate. Choosing Latham means choosing a very stressful summer and junior associate experience, where you're constantly worried about being laid off. That's not worth the prestige bump to me, but to each his own.

[Anonymous User]

the "Jones Days, Nights, and Weekends" reputation.

This is more of a (quasi) clever play on words than an indication of the reality. I SAd at JD and then turned down offers at more "prestigious" firms exactly because JD allows more of a work life balance than most other top firms. Well-respected mid-level associates were totally comfortable billing 2000 hours (1800 actual billable and 200 pro bono) without feeling pressure to do more etc. I don't know of any top firm in a major market where under 2000 is kosher. (ETA: maybe they're out there but 2000 hrs seems like it comes with the biglaw territory).

But I admittedly don't know much about Latham beyond that its response to ITE turned the firm name into a verb for mercilessly shafting someone. But then again, doing it all at once is probably better than doing 20% of the total needed cuts five times over a two year span like some other firms did (not JD of course).

[Anonymous User]

double post