STB vs. Magic Circle Forum

[Anonymous User]

Seriously considering offers from STB New York, A&O New York, Links New York, and FF London.

Interested in international capital markets and overseas exit options. Would it be crazy to take a magic circle firm over Simpson?

[Anonymous User]

Seriously considering offers from STB New York, A&O New York, Links New York, and FF London.

Interested in international capital markets and overseas exit options. Would it be crazy to take a magic circle firm over Simpson?

what do you mean by overseas exit options?

[Anonymous User]

I took one over Skadden. It was a great experience. The Cap Mrkts work was awesome and every deal was international. They pay a lot more than American firms (not sure about FF) and I got an offer. I turned it down though. London was too expensive for me, I'm a bit older so I'm in the mode of a I want a house with a yard soon and it's not happening in London unless I hit the lottery. Plus, Cap Mrkts isn't the best field for exit options unless you are going to a bank. Even then it's harder to get back to the states according to everyone I talked to at my MC firm. Although, every 4th year or higher was getting calls from headhunters to go just about anywhere else in the world besides America.

[Anonymous User]

what do you mean by overseas exit options?

If starting in NYC/London, lateral/transfer to US capital markets practice in Asia/LatAm/MidEast within the first few years. Network and look for opportunities to stay overseas when exiting biglaw as mid-level or senior associate.

[Anonymous User]

...

[Anonymous User]

Not OP but would like to hear rationale for votes

[Old Gregg]

It would be crazy to take the NY office of a Magic Circle firm above STB. It would not be crazy to take Freshfields London over STB, but that's if you want to work in London.

And...

I took one over Skadden. It was a great experience. The Cap Mrkts work was awesome and every deal was international. They pay a lot more than American firms (not sure about FF) and I got an offer. I turned it down though. London was too expensive for me, I'm a bit older so I'm in the mode of a I want a house with a yard soon and it's not happening in London unless I hit the lottery. Plus, Cap Mrkts isn't the best field for exit options unless you are going to a bank. Even then it's harder to get back to the states according to everyone I talked to at my MC firm. Although, every 4th year or higher was getting calls from headhunters to go just about anywhere else in the world besides America.

...am I the only one who can't comprehend this post? He took London office offer over Skadden, but turned down the London office offer and chose not to go to London, but you took the London firm offer and you're getting HH calls for positions outside of America only???

[AntipodeanPhil]

I took one over Skadden. It was a great experience. The Cap Mrkts work was awesome and every deal was international. They pay a lot more than American firms (not sure about FF) and I got an offer. I turned it down though. London was too expensive for me, I'm a bit older so I'm in the mode of a I want a house with a yard soon and it's not happening in London unless I hit the lottery. Plus, Cap Mrkts isn't the best field for exit options unless you are going to a bank. Even then it's harder to get back to the states according to everyone I talked to at my MC firm. Although, every 4th year or higher was getting calls from headhunters to go just about anywhere else in the world besides America.

...am I the only one who can't comprehend this post? He took London office offer over Skadden, but turned down the London office offer and chose not to go to London, but you took the London firm offer and you're getting HH calls for positions outside of America only???

Yeah, it doesn't make sense. My best guess it that he/she picked the London MC office over Skadden for a summer position, but then turned down the offer from the MC office at the end of summer. Of course, that still doesn't make much sense.

[Anonymous User]

I voted STB. (Full disclosure: incoming STB associate, and I know very little about the Magic Circle firms). For one, I think there's something to be said for starting your career at a firm's main office. Because it's where the most high-profile work is, and where most of the partnership is based, it's the best place to start establishing your reputation within a firm and building a resume for lateralling. This could be particularly true with STB, which is pretty NY-centric, has a tight-knit partnership culture (for a big firm), and is doing a lot of high-profile work - experience that will be valued if you decide to lateral. Second, while its overseas offices are not big, STB is certainly no slouch in Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, and now South Korea when it comes to US cap markets work. Check Chambers and Partners if you haven't already. If I were you, I'd ask STB about the possibility of splitting your summer with one of those offices so you can get a feel for what it's like working there.

If, on the other hand, you want to start your career in London rather than in NY, I'd think FF would be the way to go, but I don't know much about London.

[royilae]

I took one over Skadden. It was a great experience. The Cap Mrkts work was awesome and every deal was international. They pay a lot more than American firms (not sure about FF) and I got an offer. I turned it down though. London was too expensive for me, I'm a bit older so I'm in the mode of a I want a house with a yard soon and it's not happening in London unless I hit the lottery. Plus, Cap Mrkts isn't the best field for exit options unless you are going to a bank. Even then it's harder to get back to the states according to everyone I talked to at my MC firm. Although, every 4th year or higher was getting calls from headhunters to go just about anywhere else in the world besides America.

...am I the only one who can't comprehend this post? He took London office offer over Skadden, but turned down the London office offer and chose not to go to London, but you took the London firm offer and you're getting HH calls for positions outside of America only???

Yeah, it doesn't make sense. My best guess it that he/she picked the London MC office over Skadden for a summer position, but then turned down the offer from the MC office at the end of summer. Of course, that still doesn't make much sense.

I actually under stood his post...he took the London MC office over Skadden NY for the summre and got a full time offer which he turned down. OTHER associates at the MC firm in their 4th+ years were getting calls from HH about leaving to go anywhere outside of the US.

Sounds like this poster wants to come back to the US because he didn't understand how expensive London would be for permanent living until he got to his summer job.

[Old Gregg]

I took one over Skadden. It was a great experience. The Cap Mrkts work was awesome and every deal was international. They pay a lot more than American firms (not sure about FF) and I got an offer. I turned it down though. London was too expensive for me, I'm a bit older so I'm in the mode of a I want a house with a yard soon and it's not happening in London unless I hit the lottery. Plus, Cap Mrkts isn't the best field for exit options unless you are going to a bank. Even then it's harder to get back to the states according to everyone I talked to at my MC firm. Although, every 4th year or higher was getting calls from headhunters to go just about anywhere else in the world besides America.

...am I the only one who can't comprehend this post? He took London office offer over Skadden, but turned down the London office offer and chose not to go to London, but you took the London firm offer and you're getting HH calls for positions outside of America only???

Yeah, it doesn't make sense. My best guess it that he/she picked the London MC office over Skadden for a summer position, but then turned down the offer from the MC office at the end of summer. Of course, that still doesn't make much sense.

I actually under stood his post...he took the London MC office over Skadden NY for the summre and got a full time offer which he turned down. OTHER associates at the MC firm in their 4th+ years were getting calls from HH about leaving to go anywhere outside of the US.

Sounds like this poster wants to come back to the US because he didn't understand how expensive London would be for permanent living until he got to his summer job.

Good job. If you're right, you should also decipher Charlie's writings. Pepe silvia, bro. Pepe silvia.

[Anonymous User]

It's worth noting that the higher pay for London offices is largely illusory - a lot of it is basically a gross-up to account for much higher taxes in the UK (higher top rates and lower thresholds for those rates), and the rest is a COLA to account for the fact that London is the home of the £600/week bedsit and everything (except phone, broadband, and car insurance) is much, much more expensive in London. London's a great city (although probably not my cup of tea), but pick it because you like the city, not because of the adjusted pay. That said, London may be a better place to be if you want to move to Moscow, Hong Kong, or Singapore. New York, I think, is better for Latin America or Tokyo.

And it goes without saying, never start your career outside the US if you want to be (or would even vaguely consider becoming) a litigator unless you're 100% certain that you want to be an int arb specialist and you have an offer from a well-known int arb shop (Cleary London, Debevoise London, Shearman Paris, and possibly Skadden London come to mind; I'm sure there are others, but I'm not an int arb'er). But even then, a lot of European int arb work goes to the English Bar, so it can be risky.

[Anonymous User]

Didnt FF London just have their callbacks like this past thursday and friday? When did you hear back?

[Anonymous User]

Didnt FF London just have their callbacks like this past thursday and friday? When did you hear back?

Bump for this exact question.

?

[Anonymous User]

Didnt FF London just have their callbacks like this past thursday and friday? When did you hear back?

Bump for this exact question.

?

Bump again. Has anyone heard back from Freshfields London?

[mephistopheles]

hehe

[Anonymous User]

I interviewed on Thursday/Friday. How do you know so much about the process, mephistopheles?

[Anonymous User]

So wait, has anyone heard from Freshfields London since the Thurs/Fri cb? I can't follow this thread...

[Anonymous User]

So wait, has anyone heard from Freshfields London since the Thurs/Fri cb? I can't follow this thread...

A friend has heard from FF London.

[Anonymous User]

So wait, has anyone heard from Freshfields London since the Thurs/Fri cb? I can't follow this thread...

A friend has heard from FF London.

Ah yes, I appear to be on some kind of waitlist.