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I don't know anyone at my school who works at those firms, so I'm turning to TLS. For someone who is not sure whether they want to do litigation or regulatory work, but who thinks they might want to do Big Fed at some point, which is the best firm? Also, will any of the firms help (or hinder) getting a clerkship? I've heard that Kirkland is conservative, and so I'm wondering whether this would be a turn off for a liberal judge.

Anonymous User wrote:I don't know anyone at my school who works at those firms, so I'm turning to TLS. For someone who is not sure whether they want to do litigation or regulatory work, but who thinks they might want to do Big Fed at some point, which is the best firm? Also, will any of the firms help (or hinder) getting a clerkship? I've heard that Kirkland is conservative, and so I'm wondering whether this would be a turn off for a liberal judge.

I love Kirkland DC (worked there) but if you want regulatory work at all, don't go there.

None of the three would be a bad choice, but your interests in regulatory work and transitioning to the federal government, I think, argue slightly for Hogan--regulatory breadth matched by only a couple of other DC firms and a long-established revolving door. That might change based on a more specific practice area interest (e.g., Jones Day antitrust).

I wouldn't worry too much about the Kirkland conservative thing--clerkship hiring is not as political as some people think, and I know plenty of people who have summered at relatively conservative firms and gotten offers from unabashedly liberal judges.

OP--I have some personal insight into this; PM me if you're interested.

Hogan is the best choice for someone who doesn't know what area they want to practice in. They have the most breadth by far of these three. Kirkland is a very good lit firm, but they don't have the DC regulatory practices that Hogan has. Kirkland also seems like a horrible shark tank to me (but that assessment will vary person to person).