How to judge if a satellite office is healthy Forum

[Anonymous User]

What are some factors to consider to help determine if a satellite office is healthy and self sufficient? The office says they are (and I believe them), and public comments from leadership seem really positive about the office and the goals of expanding it even more (as a layman, I would say the office is already established in this market and has been for close to 10 years), but I would still like to fact check as much as possible.

[Slambonie3]

I'd say 2 major factors are does it have daddy issues and also make sure the blood pressure isn't too high

[911 crisis actor]

Is it in a geosynchronous orbit or a reentry orbit? If reentry, it will burn up soon.

[Anonymous User]

Are there any useful stats to consider on NALP or a source like that? Or is everything just have to ce down to what you hear from the grapevine?

-OP

[wert3813]

So I don't have the answer but I actually think this was an incredibly fair question and one a lot more people should be asking before they park themselves in Miami/Tyson's Corner/Denver/San Diego for the start of their career.

[Anonymous User]

it really depends. Size and time in the market are good indicators. If a satellite office has been in the market for 20+ years and has kept its numbers up or grown, then it's probably a safe bet.

"Newer" offices can be a safe bet, as well, if a larger firm from out of town just absorbed an established firm to create the satellite. It'll be the same people working with the same clients as before, just under a different name. You can probably pick up on this by a quick google search.

Looking at partner bios might be a good idea, too. If a few partners at Firm A broke off and took clients with them to form satellite office of Firm B, then the established reputation could exist.

[filibuster]

So I don't have the answer but I actually think this was an incredibly fair question and one a lot more people should be asking before they park themselves in Miami/Tyson's Corner/Denver/San Diego for the start of their career.

[wert3813]

I'll ask a follow up. How much should you care where the work it coming from? I.e. all these firms talk about how they are global and cross staffed and whatnot and I'm fine believing that's sometime a strength. But if I'm in corporate in Miami should I be concerned that my work is coming from NYC partners (and thus crappier work that trickles down) or Miami partners?

[Old Gregg]

Big issue is size. If the office is super small, then there are few options if you rub someone the wrong way. Would much rather be in a large office where, if my work style is incompatible with some senior associate or partner, I can work for some other senior associate or partner. These options don't really present themselves in a small satellite office.

Another issue is client origination. You have to determine whether the clients are locally developed as opposed to coming from the HQ. Ways to figure this out are by looking at the partners, recent work they've done, and determining whether that work was local or located closer to the firm's HQ. Also, if the credit for such work in the firm's news section references a partner located at the HQ that was above the local partner, pretty sure bet that the partner didn't originate the work.

Another aspect is chambers ratings. I actually find this quite useful for determining whether a firm has penetrated a market and how they are locally perceived. Some "satellite" offices, like Latham or K&E NY, have so many highly rated chambers practices in NYC that they're pretty much ahead of a lot of local NYC firms. But Hunton & Williams NYC? Nothing to report.

In my opinion, the presumption should be that a satellite office is an unknown in that market until proven otherwise.

[wert3813]

Big issue is size. If the office is super small, then there are few options if you rub someone the wrong way. Would much rather be in a large office where, if my work style is incompatible with some senior associate or partner, I can work for some other senior associate or partner. These options don't really present themselves in a small satellite office.

Another issue is client origination. You have to determine whether the clients are locally developed as opposed to coming from the HQ. Ways to figure this out are by looking at the partners, recent work they've done, and determining whether that work was local or located closer to the firm's HQ. Also, if the credit for such work in the firm's news section references a partner located at the HQ that was above the local partner, pretty sure bet that the partner didn't originate the work.

Another aspect is chambers ratings. I actually find this quite useful for determining whether a firm has penetrated a market and how they are locally perceived. Some "satellite" offices, like Latham or K&E NY, have so many highly rated chambers practices in NYC that they're pretty much ahead of a lot of local NYC firms. But Hunton & Williams NYC? Nothing to report.

In my opinion, the presumption should be that a satellite office is an unknown in that market until proven otherwise.

Alright so if a firm is a big national name and is in band 1 (alone) for M&A in the local market. That would be a decent sign?

[Old Gregg]

Big issue is size. If the office is super small, then there are few options if you rub someone the wrong way. Would much rather be in a large office where, if my work style is incompatible with some senior associate or partner, I can work for some other senior associate or partner. These options don't really present themselves in a small satellite office.

Another issue is client origination. You have to determine whether the clients are locally developed as opposed to coming from the HQ. Ways to figure this out are by looking at the partners, recent work they've done, and determining whether that work was local or located closer to the firm's HQ. Also, if the credit for such work in the firm's news section references a partner located at the HQ that was above the local partner, pretty sure bet that the partner didn't originate the work.

Another aspect is chambers ratings. I actually find this quite useful for determining whether a firm has penetrated a market and how they are locally perceived. Some "satellite" offices, like Latham or K&E NY, have so many highly rated chambers practices in NYC that they're pretty much ahead of a lot of local NYC firms. But Hunton & Williams NYC? Nothing to report.

In my opinion, the presumption should be that a satellite office is an unknown in that market until proven otherwise.

Alright so if a firm is a big national name and is in band 1 (alone) for M&A in the local market. That would be a decent sign?

If you're worried with these facts at hand, you need to go to a doctor.

Edit: To be sure, if your plan is to do IP lit in that office and there is no real IP work done there, then yes this fact doesn't really rule that shit out.