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I have an offer for next summer for the NYC office of a V 15 firm. I will have the option to work in pretty much whatever practice I choose (disregarding the obvious issues such as the market being slow in a given area or firm needs less summers in an area than the number of summers who expressed interest) so I am interested in how I can best position myself for a lateral move to a smaller DC firm or even a Govt agency a few years down the road.

Should I aim to do work in NY that is more prevalent in DC, like FCPA or more regulatory work? Or would just doing Lit make going to DC a realistic plan alone? What about transactional (with "there are no DC corp lawyers" jokes aside)? Would the "name" carry a lot of weight for a lateral move?

You're anon

Say the firm

No one has any idea what your firm is good at

baal hadad wrote:You're anon

Say the firm

No one has any idea what your firm is good at

I'd rather not. Could you attempt to help anyways? Are you saying that if I didn't work in a practice that wasn't what the firm was really known for then it would be dramatically different?

Anonymous User wrote:

baal hadad wrote:You're anon

Say the firm

No one has any idea what your firm is good at

I'd rather not. Could you attempt to help anyways? Are you saying that if I didn't work in a practice that wasn't what the firm was really known for then it would be dramatically different?

You'll get in everywhere you apply!

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

baal hadad wrote:You're anon

Say the firm

No one has any idea what your firm is good at

I'd rather not. Could you attempt to help anyways? Are you saying that if I didn't work in a practice that wasn't what the firm was really known for then it would be dramatically different?

You'll get in everywhere you apply!

I know it's not like that, which is why I'm seeking advice.

To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Different anon, but I'm getting really annoyed at seeing people's questions not be taken seriously. Other people have the same questions and/or are interested in seeing answers. Needing more info is fine, but no need to make non-serious comments. /rant

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

Thank you, those practice areas are what I thought.

Firm has a DC office, though I assume the option to transfer as I become more senior was slim? So far I have no bites from DC and unfortunately don't expect any.

I have another option from another NY office in the V 100 that seems more realistic to transfer to their DC office eventually, but I don't know how realistic it would be and don't think it would be wise to chose it over the other firm for that reason alone (not to say there aren't other valid reasons like culture and type of work).

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

This but if some of those practices at your firm are shitty I'd be wary of gettin into them

baal hadad wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

This but if some of those practices at your firm are shitty I'd be wary of gettin into them

Why? Out of fear work would dry up and would be pushed out early? Or that firms in DC would want to take someone only from a firm that specialized in the area?

Anonymous User wrote:Different anon, but I'm getting really annoyed at seeing people's questions not be taken seriously. Other people have the same questions and/or are interested in seeing answers. Needing more info is fine, but no need to make non-serious comments. /rant

know what's worse than people not taking questions seriously? Bullshit anon abuse. Seriously, what the hell are you saying in this post that requires protection?

Anonymous User wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

Thank you, those practice areas are what I thought.

Firm has a DC office, though I assume the option to transfer as I become more senior was slim? So far I have no bites from DC and unfortunately don't expect any.

I have another option from another NY office in the V 100 that seems more realistic to transfer to their DC office eventually, but I don't know how realistic it would be and don't think it would be wise to chose it over the other firm for that reason alone (not to say there aren't other valid reasons like culture and type of work).

I dunno, I think intra-firm transfers are easier than TLS assumes. But I definitely wouldn't count on it. I wouldn't do the V100 just for that.

Anonymous User wrote:

baal hadad wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

This but if some of those practices at your firm are shitty I'd be wary of gettin into them

Why? Out of fear work would dry up and would be pushed out early? Or that firms in DC would want to take someone only from a firm that specialized in the area?

If the group is shitty you're not gonna be as attractive a lateral candidate when you're lookin at firms that are really good at that group

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:To be honest I was half hoping you would be awake to answer this, DF

Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

Thank you, those practice areas are what I thought.

Firm has a DC office, though I assume the option to transfer as I become more senior was slim? So far I have no bites from DC and unfortunately don't expect any.

I have another option from another NY office in the V 100 that seems more realistic to transfer to their DC office eventually, but I don't know how realistic it would be and don't think it would be wise to chose it over the other firm for that reason alone (not to say there aren't other valid reasons like culture and type of work).

I dunno, I think intra-firm transfers are easier than TLS assumes. But I definitely wouldn't count on it. I wouldn't do the V100 just for that.

I agree with this and would add that moving from V15 to a DC firm is probably easier, and to a better shop, assuming your practice is relevant, than going from a V100 to an equivalently strong DC firm

JamMasterJ wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:
Ok I'll seriously answer. DC firms barely to transnational work, so it's a hard sell if you are transnational focused.

I'd pick DC heavy Lit practice groups like anti trust, SEC and banking regs, FCPA, white collar, or IP.

If you have regulatory practices that is a good too, but NYC firms usually don't.

I dunno about gov.

Does your firm have a DC office?

I'd take any DC firm you get over V15 NYC.

Thank you, those practice areas are what I thought.

Firm has a DC office, though I assume the option to transfer as I become more senior was slim? So far I have no bites from DC and unfortunately don't expect any.

I have another option from another NY office in the V 100 that seems more realistic to transfer to their DC office eventually, but I don't know how realistic it would be and don't think it would be wise to chose it over the other firm for that reason alone (not to say there aren't other valid reasons like culture and type of work).

I dunno, I think intra-firm transfers are easier than TLS assumes. But I definitely wouldn't count on it. I wouldn't do the V100 just for that.

I agree with this and would add that moving from V15 to a DC firm is probably easier, and to a better shop, assuming your practice is relevant, than going from a V100 to an equivalently strong DC firm

Mostly because V15 satellite offices of NYC offices sort of suck.

JamMasterJ wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Different anon, but I'm getting really annoyed at seeing people's questions not be taken seriously. Other people have the same questions and/or are interested in seeing answers. Needing more info is fine, but no need to make non-serious comments. /rant

know what's worse than people not taking questions seriously? Bullshit anon abuse. Seriously, what the hell are you saying in this post that requires protection?

Sorry! Meant to convey that I was also interested in this question (and therefore would also like to remain anon)

Name will carry a lot of weight if you're moving transactional practices. DC corporate groups are small, but they're also stuffed with people who started at big NYC firms (I interviewed with tons of DC corporate partners that spent a few years as associates in NYC, it was actually a stark trend).

I work at an NYC firm and get pretty regular head hunter interest for tangentially related practices in DC (and other markets), but I've never pursued them so I can't say beyond that how "real" those "opportunities" are.

JamMasterJ wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Different anon, but I'm getting really annoyed at seeing people's questions not be taken seriously. Other people have the same questions and/or are interested in seeing answers. Needing more info is fine, but no need to make non-serious comments. /rant

know what's worse than people not taking questions seriously? Bullshit anon abuse. Seriously, what the hell are you saying in this post that requires protection?

No, it's not worse. Answer the question. The forum comedians have the lounge.

thesealocust wrote:Name will carry a lot of weight if you're moving transactional practices. DC corporate groups are small, but they're also stuffed with people who started at big NYC firms (I interviewed with tons of DC corporate partners that spent a few years as associates in NYC, it was actually a stark trend).

I work at an NYC firm and get pretty regular head hunter interest for tangentially related practices in DC (and other markets), but I've never pursued them so I can't say beyond that how "real" those "opportunities" are.

If you care to discuss, why haven't you pursued DC opportunities?

Because to the extent I desire to practice corporate law, I desire to do it in NYC, and to the extent I desire to live in DC, I do not desire to practice corporate law.

There's nothing wrong with somebody having a different set of opinions - but those are/were mine.

TSL

That's interesting because it seems like counterintuitive advice. I am not trying to put words in your mouth,* but are you saying that if DC is where I want to end up, it might make more sense to do transactional in NYC so that the DC firms with a, relatively smaller, transactional practice will appreciate the NYC experience?

If you were in my shoes and wanted to maximize the opportunity to make it to DC would you:
(a) Do DC work (FCPA, etc) though it might not be a top practice at the NY firm
(b) Do transactional work (transactional is probably band 1 or 2 on chambers, I'm not sure) and try to find a rare transactional spot in DC?

*Proceeds to put words in mouth

baal hadad wrote: If the group is shitty you're not gonna be as attractive a lateral candidate when you're lookin at firms that are really good at that group

I do not really see what the alternative is? It's either (1) work in a "sh*tty" practice group that is relevant to DC or (2) Work in a "good" practice group that is not relevant to DC.

Seems like the only downside to (1) above is that if DC didn't work then I might be in a weird position trying to find work in NY/elsewhere.

So is your argument to play it safe and don't risk not being able to lateral to a smaller NY firm because the practice group wasn't as strong?

Anonymous User wrote:

baal hadad wrote: If the group is shitty you're not gonna be as attractive a lateral candidate when you're lookin at firms that are really good at that group

I do not really see what the alternative is? It's either (1) work in a "sh*tty" practice group that is relevant to DC or (2) Work in a "good" practice group that is not relevant to DC.

Seems like the only downside to (1) above is that if DC didn't work then I might be in a weird position trying to find work in NY/elsewhere.

So is your argument to play it safe and don't risk not being able to lateral to a smaller NY firm because the practice group wasn't as strong?

My advice is to work in a good group that does stuff that they also do in dc