Detroit Biglaw Qs Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any news on Detroit?

Detroit native looking to go home. Normal base is ~110-120 with Foley at 140 correct?

Looking at Honigman/Miller/Dykema/Dickinson/Bodman/Foley

Honigman is still top dog for corporate/real estate/lit but works NY like hours?

Anywhere else I should seriously be looking?

[Anonymous User]

Where r u coming home from

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day is opening an office but likely to not be hiring summers and no one is sure what their ploy here is. Top for corporate is going to be Honigman and Foley. Foley pays the most at 140+bonus (honigman says they pay the most but their bonus is more black box than foley) but doesn't have the name recognition in Detroit b/c the office is only 15 years old, if that's what you're looking for. What are you interested in? What matters the most - reputation, pay, w/l balance, etc? They all have good reputations. Varnum, a GR firm just opened an office in the burbs and rumors have it one of the big 4 SV firms are opening an office in Ann Arbor/Detroit.

Summering in the city now so happy to talk about it - but not saying where i summer, just because this is a small market.

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day is opening an office but likely to not be hiring summers and no one is sure what their ploy here is. Top for corporate is going to be Honigman and Foley. Foley pays the most at 140+bonus (honigman says they pay the most but their bonus is more black box than foley) but doesn't have the name recognition in Detroit b/c the office is only 15 years old, if that's what you're looking for. What are you interested in? What matters the most - reputation, pay, w/l balance, etc? They all have good reputations. Varnum, a GR firm just opened an office in the burbs and rumors have it one of the big 4 SV firms are opening an office in Ann Arbor/Detroit.

Summering in the city now so happy to talk about it - but not saying where i summer, just because this is a small market.

I'm interested in corporate transactional work. Interested in high level work. From a t50 school with good grades. If I want transactional, is Honigman and Foley the only two dogs in town(regarding steady work)? Or should I be looking elsewhere?

[UMich11]

Jones Day is opening an office but likely to not be hiring summers and no one is sure what their ploy here is. Top for corporate is going to be Honigman and Foley. Foley pays the most at 140+bonus (honigman says they pay the most but their bonus is more black box than foley) but doesn't have the name recognition in Detroit b/c the office is only 15 years old, if that's what you're looking for. What are you interested in? What matters the most - reputation, pay, w/l balance, etc? They all have good reputations. Varnum, a GR firm just opened an office in the burbs and rumors have it one of the big 4 SV firms are opening an office in Ann Arbor/Detroit.

Summering in the city now so happy to talk about it - but not saying where i summer, just because this is a small market.

I'm interested in corporate transactional work. Interested in high level work. From a t50 school with good grades. If I want transactional, is Honigman and Foley the only two dogs in town(regarding steady work)? Or should I be looking elsewhere?

You'll get solid work from Dickinson, Dykema, and Bodman. If you're looking for national/international work, Foley is probably you're only bet. If you are looking for the large stuff in Michigan then shoot for Dickinson, Foley and/or Honigman - maybe Dykema. Be aware though, the Detroit economy is slowly coming back, as a result they are seeing more applicants from T14 than years past. Foley only has T20 SAs this year, Honigman is in the same boat. So if you're T50, get apps in now if they aren't coming to OCI. If you're in the city, try to get a pre-OCI offer. Last year Honigman said they received more applicants from HSY than in the last 5 years combined. This could mean they received a total of 5 apps from those schools, or it could mean they saw 50 apps - not totally sure.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many SAS the gr firms have? (in Detroit)

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many SAS the gr firms have? (in Detroit)

I know they did some interviews but i didn't go any further once i had offers at my target firms. What's the benefit of going to the GR firms over Detroit, in your eyes? To be honest, Varnum blows - they think they are top of the market, but when i interviewed, w/in 6 months over half of those associates had jumped ship to other firms. If you want a New York work culture, go to New York - you'll get paid better too. No reason to have a New York style work culture if they are going to pay you the same as any other firm. The prestige image is all imaginary and no one cares.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many SAS the gr firms have? (in Detroit)

I know they did some interviews but i didn't go any further once i had offers at my target firms. What's the benefit of going to the GR firms over Detroit, in your eyes? To be honest, Varnum blows - they think they are top of the market, but when i interviewed, w/in 6 months over half of those associates had jumped ship to other firms. If you want a New York work culture, go to New York - you'll get paid better too. No reason to have a New York style work culture if they are going to pay you the same as any other firm. The prestige image is all imaginary and no one cares.

I'm just wondering since I want to return to SE Michigan the #s of SA spots out there. I have interviews with both firms scheduled. Its anecdotes like the above is what I'm interested in hearing from people. The only thing I really can find is that Honigman is supposed to be assholes.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many SAS the gr firms have? (in Detroit)

I know they did some interviews but i didn't go any further once i had offers at my target firms. What's the benefit of going to the GR firms over Detroit, in your eyes? To be honest, Varnum blows - they think they are top of the market, but when i interviewed, w/in 6 months over half of those associates had jumped ship to other firms. If you want a New York work culture, go to New York - you'll get paid better too. No reason to have a New York style work culture if they are going to pay you the same as any other firm. The prestige image is all imaginary and no one cares.

I'm just wondering since I want to return to SE Michigan the #s of SA spots out there. I have interviews with both firms scheduled. Its anecdotes like the above is what I'm interested in hearing from people. The only thing I really can find is that Honigman is supposed to be assholes.

blows is a strong way to put it, in a polite fashion. but everything said about Varnum applies to Honigman. That being said people there are very smart and nice, they just think they're a new york firm in Detroit - which doesn't fly. My view was if i wanted to new york lifestyle i wanted to New york salary and would have taken my offers for NYC or Chi rather than Detroit.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know the work life balance at Foley/Dickinson Wright? Is it more NYey or more Midwesterney?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know the work life balance at Foley/Dickinson Wright? Is it more NYey or more Midwesterney?

Both have a Midwestern feel. Foley is a bit more laid back, b/c it's not HQ, but there are still Big-Law elements. Dickinson is a bit more suit-type culture b/c it's the "old guard" as far as Detroit firms go. That being said, neither compare to what the work/life balance is like at Honigman - that's a true NYC style environment with a dedicated hierarchy.

[Anonymous User]

How do the salary jumps go in Detroit? Are they largish?(At least 10k?)

[Anonymous User]

anyone know what the actual compensation structure is for the Foley Detroit office? Is it lock step, or how does Foley move forward with salary increases? i know Bonus is more or less a black box.

[Anonymous User]

How do the salary jumps go in Detroit? Are they largish?(At least 10k?)

i'm guessing it's a form of secondary market lock-step. honigman has it on their website but thats a bit blackbox. Foley uses lock-step plus merit. So you could go from 140-160-190 based on merit or you could stick with lockstep. other than that i'm just not sure. curious as well though.

[Anonymous User]

Bump

[Anonymous User]

How feasible is it to lateral from a NY V20 to Honigman/Foley in Detroit, provided one has a good reason to do so (aka, from Detroit originally, marrying someone from Detroit, etc.)?

I was a little surprised to see Honigman say that for experienced hires there was a minimum 3.4 law school GPA cut off. I graduated median from CCN, probably around 3.3. Would they really not even interview me?

[Anonymous User]

How feasible is it to lateral from a NY V20 to Honigman/Foley in Detroit, provided one has a good reason to do so (aka, from Detroit originally, marrying someone from Detroit, etc.)?

I was a little surprised to see Honigman say that for experienced hires there was a minimum 3.4 law school GPA cut off. I graduated median from CCN, probably around 3.3. Would they really not even interview me?

I think it's do-able. I know/know of people at both who have done both - either from NYC or Chicago. I was given an offer at both (for SA at least) with a 3.2ish from T25. I think it's worth a shot, both seem to be growing and seeking more people.

[Anonymous User]

How feasible is it to lateral from a NY V20 to Honigman/Foley in Detroit, provided one has a good reason to do so (aka, from Detroit originally, marrying someone from Detroit, etc.)?

I was a little surprised to see Honigman say that for experienced hires there was a minimum 3.4 law school GPA cut off. I graduated median from CCN, probably around 3.3. Would they really not even interview me?

I think it's do-able. I know/know of people at both who have done both - either from NYC or Chicago. I was given an offer at both (for SA at least) with a 3.2ish from T25. I think it's worth a shot, both seem to be growing and seeking more people.

From CCN you'll probably be fine.