Midwest Secondary firm vs Chicago corporate Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all I have offers from the top firm in a secondary midwest market: Think of a firm like Honigman in Detroit/Polsinelli in KC/Faegre in Minneapolis. The firm has dominant groups in what I'm interested in. I also have an offer from Baker Mckenzie/Jones Day/McDermott in Chicago.

Is there that much difference in exit opps if I wouldn't mind living in the secondary market?

[trebekismyhero]

Hi all I have offers from the top firm in a secondary midwest market: Think of a firm like Honigman in Detroit/Polsinelli in KC/Faegre in Minneapolis. The firm has dominant groups in what I'm interested in. I also have an offer from Baker Mckenzie/Jones Day/McDermott in Chicago.

Is there that much difference in exit opps if I wouldn't mind living in the secondary market?

Idk if exit opps will be any different in Minneapolis/Detroit, but pay will be much better at the Chicago firms than the firms in secondary markets. As a first year in the Chicago firm you will probably be making more than a 5th year at the secondary market. Something to consider

[Anonymous User]

but cost of living may make up for that. 140 in Detroit, which is what Foley and jones Day pay, adjusted for living, is the same as making 161 in Chicago.

I picked major firm in secondary market over your same options in the Major market. I enjoyed it, work life balance seemed better.

[Johann]

probably work about 400 hours a year less and COL differences. id go where you want to live.

[Anonymous User]

Individual firm variance could easily push this either way. Not sure why you wouldn't give firm names as anon.

As is, no one can get much more specific than saying, "weigh CoL, starting and future salary, work-life balance, and partnership prospects." That's all probably obvious enough that you're already thinking about it. Exit options are going to be a bunch of hearsay, especially without knowing the particular firms and what you may want to do (but probably even with that information, since few people, if any, who will reply have tried leaving both types of firms for non-firm jobs). The location of your preferred exit op is probably more important than an abstract quality difference (i.e., if you want to be in-house in Detroit, go to Honigman; if you want to be in-house in Chicago, go to Baker).

[Anonymous User]

Honigman in detroit is a pretty cutthroat environment, if you want that - go to Chicago where long term earnings will be better. BTW, Honigman is not the highest paying firm in detroit, if you are considering them - Foley and Jones Day are the highest with 140 being the start and ending around 210-230 being the top end as a 5th year associate.

[Anonymous User]

Chicago.

[Anonymous User]

was making similar deicison. I chose to go to the big market. Spoke with my hometown firm. TOld them i was going purely geographical. They told me they understood and door to lateral was open if interested later on. I have a feeling it woudl not work the other way. Whether they actually would take me later is unknown. But I think chicago-->secondary is way more possible than secondary-->chicago especially since its impossible to truly know if you really like either firm for hte long term at this point.

[Anonymous User]

Would opinions change if I had the option to split the two offices?

[sprezz]

opinions on exit opps? no, those wouldn't depend on whether you could split or not.

opinions on what you should do? no, those shouldn't change because the fact remains that

Individual firm variance could easily push this either way.

but i guess you could at least delay the choice until the end of the summer and get a somewhat better sense of the firms you're looking at. there's probably some value in that.

by the way, to the anon that took the time to riddle their post with the specific typos DF makes: good hustle

[Anonymous User]

In what way is Honigman cutthroat? Regarding Detroit, aren't the Foley and Jones Day offices small with limited practice areas?

[Anonymous User]

Which firms are auto-outs?

[Anonymous User]

In what way is Honigman cutthroat? Regarding Detroit, aren't the Foley and Jones Day offices small with limited practice areas?

Anecdotal from family who practiced in the city and at one point used Honigman as their outside counsel, so take it as you see fit. But i've heard Honigman has this "we're a New York style firm in Detroit". Which, if you are from Detroit and the Midwest in general, really doesn't fly. Mainly it's an arrogance that they're the best in the city, could be true could not be true - it's a subjective opinion. I have friends who work there and they're great, but the office environment generally seemed uninviting - dark (actually dark in appearance), closed door environment. If i wanted a New York style practice and the hours of a NYC firm, i would have gone to NYC.

Foley has a pretty large office, about 40-50 people. From what i've heard from associated w/in foley, not in detroit though, Detroit is actually one of the firm's most profitable offices for the firm and does a lot of the firm's transactional work - i believe they're a net outsourcer. Their main practice areas are M&A/PEG, Gov't Contracting, Patent prosecution and litigation, Litigation, etc. They do a lot of different work.

JD is new, i think they only have a handful of people there right now. Probably aren't growing very quick as they want to see how business looks. But i believe they are looking for summers this year.

All that being said, Foley and JD (i'm assuming) pay the highest in the city, starting salary of 140k. Honigman i believe just dropped their starting salary to 110 from 115 (but this may be incorrect). Even factoring bonuses in Foley far exceeds the Honigman scale.

[Mack.Hambleton]

TIL mitt romneys brother is a honigman partner

[Anonymous User]

Any other inputs?