freshfields/shearman/skadden/white&case for international arbitration Forum

[Anonymous User]

specifically interested in associate/partner leverage and partnership prospects within the arbitration practice groups at each of these firms. skadden has a reputation as being terrible for partnership prospects and shearman supposedly has high associate:partner ratios in arb. freshfields is massive globally implying limited partnership prospects but really looking to expand US presence, so it seems the prospects could be slightly better. is there any truth to that?

for specific offices, assume the offer is from the office with highest concentration of US-trained attorneys in international arbitration.

maybe too niche, but would certainly appreciate hearing any relevant experiences

[Anonymous User]

They are all good in very different ways (I know that's an ambiguous answer). W&C is best in latin america and fresh fields and shearman are better in europe. Overall, my anecdotal guess is that Shearman is the best, or at the very least, is the most willing to let summers do foreign rotations. Also, you should put Jones Day on your list.

[Anonymous User]

OP here: thanks for the info - regional strengths matter, particularly given languages, so I appreciate that knowledge.

most of the offers are from foreign offices, so willingness of firms to let a SA do a foreign rotation is not a consideration. assume office choice is irrelevant and its just a question of firm.

skadden people: why?

[Anonymous User]

It really depends on which offices. If you are in Shearman NY you are hardly getting any arbitration work, just the leftovers that the Paris office leaves for you. Same with Freshfields NY (the good stuff is in London and German offices).

All of these firms will sell you on the idea that "it doesn't matter which office you are in, we are all integrated and you'll be able to do arbitration work from each office." That is simply not true.

Which offices are you considering?

PS. If you are staying in the US (DC) I would definitely consider Hughes Hubbard.

[Anonymous User]

offices:
shearman: paris
freshfields: london/new york
skadden: new york/london
white and case: new york/london

i'm really more interested in firms assuming the best office, though. all of the three i've negotiated with so far have been extremely willing to accommodate different office preferences and split summers

[Anonymous User]

Understood.

Freshfields is in a bit of a tailspin. Over the past year and a half they've lost multiple arbitration partners either to other arbitration competitors (i.e. Alex Yanos to Hughes Hubbard), to other big firms that are trying to launch arbitration practices (i.e. Rahim Moloo to Gibson Dunn), or to boutiques (i.e. Jan Paulsson and others to Three Crowns). They fell from Band 1 to Band 2 in Chambers over the past year. And I've heard through the grapevine that they have started to do "marketing" type activities that they never felt the need to do before while they were undisputedly on top (i.e. hosting GAR conferences).

Shearman Paris is fantastic. The Yukos enforcement actions represent steady, profitable, headline-making business. I don't know that much else about that office.

White & Case too is great. They certainly offer good mobility to Europe and Asia. My only worry about them is that they seem to be very specialized across offices i.e. one office does only Respondent State work, another does only Claimant Investor work, and another does only commercial work. But you should look more into this.

I am curious as to why you did not consider Hughes Hubbard DC or Wilmer Hale London, as both these firms do pretty cutting edge stuff in the field. But you have great options as it is. Good luck.

[smaug]

Echoing that Sherman Paris is fantastic. I think there have been some departures, but they still would be absolutely top notch.