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Differences between SF/Bay area law firms and other cities?

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:03 pm
by Anonymous User
Hey guys,

I am 1 1L and need some pointers about which region I need to target. Let's set aside the my candidacy in any of the regions.

I am into corporate transactional work (M&A, PE, VC types) at biglaws. This type of corporate work is handled by all biglaws. So, the distinction between biglaw offices in SF and Bay Area is the type of clients? For instance,if you work at a SF office in the emerging companies practice area, your clients will be start-up companies and you will work on a bunch of stuff related to startups' life cycles from IP licensing to M&A?

If you work at a NY office in the same emerging companies sector, what you do would be the same as when working at a SF office in the emerging companies practice area?

How about the Chicago market?

I'd really appreciate if anyone can explain about the practice areas..
Thank you!

Re: Differences between SF/Bay area law firms and other cities?

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:51 pm
by h2go
You should start off by working on your writing skills. You also never said what practice area you are interested in, so its hard to give pointers about what region you should target. You can find the same type of work at all the biglaw firms in NY, CA, and Chicago, although the volume/quality will vary.

Also, IP licensing generally isn't handled by strict corporate attorneys, but by a technology transactions group.

Re: Differences between SF/Bay area law firms and other cities?

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:13 pm
by SFSpartan
I'm not quite sure what exactly you are asking. But to the extent you are asking if transactional work difers from city to city, the answer is yes.

Emerging companies work tends to be heavily concentrated in Silicon Valley. There is some, but not much of this work elsewhere. Also, very few firms put transactional work in their SF offices. There are a few, but most of hte emerging companies work in the country is down in SV.

I can't speak to Chicago, but NY has a lot of M&A and banking work. There's probably good private equity work as well. But don't go anywhere but SV if you want emerging company/VC work.