Thoughts on Magic Circle firms in NY Forum

[Anonymous User]

Could anyone share their thoughts on Magic Circle firms in NYC?

What is it like working in a non-HQ office for a British firm in regards to volume, prospects, and overall learning experience?

[Anonymous User]

Just anecdata, have heard good things about freshfields, and Allen & Overy, but not so much about Clifford Chance.

[Anonymous User]

Anecdata as well, but I have also heard good things about freshfields and allen & overy and not so good things about clifford chance.

[Anonymous User]

It seems like the Magic Circle firms in NY are a bit more satellite than their London HQs

[PennBull]

Yeah I'd personally rather work either in the London office of the Magic Circle or an internationally focused firm with a NY hub like Shearman

[Anonymous User]

Hey what bad things about Clifford Chance NY? Strongly considering going there.

[Anonymous User]

Hey what bad things about Clifford Chance NY? Strongly considering going there.

Different anon here to the one who made the first comment about CC not being that great. In the magic circle, CC is viewed as the bottom one when it comes to a place you want to work. Their culture has had a bad rep for some years. Eg, this is what the Wall Street Journal wrote about the CC situation in 2002:

In a recent survey of young lawyers, Clifford Chance LLP (http://www.cliffordchance.com) was ranked the worst law firm in the country for job satisfaction. But associates at the firm disagree. They say the study was far too generous.

The world's largest law firm, formed by the merger of Clifford Chance in London and Rogers & Wells in New York, is being roiled by an internal memo in which associates take top brass in the U.S. to task for a wide array of management practices. The 13-page document attacks the firm's emphasis on billable hours in the U.S., saying it could lead to lawyers "padding" bills. It castigates "partner indifference" on issues from performance reviews to training. The firm's attitude toward public-service activities: "deplorable."

[Anonymous User]

Hey thanks for the reply. That looks like it's pretty old - CC recently rated 4 in job satisfaction: http://abovethelaw.com/2016/08/midlevel ... tion-2016/. Is there anything more recent to indicate it's a bad choice?

[Anonymous User]

Hey thanks for the reply. That looks like it's pretty old - CC recently rated 4 in job satisfaction: http://abovethelaw.com/2016/08/midlevel ... tion-2016/. Is there anything more recent to indicate it's a bad choice?

I know two mid-level/senior associates who lateraled into and basically immediately back out of CC in recent years, FWIW.

[Anonymous User]

Hey thanks for the reply. That looks like it's pretty old - CC recently rated 4 in job satisfaction: http://abovethelaw.com/2016/08/midlevel ... tion-2016/. Is there anything more recent to indicate it's a bad choice?

Lol. You do realize that a lot of firms not so subtly push their associates to rank their satisfaction very high, right? As in, repeated e-mails when the deadline for the survey approaches, assurances that "any complaint you have you can take up with HR, but please do rate us 5," etc etc? Firms with a bad reputation have an especially high incentive to get those survey results as high as possible. You'll note that CC had the third highest response rate on the list, and a very impressive jump from . . . 97th place! Good job, CC! Sounds like the work culture underwent a magical turnaround in the space of a year.

Amlaw surveys mean absolutely nothing.