SMU - Middle Market firms Forum

[Anonymous User]

Wondering which middle market firms to target in Dallas that pay the 90K-110K range that would take an SMU kid that did fairly well. My grades are good but I'm not a good interviewer. Don't have high expectations for myself and know my budget. I am a complete workhorse so I don't mind doing bitch work or working long hours. Just wondering if all else fails what I could do to pay back my loans and work with good people. Any advice from people in the Dallas market greatly appreciated. Any advice from some pretentious T14 ass who thinks SMU can suck it can cordially move on because I am not insecure about my intelligence. I went to SMU not because it was the best school I could get into but because I love Dallas and my girlfriend is here.

[Leprechaun]

Have you tried Carrington, Coleman or Munch Hardt or Kelly, Hart Hallman (Ft. Worth)?

I think they all pay more than the range you are looking for and I know at least two of those three hire Aggies so I presume they'd hire Ponies as well.

Good luck!

[kalvano]

Need more information about your grades - are you top half? Top third? Top quarter? It's going to matter as to which firms you target.

Carrington Coleman and Kelly Hart are surprisingly picky about grades. Munsch is an absolutely brutal place to work.

[favabeansoup]

Tagging for later.

I have a good list of Texas/Dallas firms I can post that will be helpful. Need to find it first.

Middle market is pretty broad though. There's no clear band of firms that pay 90-110k. There might only be a few firms in town that do that and takes on law students right out of school. Pay ranges above that will generally be the biglaw shops.

[favabeansoup]

http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/tx/TX-Top100-Charts-0816.pdf

Found it this should be helpful in your search

[BigZuck]

Are you a 2016 grad? It's hard to tell from your post if you're still in school or not.

[BigZuck]

Also maybe chill out and stop being so insecure about your intelligence.

[cougs1112]

Tag

[Anonymous User]

Also maybe chill out and stop being so insecure about your intelligence.

If you read almost any post about smu on this place a bunch of people just hop on to say you should've gone somewhere better.

[Anonymous User]

http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/tx/TX-Top100-Charts-0816.pdf

Found it this should be helpful in your search

Thank you!

[Anonymous User]

Most of these firms pay their associates over $80K/year:

SettlePou
Meadows Collier
Gray Reed
Cowles & Thompson
Quilling Selander
Fletcher Farley
McGlinchey Stafford
Shakelford Bowen
wick phillips
Kane Russell
McCathern
McGuire Craddock
coats rose
Hartline Dacus
Bowman and Brooke
Barnes and Thornburg
Thompson Coe
Phelps Dunbar
Baron & Budd
Waters and Kraus
Downs Stafford
Strasburger & Price
Zelle
Godwin
Conner & Winters
Stutzman Bromberg
Parsons McEntrie
Wilson Elser
Gordon & Rees
Fee Smith
Simon Greenstone

[Anonymous User]

Most of these firms pay their associates over $80K/year:

SettlePou
Meadows Collier
Gray Reed
Cowles & Thompson
Quilling Selander
Fletcher Farley
McGlinchey Stafford
Shakelford Bowen
Wick Phillips
Kane Russell
McCathern
McGuire Craddock
Coats Rose
Hartline Dacus
Bowman and Brooke
Barnes and Thornburg
Thompson Coe
Phelps Dunbar
Baron & Budd
Waters and Kraus
Downs Stafford
Strasburger & Price
Zelle
Godwin
Conner & Winters
Stutzman Bromberg
Parsons McEntrie
Wilson Elser
Gordon & Rees
Fee Smith
Simon Greenstone

You sir/ma'am are a gentleman/lady and a scholar!

[A12345]

Need more information about your grades - are you top half? Top third? Top quarter? It's going to matter as to which firms you target.

Carrington Coleman and Kelly Hart are surprisingly picky about grades. Munsch is an absolutely brutal place to work.

Curious as to what makes you say that. I know a few associates over there and they all have good things to say and have said the turnover seems much lower than other similar firms.

[kalvano]

Need more information about your grades - are you top half? Top third? Top quarter? It's going to matter as to which firms you target.

Carrington Coleman and Kelly Hart are surprisingly picky about grades. Munsch is an absolutely brutal place to work.

Curious as to what makes you say that. I know a few associates over there and they all have good things to say and have said the turnover seems much lower than other similar firms.

Friends / former associates.

[A12345]

Need more information about your grades - are you top half? Top third? Top quarter? It's going to matter as to which firms you target.

Carrington Coleman and Kelly Hart are surprisingly picky about grades. Munsch is an absolutely brutal place to work.

Curious as to what makes you say that. I know a few associates over there and they all have good things to say and have said the turnover seems much lower than other similar firms.

Friends / former associates.

Interesting. Thanks.

[TheJanitor6203]

Most of these firms pay their associates over $80K/year:

SettlePou- Don't work here. I worked here. Thought I was a lock. They no offered all the clerks, fired about 6 associates and another 5 or 6 staff members right after that. They didn't even give anyone time to look for a new job. They literally called them into the conference room, said they were fired, and escorted them out of the building. That being said, there are some great people at this firm but damn did they screw a lot of people over. Worst part of the whole thing, they withdrew a recently graduated 3L's offer one week before she was supposed to start. She had been relying on that offer for a year then they pulled it just like that. Stay away.
Meadows Collier
Gray Reed
Cowles & Thompson
Quilling Selander
Fletcher Farley
McGlinchey Stafford
Shakelford Bowen
Wick PhillipsI've heard great things about this firm. Pretty sure they pay somewhere around 130 or so. I think you need to be in the top 1/3 to have a shot.
Kane Russell
McCathern
McGuire Craddock
Coats Rose
Hartline Dacus- I've also heard really good stuff about this place too. I think they start at 140. Need to be in top 1/3 to have a shot.
Bowman and Brooke
Barnes and Thornburg
Thompson Coe
Phelps Dunbar
Baron & Budd
Waters and Kraus- They only do mass tort plaintiff work.
Downs Stafford
Strasburger & Price
Zelle- They only do insurance defense work. Start at $120 I think.
Godwin
Conner & Winters
Stutzman Bromberg
Parsons McEntrie
Wilson Elser
Gordon & Rees
Fee Smith
Simon Greenstone

[TheJanitor6203]

Here's a few other firms that haven't been mentioned that (I think) all start in the $80+ range:

Carrington Coleman
Geary, Porter & Donovan
Hallett & Perrin
Liechty & McGinnis
Munck Wilson Mandala
Scheef & Stone
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff
Vela Wood- All the first year associates they've hired recently worked for them during law school so if you're interested, try to get a part time job there during the school year.

[Anonymous User]

Meadows Collier is one of the stronger midmarket tax shops I've found, if that's an interest for you. Nice people too

[Anonymous User]

Here's a few other firms that haven't been mentioned that (I think) all start in the $80+ range:

Carrington Coleman
Geary, Porter & Donovan
Hallett & Perrin
Liechty & McGinnis
Munck Wilson Mandala
Scheef & Stone
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff
Vela Wood- All the first year associates they've hired recently worked for them during law school so if you're interested, try to get a part time job there during the school year.

Any idea what Munck, Scheef, and/or Shannon Gracey pay first years?

Edit - just tried to find for myself and looks like Shannon Gracey dissolved in February.

[Anonymous User]

Here's a few other firms that haven't been mentioned that (I think) all start in the $80+ range:

Carrington Coleman
Geary, Porter & Donovan
Hallett & Perrin
Liechty & McGinnis
Munck Wilson Mandala
Scheef & Stone
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff
Vela Wood- All the first year associates they've hired recently worked for them during law school so if you're interested, try to get a part time job there during the school year.

Any idea what Munck, Scheef, and/or Shannon Gracey pay first years?

Edit - just tried to find for myself and looks like Shannon Gracey dissolved in February.

Bump, still curious

[TheJanitor6203]

Here's a few other firms that haven't been mentioned that (I think) all start in the $80+ range:

Carrington Coleman
Geary, Porter & Donovan
Hallett & Perrin
Liechty & McGinnis
Munck Wilson Mandala
Scheef & Stone
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff
Vela Wood- All the first year associates they've hired recently worked for them during law school so if you're interested, try to get a part time job there during the school year.

Any idea what Munck, Scheef, and/or Shannon Gracey pay first years?

Edit - just tried to find for myself and looks like Shannon Gracey dissolved in February.

Bump, still curious

I'd guess Munck starts around $120 but it's purely a guess. Don't know enough about Scheef to even guess.

[Cshark440]

.

[Cshark440]

Zelle- They only do insurance defense work. Start at $120 I think.

This is incorrect.

[perrinep]

Here's a few other firms that haven't been mentioned that (I think) all start in the $80+ range:

Carrington Coleman
Geary, Porter & Donovan
Hallett & Perrin
Liechty & McGinnis
Munck Wilson Mandala
Scheef & Stone
Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff
Vela Wood- All the first year associates they've hired recently worked for them during law school so if you're interested, try to get a part time job there during the school year.

Hallett & Perrin does not hire first years, they strictly hire laterals w/ usually a minimum of 3 years experience.