Dallas Bankruptcy Firm Information Forum

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone share some knowledge about the different bankruptcy practice groups at the large Dallas firms? Primarily interested in HayBoo, Winstead, NRF, V&E, Baker Botts, and Akin Gump. Quality of life, quality of work, amount of travel (I've heard the AG guys are in NY on an almost weekly basis), culture, billing requirements, bonus structure, etc.? Anything would be helpful.

[favabeansoup]

Can anyone share some knowledge about the different bankruptcy practice groups at the large Dallas firms? Primarily interested in HayBoo, Winstead, NRF, V&E, and Akin Gump. Quality of life, quality of work, amount of travel (I've heard the AG guys are in NY on an almost weekly basis), culture, billing requirements, bonus structure, etc.? Anything would be helpful.

I don't know too much about specific differences, but I feel like I can speak to generalities. Dallas doesn't have THAT much bankruptcy work, which is why a lot of these groups are going to be small / always going out to NY to do work. HayBoo and Winstead, for instance, both only have 1 associate in their Dallas office for the group. Most of the bankruptcy work I hear about is done out of NY/DE. If you are ok with that:

HayBoo culture have heard great things, but has been getting a little less lifestyle - y recently. NRF/Akin are kind of your typical biglaw shops. NRF is just ungodly massive and has been hurting recently, not sure how that has been affecting their bankruptcy work though. V&E is most prestigious firm of your choices, but will also work you harder than the rest. I would say HayBoo/NRF/Akin/Winstead you'll trying to go for around ~2000-2200 hours.

All will start with $180k. V&E can give you above Cravath scale bonuses if you put in the hours. Rest vary based on hours in. Some can get you up to market with bonus, others will get you slightly below. Not sure about Winstead's base salary scale as you move up in years.

[yogotti]

From what I hear of NRF they want you to have been a clerk for a bankruptcy judge, they don't hire straight out of law school for bankruptcy work. I apparently tanked OCI with them by pushing my bankruptcy interest.

[Anonymous User]

The Baker Botts bankruptcy group in Dallas is, based on my impressions, bigger and busier than all or almost all of these.

[Anonymous User]

The Baker Botts bankruptcy group in Dallas is, based on my impressions, bigger and busier than all or almost all of these.

Thanks for point that out. They should've been on my original list too.

[Anonymous User]

Bump. Can anyone add to this?

[Anonymous User]

Bump. Can anyone add to this?

Speaking generally, from interaction with these firms (i.e. interviewing, past deals, seeing them in court).

BB and V&E are Texas based groups with smaller offices in NY. BB is only in Dallas, V&E is split between Dallas and Houston. They do significant work out of their TX offices and as a previous post mentioned have the most number of restructuring attorneys in Dallas.

Akin, Weil, Jones Day have some people in Dallas, including some big name partners, but most of the work will run out of NY. Significant work is run out of these offices.

HayBoo are split between Dallas, Houston, and NY. Associate out of their Houston office told me they work primarily on mid-market work and out of TX offices.

Don't know much about NRF, but spoke with a senior partner there last year and he told me they were fairly slow dispute the general uptick in oil/gas restructurings.