Skadden, DPW, STB Forum

[Anonymous User]

Going to have to choose by the first week of Sept, so some of these are still only cbs, but trying to figure out what I'm doing assuming they work out. I know this is one of those great situations where there isn't really a "bad" choice, but I am looking for a little outside help since they really do all just look the same to me. All NYC and I am leaning corporate/M&A. Those are my top three at this point, but Cleary and Paul Weiss are also maybe options. Are they on the same level, or should I be concentrating on just the first three? I have seen at times Skadden gets a bit of shit on TLS, and I am wondering if they really are somehow inferior to DPW and STB? Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

[Anonymous User]

Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

Wtf is this? You're thinking about the wrong things dude

[Anonymous User]

Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

Wtf is this? You're thinking about the wrong things dude

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/sarcasm

[Anonymous User]

Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

Wtf is this? You're thinking about the wrong things dude

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/sarcasm

No shit? It's kinda hard to tell though, the entire post is preftige whorey. Regardless, there is no dramatic difference (if any) between prestige of Skadden/DPW/STB. If you're basing this decision of prestige alone, you're not really considering the right things here.

[SmokeytheBear]

Come back once you have offers in hand. Waste of time to start thinking about this now.

[Anonymous User]

Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

Wtf is this? You're thinking about the wrong things dude

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/sarcasm

No shit? It's kinda hard to tell though, the entire post is preftige whorey. Regardless, there is no dramatic difference (if any) between prestige of Skadden/DPW/STB. If you're basing this decision of prestige alone, you're not really considering the right things here.

C'mon man, I didn't mention "preftige" at all until the end in jest. I did mention that Skadden gets a bad rep a lot and I was wondering if there was a real reason why it wasn't as good a choice as the other two, and I was looking for some insight about them because they all seem exactly the same to me. Sorry if it came across as "whorey" to you.

[Anonymous User]

Come back once you have offers in hand. Waste of time to start thinking about this now.

I have offers in hand. I have one cb, but like I said with deadlines on my offers, I will have to make a decision right after I do that cb. Because of that, I need to start thinking about this now.

[Anonymous User]

Going to have to choose by the first week of Sept, so some of these are still only cbs, but trying to figure out what I'm doing assuming they work out. I know this is one of those great situations where there isn't really a "bad" choice, but I am looking for a little outside help since they really do all just look the same to me. All NYC and I am leaning corporate/M&A. Those are my top three at this point, but Cleary and Paul Weiss are also maybe options. Are they on the same level, or should I be concentrating on just the first three? I have seen at times Skadden gets a bit of shit on TLS, and I am wondering if they really are somehow inferior to DPW and STB? Would I be silly to turn down a "white shoe" preftigious founded in 18something firm for the Skadden frat party?

You really think that DPW and STB aren't going to have any frat bros?

(Didn't mean to be anonymous.)

[SmokeytheBear]

Come back once you have offers in hand. Waste of time to start thinking about this now.

I have offers in hand. I have one cb, but like I said with deadlines on my offers, I will have to make a decision right after I do that cb. Because of that, I need to start thinking about this now.

Ugh. Skadden?

[Anonymous User]

Come back once you have offers in hand. Waste of time to start thinking about this now.

I have offers in hand. I have one cb, but like I said with deadlines on my offers, I will have to make a decision right after I do that cb. Because of that, I need to start thinking about this now.

Ugh. Skadden?

I don't want to get to into details, outing and all. Also, let me start again for some. Forget my sarcastic remarks about frat people, prestige, and the 1800s. I just want advice on picking between these places.

[Anonymous User]

Come back once you have offers in hand. Waste of time to start thinking about this now.

I have offers in hand. I have one cb, but like I said with deadlines on my offers, I will have to make a decision right after I do that cb. Because of that, I need to start thinking about this now.

Ugh. Skadden?

I don't want to get to into details, outing and all. Also, let me start again for some. Forget my sarcastic remarks about frat people, prestige, and the 1800s. I just want advice on picking between these places.

If they're all similar firms to you, there is a reason why - you haven't done the other CBs yet. When you go through the process of actually going through all the CBs, you might start to separate firms from one another - based on the people you meet, the culture you might witness, even things like the location of the offices/quality of the offices, etc.

[Anonymous User]

Incredibly stupid question if you don't have offers at all of the above. DPW culls a lot of people at the CB stage, and Skadden too to a lesser extent.

That being said, I have very close friends at 2 of the firms. All of their M&A practices are top notch. Skadden is just pretty much elite at all transactional practices and industries. STB is too, although they are basically the undisputed king of private equity M&A. DPW has an elite M&A group but for some reason its somewhat smaller than the other 2 firms. In my personal experience, the M&A team at STB are some of the smartest dudes I've seen in BigLaw (which ultimately doesn't affect the life of a junior that much). And of course, you'll have your social life totally decimated at any of these firms.

Just go with whatever firm offers the best fit.

Edit: Skadden's fratty reputation is overwrought. All of these firms are pretty fratty

[Anonymous User]

Davis and Simpson will be the best among these firms for very general corporate practice (and among the best of any firms, except Wachtell for m&a). They are practically interchangeable so go with the culture you liked best.

[Anonymous User]

Davis and Simpson will be the best among these firms for very general corporate practice (and among the best of any firms, except Wachtell for m&a). They are practically interchangeable so go with the culture you liked best.

Why don't you include Skadden with those two? I was under the impression they were right there with top general corporate practices?

[Anonymous User]

Davis and Simpson will be the best among these firms for very general corporate practice (and among the best of any firms, except Wachtell for m&a). They are practically interchangeable so go with the culture you liked best.

Why don't you include Skadden with those two? I was under the impression they were right there with top general corporate practices?

They are all peers. Skadden is among the best in M&A/corporate (esp public M&A). Should come down to small differences e.g. location, particular focus (PE for STB for example), people you meet, etc. Had similar choices and sort of went with gut feeling.

[Anonymous User]

STB associate. Lots of work, but friendly enough place. It's never seemed fratty to me. Not the culture here.

[Anonymous User]

I chose DPW over these firms and others. Have not regretted my decision so far. But I chose it because I liked capital markets work my first summer and I really clicked with the people.

Do second looks. Have folks from your school who were summers last year take you out for dinner and drinks. You can't go wrong - chose the firm with the people you like the most.

For me, I found STB attorneys to be (generally) pleasant but boring. I found the Skadden folks to be a too aggressive on average. I found he DPW people to be polite and professional, but also funny and outgoing. The kind of folks who will have two glasses of wine at a firm event but then rip shots at the after party. My experience at DPW as a summer confirmed these impressions. Pleased with my decision, although I'm sure I'll be miserable AF in a few months when I start.

[Anonymous User]

I chose DPW over these firms and others. Have not regretted my decision so far. But I chose it because I liked capital markets work my first summer and I really clicked with the people.

Do second looks. Have folks from your school who were summers last year take you out for dinner and drinks. You can't go wrong - chose the firm with the people you like the most.

For me, I found STB attorneys to be (generally) pleasant but boring. I found the Skadden folks to be a too aggressive on average. I found he DPW people to be polite and professional, but also funny and outgoing. The kind of folks who will have two glasses of wine at a firm event but then rip shots at the after party. My experience at DPW as a summer confirmed these impressions. Pleased with my decision, although I'm sure I'll be miserable AF in a few months when I start.

I generally agree with what has been posted in this thread, but would be very reluctant to take this post seriously if I were you. No summer associate at any of these firms has a realistic understanding of the culture at their own firm, let alone any other firm. I know plenty of non-aggressive people at Skadden, and plenty of aggressive people and plenty of boring people at DPW. You're much more likely to find personality differences within practice groups at the same firm than across firms.

[Anonymous User]

double post

[Anonymous User]

Decision still not quite made, but feeling Skadden. My one sort of hang up is I have concerns about the 1800 hour requirement vs no hour requirement. Is this a valid concern at all, or will I just get slammed everywhere and worrying about hours is stupid? If things are dead, it seems like it would be much better to not worry and just leave early vs scrambling for pro bono hours or scraps from somebody else's deal. Anyone with some experience have insight?

[VulcanVulcanVulcan]

Decision still not quite made, but feeling Skadden. My one sort of hang up is I have concerns about the 1800 hour requirement vs no hour requirement. Is this a valid concern at all, or will I just get slammed everywhere and worrying about hours is stupid? If things are dead, it seems like it would be much better to not worry and just leave early vs scrambling for pro bono hours or scraps from somebody else's deal. Anyone with some experience have insight?

You will absolutely be billing well above 1800 at all the firms. I don't think it matters one bit.