Sidley Austin (DC) vs other D.C. Firms Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have a sense of how Sidley Austin stacks up against the big D.C. Firms like Covington, APKS, WilmerHale, and Williams & Connolly?

[cavalier1138]

You're probably going to have to at least give people an idea of what your practice area interests are. Or maybe name some things that are important to you in a firm. If you just want to know how a firm "stacks up" in the most generic sense, Vault has you covered.

[jd20132013]

Does anyone have a sense of how Sidley Austin stacks up against the big D.C. Firms like Covington, APKS, WilmerHale, and Williams & Connolly?

Equally prestigious--should give you a commensurate level of clout on tinder

[Anonymous User]

It depends on what you want to do. Compared to Williams & Connolly, of course it's less prestigious (as are all the others mentioned), but you are better compensated and can take on a wider range of work. W&C is somewhat in a different field though. Compared to Covington and Wilmer, Sidley is lower on the general DC totem pole, but it has specific strengths (e.g., international trade) and I have friends with those specific interests eho have chosen Sidley over the more traditional shops. It also has a very highly regarded appellate group, although not moreso than Wilmer. If you just want to be in DC and how no real idea what you want to practice, Wilmer and Covington are safer bets, but Sidley DC is terrific and if you like the people and groups there better, don't be shy about choosing it.

[Anonymous User]

It depends on what you want to do. Compared to Williams & Connolly, of course it's less prestigious (as are all the others mentioned), but you are better compensated and can take on a wider range of work. W&C is somewhat in a different field though. Compared to Covington and Wilmer, Sidley is lower on the general DC totem pole, but it has specific strengths (e.g., international trade) and I have friends with those specific interests eho have chosen Sidley over the more traditional shops. It also has a very highly regarded appellate group, although not moreso than Wilmer. If you just want to be in DC and how no real idea what you want to practice, Wilmer and Covington are safer bets, but Sidley DC is terrific and if you like the people and groups there better, don't be shy about choosing it.

Op here, this is a great response. Thank you!

Although jd had a pretty solid response as well.

[Anonymous User]

It depends on what you want to do. Compared to Williams & Connolly, of course it's less prestigious (as are all the others mentioned), but you are better compensated and can take on a wider range of work. W&C is somewhat in a different field though. Compared to Covington and Wilmer, Sidley is lower on the general DC totem pole, but it has specific strengths (e.g., international trade) and I have friends with those specific interests eho have chosen Sidley over the more traditional shops. It also has a very highly regarded appellate group, although not moreso than Wilmer. If you just want to be in DC and how no real idea what you want to practice, Wilmer and Covington are safer bets, but Sidley DC is terrific and if you like the people and groups there better, don't be shy about choosing it.

DC sidley associate here. I chose it over comparably "prestigious" firms because of: (1) fit; (2) an opportunity to learn from great lawyers in a lot of different practice areas; and (3) most importantly, the laid-back approach to face time. I haven't been disappointed. I can't speak to the other firms in any authoritative way, and I am sure that they have equally good qualities, though different.