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there's a full court press from every associate I know to get laterals

what do you mean? people want to leave kirkland, or people want to try and get hired there as laterals?

what do you mean? people trying to get into kirkland, or leave kirkland?

no the associates there are like posting on LinkedIn and various listservs recruiting folks. Unusually hard press

Associates there spamming recruiting messages about how they're hiring laterals

Well, they just opened the Boston office. When they move to a new city, they tend to hire local attorneys and/or partners.

Referral bonus was temporarily raised to $50k.

Anonymous User wrote:Referral bonus was temporarily raised to $50k.

Haha makes sense

LOL. Someone from my law school was posting about how he could pass along anyones resume if they wanted to work at Kirkland. I had a suspicion he was looking to earn a referral fee.

Anonymous User wrote:Referral bonus was temporarily raised to $50k.

What's normal at Kirkland and any other firms?

Has been hilarious to watch my law school friends who hate their lives at K&E start extolling the virtues of the firm all over social media.

Are these only for transactional / financial openings? Any sense on litigation?

Any of the offices hiring 3Ls with good credentials?

I don't think litigation is hiring laterals right now, but probably in the corporate department on a case-by-case basis. I can't speak to all offices or practice groups, but I know in my office and practice group, everyone is very busy. I'd reach out to someone you know at the firm and get their sense on whether there's need in your practice area. The referral bonus is for practicing attorneys only so people probably won't be reaching out to you, but that isn't the same thing as there not being any need.

Anonymous User wrote:Has been hilarious to watch my law school friends who hate their lives at K&E start extolling the virtues of the firm all over social media.

I work in Houston, so not sure which office you are talking about, but all my friends at the Houston office actually consistently talk about how much they enjoy working there. Now, with that being said, they all also claim to bill over 2500 hours a year, so I am unsure how those two things are not mutually exclusive. They have also been pitching hard because of the referral bonus, but it isn't a change from their usual banter. If they are offering $50k referral I wonder how much the signing bonus has run up as well.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Has been hilarious to watch my law school friends who hate their lives at K&E start extolling the virtues of the firm all over social media.

I work in Houston, so not sure which office you are talking about, but all my friends at the Houston office actually consistently talk about how much they enjoy working there. Now, with that being said, they all also claim to bill over 2500 hours a year, so I am unsure how those two things are not mutually exclusive. They have also been pitching hard because of the referral bonus, but it isn't a change from their usual banter. If they are offering $50k referral I wonder how much the signing bonus has run up as well.

I would be interested in hearing about where the Houston signing bonus is these days for junior/midlevel associates.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Has been hilarious to watch my law school friends who hate their lives at K&E start extolling the virtues of the firm all over social media.

I work in Houston, so not sure which office you are talking about, but all my friends at the Houston office actually consistently talk about how much they enjoy working there. Now, with that being said, they all also claim to bill over 2500 hours a year, so I am unsure how those two things are not mutually exclusive. They have also been pitching hard because of the referral bonus, but it isn't a change from their usual banter. If they are offering $50k referral I wonder how much the signing bonus has run up as well.

It seems to me that K&E's culture is one where the lawyers there seem to really get off on working their asses off. I have heard that the Houston office in particular attracts more intense/aggressive personalities, but most of the people I know at the firm's other offices have a real "work hard, play hard" mentality as well.

Before the Kirkland apologists come in with their anecdotes, I'm not saying that this is necessarily a negative. The firm has done tremendously well in recent years and its culture definitely played a role in their ascension. I just do not feel like it is the ideal place to work for a lot of people (myself included) who don't thrive in such an intense environment.

Anybody know if the Boston office is going to start hiring for litigation any time soon?

I'm a 3rd year corp associate in Houston. How much signing bonus are they offering for 3rd years in Houston?

How hard would it be to make a switch to Kirkland (Boston,Houston) as a 3L from a V30?

Anonymous User wrote:How hard would it be to make a switch to Kirkland (Boston,Houston) as a 3L from a V30?

Not particularly hard, assuming you have appropriate grades and are focused on corporate work. During the funds retreat in Boston last fall, I know a 3L from a Boston-area school was recruited to a non-NY office.

Anonymous User wrote:How hard would it be to make a switch to Kirkland (Boston,Houston) as a 3L from a V30?

Also note that I think it's unlikely a current law student would receive any sort of signing bonus (beyond whatever is standard for incoming first-years, which I don't know because I'm a lateral) and current law students are carved out of the referral program referenced above.

Not too worried about bonuses. Just wondering if the high need for people may lead them to hire qualified 3Ls?

Anonymous User wrote:Not too worried about bonuses. Just wondering if the high need for people may lead them to hire qualified 3Ls?

This is likely assuming you have appropriate grades and are focused on corporate work. Reach out to recruiting, or better yet someone you know who already works there.

Anyone have a sense of the signing bonuses on offer to 3rd - 5th year laterals from VE in the O&G and PE/M&A groups. Given that the referral bonus has been raised, i'm curious what, if anything, that means for signing bonuses.