Boston Corporate Biglaw Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a mid-level biglaw corporate associate at a California-based firm and considering a move to Boston for various reasons. Anon because I am hesitant to risk outing myself. My firm does not have a Boston office, so I am starting to think about which Boston firms I might target. My practice is PE/M&A focused, with most deals being PE sponsor-backed. Can anyone help to shed light on the following firms, how they differ from each other in terms of client base and prestige, billable targets, and best exit opps.?

Latham
Kirkland
Choate
Goodwin
Ropes

I know Vault is a poor resource to use in making a decision like this, but I'm curious why Kirkland isn't ranked more highly in the Boston market when it seems like their PE/M&A practice is dominating right now in terms of deal volume. Ropes isn't as well respected nationally yet it seems like people in Boston think otherwise?

[Anonymous User]

I can speak, partially, to K&E - they'll eventually be ranked higher, but they're up and coming right now. They're kind've executing the same strategy that they did in Houston, poaching top partners at Ropes (it was Simpson Thacher in Houston) while also trying to grow the office organically. That strategy takes a few years to work, I think Houston opened up in 2014 but only became a top player in the market in 2017-18.

So I wouldn't let Kirkland's ranking dissuade you or anything - when K&E decides to attack a market, they do so with full force. That said, not sure on the effects that a looming recession might have, and the Houston expansion was fueled primarily by the energy sector contraction. I'm not sure that PE will have that same growth potential, although it is KE's bread and butter practice area (seriously, almost everything stems from a PE transaction here).

Not sure if this matters to you, but I would think you would be the "enemy" in Boston, given that this is the first serious competition Ropes has faced in a long time (open to correction on this). Honestly, though, KE is disliked in most markets, even in Chicago, due to the outside perception of its culture. If that doesn't bother you, don't let it turn you away.

[jhett]

I know Vault is a poor resource to use in making a decision like this, but I'm curious why Kirkland isn't ranked more highly in the Boston market when it seems like their PE/M&A practice is dominating right now in terms of deal volume. Ropes isn't as well respected nationally yet it seems like people in Boston think otherwise?

Ropes is based in Boston, so they've got better hometown reputation and deeper ties to Boston clients (e.g., Bain). KE is outpacing them on a national level. I don't do PE so I can't answer your other questions.

[JHP]

I guess, what kind of culture, work, and exit options are you looking at? What kind of company would you want to exit to (presuming that's what you want)?

Can't really speak to the PE piece in depth, but in the Boston market, you wouldn't look to Latham or Choate for those. Prestige-wise, vault has it correct that it's Wilmer, Ropes and Goodwin that dominate here, but K&E (along with Orrick and Mofo) making moves in Boston I think has people looking over their shoulders more than they have in the past decade.

Culture-wise, I think Goodwin's and Ropes' Boston offices probably have similar cultures. Wilmer is in their own world. I think the firms you're looking at are pretty similar with billables (except for Choate, probably).

[Anonymous User]

What about Sidley? They seem to have a pretty good practice and partners, but are not even ranked in Vault or Chambers.