Please help me decide: MoFo (SF), Kirkland (SF), Ropes & Gray (SF), Sidley (PA) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone,

I have SA offers from MoFo (SF), Kirkland (SF), Ropes & Gray (SF), and Sidley (PA). I am interested in corporate work, but I am not sure what practice group. Thus, I would prefer an office that has a broad range of corporate practice groups to try, which seems to be a point for MoFo. However, I am temped by the corporate specialities of Kirkland (private equity) and Sidley (start-ups). What do you all recommend? Thank you!

[dabigchina]

I rarely run into Sidley, so I am not sure how strong their practice is out here. Same goes for Ropes.

Kirkland sf has a very distinctive culture and is heavy on pe. I get the impression you either love it or hate it.

Mofo would be my choice here

[SFSpartan]

If you think you have the personality for K&E, do that. Otherwise, do Mofo. Sidley doesn't have a robust startup practice (they do some buy side tech M&A, but that isn't really startup/emerging companies work). Agree with dabigchina here.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Thank you, SFSpartan and dabigchina, I really appreciate it.

Anyone have any experience/interactions with Sidley (Palo Alto)? It seems like a great, small office that would provide a lot of substantive experience. I am torn between that and MoFo, which is the bigger name/player in the market.

[LBJ's Hair]

I have never worked at any of these firms, but as a former SF Bay Area resident: Were I a 20something new to the Bay Area, I would never in a million years live in Palo Alto (or an adjacent suburb). It's dead dead dead. And going in to San Francisco on evenings/weekends is a pain---if you're drinking, you can't drive; traffic is horrible; an Uber is $$$; it's not nearly as close as it looks on a map. There's a reason the tech companies have the buses taking yuppies from SF down to their South Bay offices---living in Menlo or Palo Alto or w/e fucking blows for 20something singles.

If you don't need a car to get to Sidley's offices (maybe you don't bc there's SF-PA Caltrain---if Sidley's close to the station, could be walkable) this is less of an issue.

But if Caltrain won't work, you're probably gonna have to live in the South Bay. And I'd factor this into my decision-making. I wouldn't want to be in a new place, working occasionally bad hours, leave work at 8pm on a Friday, and then think to yourself "fuck, I want to go see a friend in San Francisco, but it's 40 minutes each way . . ." You'll feel trapped, and that's a recipe for burnout.

So, anyway, this is a long way of saying "if Sidley means living in Palo Alto and you're a 20something single, maybe take one of the other firms."

(EDIT: I realized I didn't address the possibility of living in SF and driving down from SF to Palo Alto every day. You could *theoretically* do that, but the traffic is horrendous. Would not recommend)

[Spartan_Alum_12]

I have never worked at any of these firms, but as a former SF Bay Area resident: Were I a 20something new to the Bay Area, I would never in a million years live in Palo Alto (or an adjacent suburb). It's dead dead dead. And going in to San Francisco on evenings/weekends is a pain---if you're drinking, you can't drive; traffic is horrible; an Uber is $$$; it's not nearly as close as it looks on a map. There's a reason the tech companies have the buses taking yuppies from SF down to their South Bay offices---living in Menlo or Palo Alto or w/e fucking blows for 20something singles.

If you don't need a car to get to Sidley's offices (maybe you don't bc there's SF-PA Caltrain---if Sidley's close to the station, could be walkable) this is less of an issue.

But if Caltrain won't work, you're probably gonna have to live in the South Bay. And I'd factor this into my decision-making. I wouldn't want to be in a new place, working occasionally bad hours, leave work at 8pm on a Friday, and then think to yourself "fuck, I want to go see a friend in San Francisco, but it's 40 minutes each way . . ." You'll feel trapped, and that's a recipe for burnout.

So, anyway, this is a long way of saying "if Sidley means living in Palo Alto and you're a 20something single, maybe take one of the other firms."

(EDIT: I realized I didn't address the possibility of living in SF and driving down from SF to Palo Alto every day. You could *theoretically* do that, but the traffic is horrendous. Would not recommend)

100% agree as an early 30s single living (and working) in San Jose. Been here about a year and half and it's just not for me. You're right about feeling trapped. Trying to move up to SF (or back down to LA) already at this point.

[LBJ's Hair]

I have never worked at any of these firms, but as a former SF Bay Area resident: Were I a 20something new to the Bay Area, I would never in a million years live in Palo Alto (or an adjacent suburb). It's dead dead dead. And going in to San Francisco on evenings/weekends is a pain---if you're drinking, you can't drive; traffic is horrible; an Uber is $$$; it's not nearly as close as it looks on a map. There's a reason the tech companies have the buses taking yuppies from SF down to their South Bay offices---living in Menlo or Palo Alto or w/e fucking blows for 20something singles.

If you don't need a car to get to Sidley's offices (maybe you don't bc there's SF-PA Caltrain---if Sidley's close to the station, could be walkable) this is less of an issue.

But if Caltrain won't work, you're probably gonna have to live in the South Bay. And I'd factor this into my decision-making. I wouldn't want to be in a new place, working occasionally bad hours, leave work at 8pm on a Friday, and then think to yourself "fuck, I want to go see a friend in San Francisco, but it's 40 minutes each way . . ." You'll feel trapped, and that's a recipe for burnout.

So, anyway, this is a long way of saying "if Sidley means living in Palo Alto and you're a 20something single, maybe take one of the other firms."

(EDIT: I realized I didn't address the possibility of living in SF and driving down from SF to Palo Alto every day. You could *theoretically* do that, but the traffic is horrendous. Would not recommend)

100% agree as an early 30s single living (and working) in San Jose. Been here about a year and half and it's just not for me. You're right about feeling trapped. Trying to move up to SF (or back down to LA) already at this point.

Sorry to hear

I *loved* SF for what it's worth; makes a world of difference. Housing prices suck, but very much worth it.