West Coast vs. East Coast Firms? Forum
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Whatislaw
- Posts: 113
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West Coast vs. East Coast Firms?
Is there a big difference in culture and work hours between West Coast based firms and East Coast based firms? For example, I've heard if you work for a West Coast office of an East Coast based firm, you may have to get up early to deal with eastern time based trainings or meetings? True? Rumor?
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The Lsat Airbender
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Re: West Coast vs. East Coast Firms?
Pretty much all finance/business/law professionals on the West Coast wake up earlier on average, and have occasional annoying 5AM mornings, because of the time difference. SEC and the main stock exchanges operate on Eastern time, etc. You're also far away enough from Europe that dealing with anyone there is really bad, although East Asia is a bit easier to compensate.Whatislaw wrote:For example, I've heard if you work for a West Coast office of an East Coast based firm, you may have to get up early to deal with eastern time based trainings or meetings? True? Rumor?
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Anonymous User
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Re: West Coast vs. East Coast Firms?
I started my career in the only West Coast office of a firm.
There’s not a ton of difference. The ones that stand out are:
1. Firm wife meetings or trainings are scheduled for their lunch time, which is 9 am here. Not a big deal as they were never critical, but annoying as I don’t get into the office until about 10.
2. Specialists were almost all in the other offices and worked on Eastern time. Meaning, if you were working with them on something urgent and they had questions, you’d get early morning emails and calls.
3. If you wanted to make partner, the NY folks had to know you, which meant traveling a lot just to show your face and socialize.
4. Fringe benefits were largely with NY in mind. It’s good and bad - the working dinner reimbursement limit was high, but a black car is a useless perk. Would’ve liked to see more thought given to what perks would’ve worked for us.
Edit: how could I forget the best perk of all - no billable hours requirement and everyone got a bonus. That is certainly a white shoe NY firm thing that I’m not sure exists at biglaw firms that started on the west coast.
There’s not a ton of difference. The ones that stand out are:
1. Firm wife meetings or trainings are scheduled for their lunch time, which is 9 am here. Not a big deal as they were never critical, but annoying as I don’t get into the office until about 10.
2. Specialists were almost all in the other offices and worked on Eastern time. Meaning, if you were working with them on something urgent and they had questions, you’d get early morning emails and calls.
3. If you wanted to make partner, the NY folks had to know you, which meant traveling a lot just to show your face and socialize.
4. Fringe benefits were largely with NY in mind. It’s good and bad - the working dinner reimbursement limit was high, but a black car is a useless perk. Would’ve liked to see more thought given to what perks would’ve worked for us.
Edit: how could I forget the best perk of all - no billable hours requirement and everyone got a bonus. That is certainly a white shoe NY firm thing that I’m not sure exists at biglaw firms that started on the west coast.
