How do I pick a firm?! (NY) Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm driving myself crazy.

I am lucky enough--and very grateful--to have several offers from very different types of firms. I keep going back and forth. Here are the things that are important to me:

-small SA class
-litgation
-ability to transition to high-level govt work
-but also a place i could stay for a while before leaving (need to pay off loans and would like to be there for a bit afterwards)
-not a complete sweatshop and firm that values work/life balance (lol, don't troll me, please, I just mean relatively speaking)
-not super finance
-strong pro bono
-good fit, generally

I have a few v10 offers but based on the things that I'm looking for, I don't feel like they would be great fits. Is that an inherently dumb move?

I have a few "lower" vault-ranked firms-e.g., 30s. I'm leaning towards a firm that is HQ outside of NY but I really clicked with the people and it checks all the boxes listed above. I could see myself there long-term and the partners in the practice group that I'd like to be in seem like great connections and nice people. I've also heard (from multitude of sources outside of OCI process) that work/life balance is valued.

Is it dumb to go for that lower-ranked, HQ-outside-of-NY firm? Help! Thank you!

[Anonymous User]

I'm driving myself crazy.

I am lucky enough--and very grateful--to have several offers from very different types of firms. I keep going back and forth. Here are the things that are important to me:

-small SA class
-litgation
-ability to transition to high-level govt work
-but also a place i could stay for a while before leaving (need to pay off loans and would like to be there for a bit afterwards)
-not a complete sweatshop and firm that values work/life balance (lol, don't troll me, please, I just mean relatively speaking)
-not super finance
-strong pro bono
-good fit, generally

I have a few v10 offers but based on the things that I'm looking for, I don't feel like they would be great fits. Is that an inherently dumb move?

I have a few "lower" vault-ranked firms-e.g., 30s. I'm leaning towards a firm that is HQ outside of NY but I really clicked with the people and it checks all the boxes listed above. I could see myself there long-term and the partners in the practice group that I'd like to be in seem like great connections and nice people. I've also heard (from multitude of sources outside of OCI process) that work/life balance is valued.

Is it dumb to go for that lower-ranked, HQ-outside-of-NY firm? Help! Thank you!

You are posting anon. You gotta give the firms if you want an informed audience.

[Anonymous User]

Is it dumb to go for that lower-ranked, HQ-outside-of-NY firm? Help! Thank you!

No. It's dumb to go to a firm that you don't think is a great fit because a group of strangers on the internet ranked it higher than the firm you actually like.

[Anonymous User]

I'm driving myself crazy.

I am lucky enough--and very grateful--to have several offers from very different types of firms. I keep going back and forth. Here are the things that are important to me:

-small SA class
-litgation
-ability to transition to high-level govt work
-but also a place i could stay for a while before leaving (need to pay off loans and would like to be there for a bit afterwards)
-not a complete sweatshop and firm that values work/life balance (lol, don't troll me, please, I just mean relatively speaking)
-not super finance
-strong pro bono
-good fit, generally

I have a few v10 offers but based on the things that I'm looking for, I don't feel like they would be great fits. Is that an inherently dumb move?

I have a few "lower" vault-ranked firms-e.g., 30s. I'm leaning towards a firm that is HQ outside of NY but I really clicked with the people and it checks all the boxes listed above. I could see myself there long-term and the partners in the practice group that I'd like to be in seem like great connections and nice people. I've also heard (from multitude of sources outside of OCI process) that work/life balance is valued.

Is it dumb to go for that lower-ranked, HQ-outside-of-NY firm? Help! Thank you!

You are posting anon. You gotta give the firms if you want an informed audience.

I'm leaning towards A&P in NY. I've seen, particularly posted on this site, negative things about timekeeping and the special bonus this past year at A&P. I understand why those are important issues, but I want to come to a decision based on best fit--people, litigation, work, DOJ connections, partners, reputation. I'm wondering if it would be a bad idea to go there for any reason when I have the option to go elsewhere (I want to keep those firms anon for now), when the fit feels really right.

also, i dont know how much this matters, but i'm coming from a non-NY T6.

[Anonymous User]

I would choose solely based on fit

Some of the other criteria is difficult to know as an outsider, and can vary wildly within different practice groups at the same firm.

[Anonymous User]

I would choose solely based on fit

Some of the other criteria is difficult to know as an outsider, and can vary wildly within different practice groups at the same firm.

this