How limiting is starting in a secondary market? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am deciding between two firms; one is a top firm in DC and the other is indisputably the top firm in a secondary market (not CA, TX, or IL). The secondary-market firm would offer great substantive experience, and I am from there, but I am not committed to living there long-term. As a result, I am worried about exit opportunities. Most of the secondary-market firm intend to stay at the firm and in the area.

On the other hand, those concerns may be mitigated by the fact that I will be clerking after law school (in neither of the firm markets). I am not sure how hard it is to break into the DC market off a COA clerkship, and it seems risky to just assume I will get the same or a comparable offer (but not sure how competitive DC is for clerks).

It seems like I should go for the DC firm, and I am wavering emotionally because of my connections to the secondary market and am afraid of starting something new. But I am just trying to get all the info.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely split if you can. Many secondary-market firms are wiling to work something out. But yes you can't count on getting DC post-clerkship, the post-clerkship market this year is terrible, though it may be easier to land in the secondary market post-clerkship. And in small markets people generally stick it out to partner or exit somewhere reasonably local like a USAO, in-market corporation, etc. It's unusual to switch to major-market biglaw, though I'm sure that's in large part because biglaw-competitive candidates who choose small markets do it precisely to avoid biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely split if you can. Many secondary-market firms are wiling to work something out. But yes you can't count on getting DC post-clerkship, the post-clerkship market this year is terrible, though it may be easier to land in the secondary market post-clerkship. And in small markets people generally stick it out to partner or exit somewhere reasonably local like a USAO, in-market corporation, etc. It's unusual to switch to major-market biglaw, though I'm sure that's in large part because biglaw-competitive candidates who choose small markets do it precisely to avoid biglaw.

I can't split; I am already splitting with DOJ and possibly another DC-area firm that will let me just come for a couple of weeks. That would have been the idea solution if not for the DOJ gig, which I am unwilling to give up.

[Anonymous User]

Imo probably do DC unless you're reasonably set on the smaller market. If you're e.g. 50-50, it's less limiting to do DC first as there's a pretty good chance you'll be able to land the smaller market post-clerkship or after one or two years of DC biglaw, though maybe not at the top firm. This is a really hard one, though, especially if you've never spent time in DC before and are ambivalent about living there, which it sounds like you are.

I was in your rough position--I'm from a smaller market I really like, and had never lived in DC, but all my friends were doing DC biglaw and it seemed like the thing for a young gunner to do. I didn't really like DC biglaw it turned out (the usual stuff--expensive city, not family-friendly, cog in a huge machine, substantive experience, etc.) and will probably go home when I finish clerking. I still don't really regret it because it was worth a shot and I'm reasonably confident I'll be able to land in the smaller market post-clerkship. That's largely because of connections I have to firms there, mostly from 1L summer, which you may or may not have, though.

[papermateflair]

I started in a secondary market (not DC) at one of the top firms in that market and then lateraled to DC after a few years. It was great to be the biggest fish in the smaller pond, but I wasn't from the secondary market and didn't have the connections there to really make it worth it (especially once salary compression hit as a mid-level). If you don't plan on living in the secondary market, then I wouldn't start there because that's not where you want to live, and big law is big law - it's not like you're going to first chair some litigation matter as a first year because you're in a secondary market. The reason why most folks who start at the secondary market firm stay there or in the area is because that's where they want to be, not necessarily because their exit options to the big city are non-existent (I didn't have any issue lateralling to DC as a midlevel).

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the perspectives. I do want to live in DC, have many connections and have spent a lot of time there, and would not mind living there long-term. I also would turn down the secondary market firm if I did not have personal connections to the office and were not slotted into the particular practice group, which perhaps weighs in favor of DC.

For the person (or others) who lateralled to DC, was that process more/less challenging than trying to break into DC through OCI? Were certain firms out of reach because of hiring policies/lack of space?

[Anonymous User]

OP, what is your definition of “secondary market.” You listed TX, CA, and IL, but Houston, Dallas, SF, LA, and Chicago aren’t really secondary markets for lateral purposes. Yes, they’re not DC/NY, but there are a lot of other major market cities.

Anyway, if you’re talking about an actual secondary market (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Miami, etc.), it will be difficult to lateral into DC unless you are in a specialty practice with a heavy need, like privacy or healthcare.

I lateraled from what people would call a “tertiary” market to DC, but I also worked in a hard to fill practice, so I got offers in DC/NY. It was easier than OCI, but if you’re a general litigation associate, it may be significantly more difficult even with the clerkship.

If you’re in a major city like Philly or Boston, I don’t really think you will have as much trouble lateraling. Both markets have work that is just as sophisticated, so I think taking a lateral from those markets is less of a risk to the firms. Most of the laterals to my firm are from NY or DC, but we do have some from SF, LA, Houston, etc.

[Anonymous User]

Tertiary by that breakdown but a major tech city. And I would be entering a particular practice group that does do work for huge companies in my market.