STB Houston on the rise? Forum

[EZmoney]

Does anyone have current insight into the Houston market? Seems like Simpson Thacher has mixed reviews down there but that they have had a great couple of years.

[Anonymous User]

Also interested. At my T6 STB Houston was marketing hard for the ppl in the Texas club to consider them for 1L. Must be growing?

[Anonymous User]

Yes, it is growing very fast. STB Houston desperately needs more people for all groups but especially Funds and M&A seem to be hurting. The M&A group just added a new partner that no one has met and juniors/mid-levels have been leaving faster than they can be replaced. Funds has been completely consumed be the NY office so it has become crazy busy as well.

The office culture varies heavily group to group.

[Anonymous User]

Which group would you recommend for an incoming associate in terms of both long-term prospects at the firm and potential partnership?

Can you elaborate on the culture?

And what are the exits generally for those juniors/mids?

[Anonymous User]

At my t-14, sense was that it was very selective to get. Like a very specific type of person and careful of pedigree. Class size increased this year from what I can tell.

[Anonymous User]

At my t-14, sense was that it was very selective to get. Like a very specific type of person and careful of pedigree.

Could you elaborate? No interest in Houston or STB but found the bolded language simultaneously intriguing and so vague as to be useless.

[Anonymous User]

Which group would you recommend for an incoming associate in terms of both long-term prospects at the firm and potential partnership?

Can you elaborate on the culture?

And what are the exits generally for those juniors/mids?

Long and short term I am not sure it matters. Credit is highly regarded and seems to give a good chance of making partner. Not sure if you want to try to read the tea leaves so far in advance though. I am also convinced Funds in general is the easiest way to make partner at STB in general but I have no evidence. You also have to rotate so you will be trying at least 2/4 groups.

The firm long and short term will be fine. Pretty good mix of energy and non energy to keep it moving.

The culture you will have to find out yourself, just something to be super aware of during summer and choosing groups as I think personality fit makes it a lot easier.

The M&A people have generally gone to other firms but there were a few in house exits.

[Anonymous User]

At my t-14, sense was that it was very selective to get. Like a very specific type of person and careful of pedigree.

Could you elaborate? No interest in Houston or STB but found the bolded language simultaneously intriguing and so vague as to be useless.

That's because it is useless. The office is a bunch of median+ T13 (including good sprinkling of HLS)/UT grads and LSU/SMU/Tulane grads with high honors. Standard reqs for a Texas office of a V10.

[poplop64555]

Which group would you recommend for an incoming associate in terms of both long-term prospects at the firm and potential partnership?

Can you elaborate on the culture?

And what are the exits generally for those juniors/mids?

Not sure about partner potential ten years down the line. Credit is highly regarded and has some heavy hitters. As an associate every group seems stable enough that I would not worry about it.

As for culture I do not feel like elaborating too much, just that the groups are all very distinct and if you like people in your interviews/summer just be aware of that.

The M&A folks have mostly been going to other firms but a bit of inhouse as well.

[Anonymous User]

At my t-14, sense was that it was very selective to get. Like a very specific type of person and careful of pedigree.

Could you elaborate? No interest in Houston or STB but found the bolded language simultaneously intriguing and so vague as to be useless.

That's because it is useless. The office is a bunch of median+ T13 (including good sprinkling of HLS)/UT grads and LSU/SMU/Tulane grads with high honors. Standard reqs for a Texas office of a V10.

I think they might be a little more selective than other V10 Houston shops because they can be by virtue of being a smaller office/having a smaller class size.

[Anonymous User]

Yes, it is growing very fast. STB Houston desperately needs more people for all groups but especially Funds and M&A seem to be hurting. The M&A group just added a new partner that no one has met and juniors/mid-levels have been leaving faster than they can be replaced. Funds has been completely consumed be the NY office so it has become crazy busy as well.

The office culture varies heavily group to group.

I'd think of moving there if you have some shot at working with David Lieberman (whether in M&A or Projects/Finance). He's the rare combination of pragmatic and technical, one of the STB old-school, and can be hilariously funny.

[Anonymous User]

Which group would you recommend for an incoming associate in terms of both long-term prospects at the firm and potential partnership?

Can you elaborate on the culture?

And what are the exits generally for those juniors/mids?

Not sure about partner potential ten years down the line. Credit is highly regarded and has some heavy hitters. As an associate every group seems stable enough that I would not worry about it.

As for culture I do not feel like elaborating too much, just that the groups are all very distinct and if you like people in your interviews/summer just be aware of that.

The M&A folks have mostly been going to other firms but a bit of inhouse as well.

Thank you, I really appreciate the insight! Main goal is partner, but should it come to it, dooes any group have noticeably stronger exits? And are those M&A laterals to other V10's in the market or similar, or are taking a step down?

[Anonymous User]

Not sure what a step down means or what V10 means in the context of Houston, but people tend to go to similar places.

[Anonymous User]

Do you see STB Houston climbing up the chambers Texas rankings in coming years?