Gibbs Bruns
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 3:03 pm
Seems Susman Godfrey draws most of the attention when it comes to Houston boutiques but I’ve heard Gibbs is on the same tier if not right below. Wanted some insight.
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How's the brand/name recognition of the firms listed in #3 if I wanted to lateral to Austin as a mid-level? Specifically, Yetter and/or Beck?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 5:42 pmSusman and Gibbs are the two best litigation shops in Houston. If you compare the credentials of the associates and partners, they are very comparable. They're very different firms, however, with different pros and cons. Susman is more aggressive and bro-y, eat-what-you-kill (for partners), better name recognition if you want to leave Houston. Gibbs & Bruns I think is lockstep for partners, they intentionally keep their firm small, and probably has more of a cerebral vibe.
Others can chime in, but I would rank the boutiques in Houston in tiers
1. Susman
2. Gibbs a very close second
3. Yetter, SKV, Reynolds Frizzell, Beck
4. AZA and the rest
AZA isn't like a typical Houston elite boutique. You'll get great substantive experience there but it's highly leveraged with partnership prospects comparable to biglaw. Think Quinn Emanuel or Lynn Pinker in Dallas.
Susman and Gibbs are miles ahead of a V&E or BB and getting an offer at one of these shops is incomparably more difficult. If you are gunning for Houston and have the credentials for it, you should go to one of the top boutiques. Houston biglaw has been shedding their litigation practices for years and all of the top talent goes to the boutiques. At a V&E or BB, you'll play second fiddle to corp and never even be in conversation for partnership. Houston is a very unique market in this regard.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:05 amHow's the brand/name recognition of the firms listed in #3 if I wanted to lateral to Austin as a mid-level? Specifically, Yetter and/or Beck?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 5:42 pmSusman and Gibbs are the two best litigation shops in Houston. If you compare the credentials of the associates and partners, they are very comparable. They're very different firms, however, with different pros and cons. Susman is more aggressive and bro-y, eat-what-you-kill (for partners), better name recognition if you want to leave Houston. Gibbs & Bruns I think is lockstep for partners, they intentionally keep their firm small, and probably has more of a cerebral vibe.
Others can chime in, but I would rank the boutiques in Houston in tiers
1. Susman
2. Gibbs a very close second
3. Yetter, SKV, Reynolds Frizzell, Beck
4. AZA and the rest
AZA isn't like a typical Houston elite boutique. You'll get great substantive experience there but it's highly leveraged with partnership prospects comparable to biglaw. Think Quinn Emanuel or Lynn Pinker in Dallas.
Also, is it correct to assume that if I wanted to do litigation and really wanted great experience, it would be wise to choose any of the firms listed above (AZA to Susman) over V&E or Baker Botts? I'm starting as a junior after a D.Ct. + COA clerkship btw.
Thanks for your insight!
Same questions for AZA and SKV.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:45 amReviving this thread rather than duplicating it. Does anyone know
1. What the hours average / expectation is
2. How much plaintiffs / contingency they take on
3. Compensation - does it match Cravath all the way thru (some "elite Houston boutiques" do not), and is that true after 2022 raises
4. What the timeline and realistic chances of partnership are
5. How difficult it is to get an interview if you did not summer there (assume you otherwise have credentials in-line with their roster).
Thanks ya'll!