Which firm has the most prestige and best exit opportunities down the line? Forum

[seanfast]

Have a friend with offers from these firms in NY and he was curious on highest prestige & best exit opportunities.

Ropes
Cahil
Fried Frank
White & Case
DLA
Sidley

[ExpOriental]

Fried Frank has particular clout in the food cart and hot dog stand industry

[Anonymous User]

probably white & case, but cahill is pretty solid as well. though, careful using w&c and prestige in the same sentence on TLS

[Anonymous User]

I don't think anyone would necessarily associate these firms with prestige (as opposed to other white shoe firms like S&C, STB, PW, Cleary, etc.). Your friend should pick based on practice group.

[persia1921]

Picking based on practice group is the right advice here. Once you are at a national name brand firm (which all of those firms are) what practice group you are in, what work you do/experience you have, and what clients you work for will have a much bigger impact on what your exit options are than anything else.

I've had friends exit to great positions from White and Case and other friends exit from not so great (relatively speaking in terms of $$$) positions coming from Cravath, so prestige is relative. When I was in law school, I was also very focused on picking a firm based on exit options, but with hindsight, now realize that would have been nearly impossible to do.

The only caveat is if you are looking to exit into a particular market--for example if your friend wanted to exit in Boston, it would be hard to argue with Ropes, but even then, I would not get to hung up.

[Jchance]

Sidley then Ropes.

[Anonymous User]

Have a friend with offers from these firms in NY and he was curious on highest prestige & best exit opportunities.

Ropes
Cahil
Fried Frank
White & Case
DLA
Sidley

The only obviously wrong answer is DLA. A case could be made for any of the rest depending on practice group interest.

[NoLongerALurker]

Fried Frank has particular clout in the food cart and hot dog stand industry

+1. I hope they merge with Freshfields so I can get my hot dogs and fresh produce in a one-stop-shop environment.

[tlsguy2020]

Fried Frank has particular clout in the food cart and hot dog stand industry

+1. I hope they merge with Freshfields so I can get my hot dogs and fresh produce in a one-stop-shop environment.

Pillsbury Fried Frank and Freshfields LLP

[Iowahawk]

Nationally probably Sidley but yeah pick based on group, these firms aren't meaningfully distinct in prestige in NY afaik except that DLA Piper isn't

[seanfast]

Thanks for the responses! He’s interested in corporate transactional work. PE,Cap markets etc etc, still unsure exactly what area. Are any of these overall a cut above the rest in general corporate work?

[Anonymous User]

Definitely Sidley but the culture/management might make you leave before those exit opps fully bloom

[persia1921]

Thanks for the responses! He’s interested in corporate transactional work. PE,Cap markets etc etc, still unsure exactly what area. Are any of these overall a cut above the rest in general corporate work?

If PE/Cap markets, I'd go to Ropes for the diversity of practice. Very strong PE practice and decent cap markets as well.