Help me decide: Skadden, S&C, K&E, Latham, DPW Forum

[Anonymous User]

Interested in general transactional/corporate.

[Anonymous User]

Interested in general transactional/corporate.

Well the first question is NYC or Chicago? Assuming NYC, obviously take off Kirkland and then look at the rest (and vice versa). I would personally go Latham because I had great experience with them/their associates seem happiest but you can’t really go wrong in terms of prestige, training or exit ops.

[Anonymous User]

Obviously depends on particular interests but I think S&C has a better lit group than the others in terms of volume of work coming thru the shop and generalist model is appealing considering the avg stint is a few years.

[Robot]

You’ll make significantly more money in real terms in Chicago. If you’re indifferent between the cities I think that’s a no brainer.

[Anonymous User]

You’ll make significantly more money in real terms in Chicago. If you’re indifferent between the cities I think that’s a no brainer.

This.

[gontid]

Obviously depends on particular interests but I think S&C has a better lit group than the others in terms of volume of work coming thru the shop and generalist model is appealing considering the avg stint is a few years.

OP said they are interested in corp though

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

Because ppl see s&c and dpw as more prestigious than skadden.

[Anonymous User]

Yep. And that's why DPW is NYC V3

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

Because ppl see s&c and dpw as more prestigious than skadden.

Interesting. What about KE v Skadden v Latham?

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

Because ppl see s&c and dpw as more prestigious than skadden.

Interesting. What about KE v Skadden v Latham?

This is Chicago v NYC. K&E is the undisputed corporate king in Chi-Town. DPW=S&C>Skadden>Latham may be the rough tiers in NYC.

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

Skadden is def competitive. They're just a little less grade-selective than S&C and DPW and so law students just get in a huff. If you want to do M&A, Skadden has an edge. Cap Markets, DPW has a slight edge. I think Skadden's lit group may have a slight edge on S&C's, and def an edge on DPW's. Can't go wrong with any of these choices.

[Anonymous User]

Can someone explain why Skadden isn’t competitive here? I thought corporate was their bread and butter (and V3?).

Because ppl see s&c and dpw as more prestigious than skadden.

Interesting. What about KE v Skadden v Latham?

This is Chicago v NYC. K&E is the undisputed corporate king in Chi-Town. DPW=S&C>Skadden>Latham may be the rough tiers in NYC.

Maybe in 2000, that was the rough tier in NY but it's incorrect to put Skadden below DPW/SullCrom now. Skadden's M&A practice is at least as good as SullCrom's (if not better) and it's clearly better than DPW's. In general corporate practice as well, at worst they're all peer firms. Don't know too much about lit but I'd wager they're all peers there as well

[Anonymous User]

Is KE Chicago the only office that's really competing with/comparable to these guys in corporate outside of NYC?

[The Lsat Airbender]

Is KE Chicago the only office that's really competing with/comparable to these guys in corporate outside of NYC?

Definite "corporate". For certain transactional practices there's first-rate stuff at other Chicago offices and in SF/Boston/DC/overseas. Traditional public M&A, not so much.

[Anonymous User]

Is KE Chicago the only office that's really competing with/comparable to these guys in corporate outside of NYC?

Definite "corporate". For certain transactional practices there's first-rate stuff at other Chicago offices and in SF/Boston/DC/overseas. Traditional public M&A, not so much.

Fine. I'll ask it another way. Is there any office in NYC -- or anywhere -- with a better Private Equity/M&A practice than KE Chicago?

[Anonymous User]

Is KE Chicago the only office that's really competing with/comparable to these guys in corporate outside of NYC?

Definite "corporate". For certain transactional practices there's first-rate stuff at other Chicago offices and in SF/Boston/DC/overseas. Traditional public M&A, not so much.

Fine. I'll ask it another way. Is there any office in NYC -- or anywhere -- with a better Private Equity/M&A practice than KE Chicago?

For PE specifically, maybe STB NY? They're probs about the same. For all M&A generally I'd say Skadden/S&C/Cravath in NY (these three + Wachtell def are better regarded for public M&A) are better than Kirkland CHI.

[Anonymous User]

How come S&C>DPW in the poll results? I thought they were basically peers for general corporate

[Anonymous User]

How come S&C>DPW in the poll results? I thought they were basically peers for general corporate

15 v 18 votes is hardly dispositive.

[Anonymous User]

I don't fully understand why DPW's M&A group isn't seen as on par with S&C. When you look at the league tables, both in terms of total $ and $ per deal, the numbers are incredibly similar and they routinely handle huge deals like S&C. Is it because DPW is being more seen as fin-services M&A or because they are generally seen as better in Cap Markets? I get no one is saying that DPW is materially worse than S&C, but I don't fully understand that, outside of Wachtell, DPW/S&C/Cravath aren't seen on equal footing for M&A.

[Anonymous User]

I've noticed that Latham comes last in almost all of these polls involving elite firms -- and behind firms with lower Vault rankings. Is the firm overrated?

[Anonymous User]

I've noticed that Latham comes last in almost all of these polls involving elite firms -- and behind firms with lower Vault rankings. Is the firm overrated?

No, because that would suggest the rankings have meaning. Dead serious.

[Anonymous User]

I've noticed that Latham comes last in almost all of these polls involving elite firms -- and behind firms with lower Vault rankings. Is the firm overrated?

No, because that would suggest the rankings have meaning. Dead serious.

Vault rankings are invoked when they support one's claim, and dismissed when they appear to contradict it.

[Anonymous User]

I don't fully understand why DPW's M&A group isn't seen as on par with S&C. When you look at the league tables, both in terms of total $ and $ per deal, the numbers are incredibly similar and they routinely handle huge deals like S&C. Is it because DPW is being more seen as fin-services M&A or because they are generally seen as better in Cap Markets? I get no one is saying that DPW is materially worse than S&C, but I don't fully understand that, outside of Wachtell, DPW/S&C/Cravath aren't seen on equal footing for M&A.

I don’t know which league table you are looking at, but mergermarket league tables show DPW is still a notch below S&C/Cravath for public m&a. But the difference isn’t really material.

[Anonymous User]

I don't fully understand why DPW's M&A group isn't seen as on par with S&C. When you look at the league tables, both in terms of total $ and $ per deal, the numbers are incredibly similar and they routinely handle huge deals like S&C. Is it because DPW is being more seen as fin-services M&A or because they are generally seen as better in Cap Markets? I get no one is saying that DPW is materially worse than S&C, but I don't fully understand that, outside of Wachtell, DPW/S&C/Cravath aren't seen on equal footing for M&A.

It's true that historically these are peer firms on league tables. For whatever reason, this year DPW is trailing behind significantly. The H1 volume of the other firms you mentioned was twice as much as DPW's.