Kirkland Megathread Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a summer at K&E and I have to say -- some of you seem so insufferable and difficult to like based on your internet personas. But must mask it quite well in person because every associate I have come across so far seems lovely.

Yea I know; I'm a summer and they're curating the experience summers have and no one is mean to us as they have no reason to be/we don't communicate with them in the context of work. Even so, in observing associates* interact with each other or trying to pick up on small things... y'all freaks hide it well.

Is K&E Houston still taking summers shooting?

Yup, it was this past weekend.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a summer at K&E and I have to say -- some of you seem so insufferable and difficult to like based on your internet personas. But must mask it quite well in person because every associate I have come across so far seems lovely.

Yea I know; I'm a summer and they're curating the experience summers have and no one is mean to us as they have no reason to be/we don't communicate with them in the context of work. Even so, in observing associates* interact with each other or trying to pick up on small things... y'all freaks hide it well.

Is K&E Houston still taking summers shooting?

Yup, it was this past weekend.

Is the Firm Committee going to tell the Houston office it should "consider other opportunities" given this expression of 2nd Amendment support? Is Ballis hopping on a plane to deliver the office's severance package and a plaque ("Thanks For All The Memories, Houston Office!"). Inquiring minds want to know.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a summer at K&E and I have to say -- some of you seem so insufferable and difficult to like based on your internet personas. But must mask it quite well in person because every associate I have come across so far seems lovely.

Yea I know; I'm a summer and they're curating the experience summers have and no one is mean to us as they have no reason to be/we don't communicate with them in the context of work. Even so, in observing associates* interact with each other or trying to pick up on small things... y'all freaks hide it well.

Is K&E Houston still taking summers shooting?

Yup, it was this past weekend.

Is the Firm Committee going to tell the Houston office it should "consider other opportunities" given this expression of 2nd Amendment support? Is Ballis hopping on a plane to deliver the office's severance package and a plaque ("Thanks For All The Memories, Houston Office!"). Inquiring minds want to know.

Ha no doubt Calder is foaming at the mouth to make a big announcement cancelling this activity so he can continue to virtue signal to drown out the fact that he made his millions helping private equity companies acquire oil companies, strip out environmental protections to bare bone, go through bankruptcy, screw creditors over, emerge from bankruptcy, further damage the environment, repeat cycle (believe we are in 3rd cycle now).

In seriousness, skeet shooting isn't really "asserting 2nd amendment rights," most ppl who participate have guns provided to them - no one is encouraging ppl to own guns or use guns - it is a recreational activity no different than golf imo.

Now, in the wild wild west days of the houston office , there were some pretty wild hog hunts with clients....

[Anonymous User]

KE summer here. can someone explain how KE goes about paying for bar prep? do they direct bill? is it a lump sum? hope it's the latter. How much do we get? basically can someone provide me with all of the details they would think they would have wanted to know while in my position?

TY!!

[Anonymous User]

I'm a summer at K&E and I have to say -- some of you seem so insufferable and difficult to like based on your internet personas. But must mask it quite well in person because every associate I have come across so far seems lovely.

Yea I know; I'm a summer and they're curating the experience summers have and no one is mean to us as they have no reason to be/we don't communicate with them in the context of work. Even so, in observing associates* interact with each other or trying to pick up on small things... y'all freaks hide it well.

Is K&E Houston still taking summers shooting?

Yup, it was this past weekend.

Is the Firm Committee going to tell the Houston office it should "consider other opportunities" given this expression of 2nd Amendment support? Is Ballis hopping on a plane to deliver the office's severance package and a plaque ("Thanks For All The Memories, Houston Office!"). Inquiring minds want to know.

Ha no doubt Calder is foaming at the mouth to make a big announcement cancelling this activity so he can continue to virtue signal to drown out the fact that he made his millions helping private equity companies acquire oil companies, strip out environmental protections to bare bone, go through bankruptcy, screw creditors over, emerge from bankruptcy, further damage the environment, repeat cycle (believe we are in 3rd cycle now).

In seriousness, skeet shooting isn't really "asserting 2nd amendment rights," most ppl who participate have guns provided to them - no one is encouraging ppl to own guns or use guns - it is a recreational activity no different than golf imo.

Now, in the wild wild west days of the houston office , there were some pretty wild hog hunts with clients....

Well if a state forbade gun possession by anyone other than law enforcement (which seems to be the preference of a large portion of the population) then I guess a K&E lawyer couldn't challenge that law now? What will happen to the skeet shooting?!

[Anonymous User]

KE summer here. can someone explain how KE goes about paying for bar prep? do they direct bill? is it a lump sum? hope it's the latter. How much do we get? basically can someone provide me with all of the details they would think they would have wanted to know while in my position?

TY!!

The firm direct bills for bar prep and also provides a $10k pre-tax living stipend (note it’s a stipend, not an advance).

[Anonymous User]

KE summer here. can someone explain how KE goes about paying for bar prep? do they direct bill? is it a lump sum? hope it's the latter. How much do we get? basically can someone provide me with all of the details they would think they would have wanted to know while in my position?

TY!!

The firm direct bills for bar prep and also provides a $10k pre-tax living stipend (note it’s a stipend, not an advance).

This, plus they will reimburse all travel expenses for the Bar if you have to travel far enough for it (like 75 miles? I don’t remember). Meaning flight, nice hotel, meals, rental car, Ubers, parking, etc. They will also pay for AdaptiBar.

This is separate from relocation, which is direct billed through a vendor that coordinates everything for you. 6000lb shipping limit not counting your car (you can send more but will have to pay the overage), plus one car. 30-60 days of free storage for your stuff depending on which su vendor they choose. Flights or mileage, hotels, meals, etc. for you + partner/family/pets. They also connect you with a realtor and will reimburse a lease break fee up to one month (or was it two? Don’t remember).

[Anonymous User]

Can someone provide some insight into KE Lit, especially out of NY? I feel like most of the horror stories come out of Rx/Transactional. Have a screener coming up and I'd like to get a sense of what life in that area is like.

[Anonymous User]

Can someone provide some insight into KE Lit, especially out of NY? I feel like most of the horror stories come out of Rx/Transactional. Have a screener coming up and I'd like to get a sense of what life in that area is like.

Crazy variation depending on who you work with and what you work on. Can range from a lovely biglaw experience to absolutely miserable.

[Anonymous User]

Can someone provide some insight into KE Lit, especially out of NY? I feel like most of the horror stories come out of Rx/Transactional. Have a screener coming up and I'd like to get a sense of what life in that area is like.

Crazy variation depending on who you work with and what you work on. Can range from a lovely biglaw experience to absolutely miserable.

+1. I'm K&E NYC lit. Have been on some teams that were challenging and tough, but rewarding and sustainable. Have been on other teams where it's just a nightmare, endless stress, no sleep, can't wait till matter is over, try never to work with those folks again. Depends largely on who the SP is, and to some extent the senior associates gunning for partner.

[kiddie114]

Why is the Chicago office hiring "restructuring legal analyst", which requires 4-5 years of restructuring experiences and a JD and the ability to lift 25 LB? Sounds like they look for literally part-person JDs to set up hearings in Houston....

[Anonymous User]

KE summer here. can someone explain how KE goes about paying for bar prep? do they direct bill? is it a lump sum? hope it's the latter. How much do we get? basically can someone provide me with all of the details they would think they would have wanted to know while in my position?

TY!!

The firm direct bills for bar prep and also provides a $10k pre-tax living stipend (note it’s a stipend, not an advance).

This, plus they will reimburse all travel expenses for the Bar if you have to travel far enough for it (like 75 miles? I don’t remember). Meaning flight, nice hotel, meals, rental car, Ubers, parking, etc. They will also pay for AdaptiBar.

This is separate from relocation, which is direct billed through a vendor that coordinates everything for you. 6000lb shipping limit not counting your car (you can send more but will have to pay the overage), plus one car. 30-60 days of free storage for your stuff depending on which su vendor they choose. Flights or mileage, hotels, meals, etc. for you + partner/family/pets. They also connect you with a realtor and will reimburse a lease break fee up to one month (or was it two? Don’t remember).

Yup, that all sounds right from what I can recall. Also worth noting I think there’s a clawback that goes down 1/12 for each month you stay at the firm (so after a year, you wouldn’t have to pay back the bar & relocation expenses and summer stipend).

[Anonymous User]

KE summer here. can someone explain how KE goes about paying for bar prep? do they direct bill? is it a lump sum? hope it's the latter. How much do we get? basically can someone provide me with all of the details they would think they would have wanted to know while in my position?

TY!!

The firm direct bills for bar prep and also provides a $10k pre-tax living stipend (note it’s a stipend, not an advance).

This, plus they will reimburse all travel expenses for the Bar if you have to travel far enough for it (like 75 miles? I don’t remember). Meaning flight, nice hotel, meals, rental car, Ubers, parking, etc. They will also pay for AdaptiBar.

This is separate from relocation, which is direct billed through a vendor that coordinates everything for you. 6000lb shipping limit not counting your car (you can send more but will have to pay the overage), plus one car. 30-60 days of free storage for your stuff depending on which su vendor they choose. Flights or mileage, hotels, meals, etc. for you + partner/family/pets. They also connect you with a realtor and will reimburse a lease break fee up to one month (or was it two? Don’t remember).

This is right. 50 miles, not 75 miles. Lease break fee up to a month.

[Anonymous User]

Now that it's associate review season, does anyone know when 6th years learn whether they make (or do not make) NSP? I'm assuming that you learn earlier than the usual associate review timeline since last year reviews were sometime in late(ish) September, and I think NSPs are announced in August or so. Does anyone know?

[Anonymous User]

Bump after the rumor in another thread that 20 NY SAs were cold offered. Need the Kirkland gang to chime in!

[Anonymous User]

I lateraled this year and it’s looking like I will close the year with about 1800 hours. What kind of bonus (if any) am I looking at?

[Anonymous User]

Bump after the rumor in another thread that 20 NY SAs were cold offered. Need the Kirkland gang to chime in!

What other thread and what was said?

[Anonymous User]

I lateraled this year and it’s looking like I will close the year with about 1800 hours. What kind of bonus (if any) am I looking at?

Did your offer letter say you are getting full year-end bonus (I negotiated this in but I lateralled when market was hot so maybe its harder to get). I imagine you will still get full market, last year there wasn't an hours requirement (didn't need to hit 2000) and 1800 is not a terrible full year. .

[Anonymous User]

Bump after the rumor in another thread that 20 NY SAs were cold offered. Need the Kirkland gang to chime in!

Sounds like bullshit - see that other thread for numerous comments concluding that the rumor is nonsense.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into lateral reviews? I lateraled about 11 months ago and I am pretty concerned. My hours were very hot and then cold and then hot again. I had a 3 month stretch of brutally low hours (low 100s) but a few months over 225 hours. Had a hard time juggling deals during my really busy months and feel I fell behind on some deals. I came over from a firm where I was doing typical 1st/2nd year work here as a 3rd/4th year there. Firm kept me as a 4th year. Transactional in one of our bigger cities though I work cross-office a bit.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into lateral reviews? I lateraled about 11 months ago and I am pretty concerned. My hours were very hot and then cold and then hot again. I had a 3 month stretch of brutally low hours (low 100s) but a few months over 225 hours. Had a hard time juggling deals during my really busy months and feel I fell behind on some deals. I came over from a firm where I was doing typical 1st/2nd year work here as a 3rd/4th year there. Firm kept me as a 4th year. Transactional in one of our bigger cities though I work cross-office a bit.

I read this like 5x and still don't understand it.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into lateral reviews? I lateraled about 11 months ago and I am pretty concerned. My hours were very hot and then cold and then hot again. I had a 3 month stretch of brutally low hours (low 100s) but a few months over 225 hours. Had a hard time juggling deals during my really busy months and feel I fell behind on some deals. I came over from a firm where I was doing typical 1st/2nd year work here as a 3rd/4th year there. Firm kept me as a 4th year. Transactional in one of our bigger cities though I work cross-office a bit.

I read this like 5x and still don't understand it.

The tasks I was doing at my previous firm as a 3rd/4th year are typically handled by 1st/2nd years here.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into lateral reviews? I lateraled about 11 months ago and I am pretty concerned. My hours were very hot and then cold and then hot again. I had a 3 month stretch of brutally low hours (low 100s) but a few months over 225 hours. Had a hard time juggling deals during my really busy months and feel I fell behind on some deals. I came over from a firm where I was doing typical 1st/2nd year work here as a 3rd/4th year there. Firm kept me as a 4th year. Transactional in one of our bigger cities though I work cross-office a bit.

I read this like 5x and still don't understand it.

Means at their old firm they were doing work equivalent to what a first year at K&E does, when they themselves were a 3rd/4th year.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have insight into lateral reviews? I lateraled about 11 months ago and I am pretty concerned. My hours were very hot and then cold and then hot again. I had a 3 month stretch of brutally low hours (low 100s) but a few months over 225 hours. Had a hard time juggling deals during my really busy months and feel I fell behind on some deals. I came over from a firm where I was doing typical 1st/2nd year work here as a 3rd/4th year there. Firm kept me as a 4th year. Transactional in one of our bigger cities though I work cross-office a bit.

I read this like 5x and still don't understand it.

Means at their old firm they were doing work equivalent to what a first year at K&E does, when they themselves were a 3rd/4th year.

For what it’s worth, I’m a K&E corporate junior and have noticed this as compared to friends at other firms, opposing counsel, etc. I’m realizing that we are routinely given work that might go to a midlevel at another firm (in addition to the usual junior tasks, though a lot of that can also be farmed out to PAs, Doc Services, etc). Also, that this continues up the ladder - our midlevels often do the work of seniors, seniors do the work of NSPs, and NSPs do the work of SPs.

This is a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it’s an off-the-deep-end trial-by-fire and the learning curve basically remains steep for a long time. On the other hand, you graduate into more interesting and valuable work very quickly, and your skills get developed way faster (out of necessity) so it’s a hell of a learning experience. I think whether all that stuff is overall positive or negative depends on your personality and whether you want to actually build a longer-term BigLaw career or just hang around a couple years paying off loans and then bounce.

[Anonymous User]

Chicago RX summers are scheduled for 10 minute "summer review" zoom meetings with a NSP next week. Do those receiving offers receive them at the end of that meeting? If you're not receiving an offer, would they likely schedule a different type of meeting to review your summer performance (not 10 minutes or maybe not on zoom)?