Should I just accept my V60 offer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Recently received my first offer from a v60-50 firm. I personally don't care too much about prestige and felt like the interviewers were all very nice people. I do have several firms in the v20s that I have callbacks with or waiting to hear back from, but I don't really care too much about prestige. It seems that the vault rankings do correlate with exit opportunities (at least from what I've heard), is that really the case? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by accepting this offer and canceling my callbacks?

[becodalapa]

Recently received my first offer from a v60-50 firm. I personally don't care too much about prestige and felt like the interviewers were all very nice people. I do have several firms in the v20s that I have callbacks with or waiting to hear back from, but I don't really care too much about prestige. It seems that the vault rankings do correlate with exit opportunities (at least from what I've heard), is that really the case? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by accepting this offer and canceling my callbacks?

I'd say just do the callbacks. You have an offer in hand so they won't be as stressful, and who knows, maybe you'll like one of the V20s better. Plus more interview practice can't hurt.

The only reason I wouldn't do them is if there is going to be a lot of annoying travel involved. But even then, they might still be worth doing.

[4LTsPointingNorth]

Recently received my first offer from a v60-50 firm. I personally don't care too much about prestige and felt like the interviewers were all very nice people. I do have several firms in the v20s that I have callbacks with or waiting to hear back from, but I don't really care too much about prestige. It seems that the vault rankings do correlate with exit opportunities (at least from what I've heard), is that really the case? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by accepting this offer and canceling my callbacks?

Do the interviews with the other firms and let yourself feel however you feel after all of them and make the decision after you've evaluated all your options.

OCI is exhausting but the next couple of weeks and the ultimate decision you make affect how the next couple years of your life and the beginning of your legal career will play out, so tough it out through the rest of the process so you can feel like you've made the best decision possible even if you end up choosing this same firm in the end.

[Anonymous User]

Recently received my first offer from a v60-50 firm. I personally don't care too much about prestige and felt like the interviewers were all very nice people. I do have several firms in the v20s that I have callbacks with or waiting to hear back from, but I don't really care too much about prestige. It seems that the vault rankings do correlate with exit opportunities (at least from what I've heard), is that really the case? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by accepting this offer and canceling my callbacks?

i think it's worth making a decision based on the people, even if you don't care about the prestige. firms that seem the same on paper might look completely different after the callbacks...so it doesn't hurt to have those conversations, even if you end up winging them comfortably because you have an offer. with the pressure off, you can just have a conversation and that might pay off more in the long term than clearing a few hours off your schedule this week.

[Anonymous User]

So the V50-60 are:

Allen & Overy
K&L Gates
Boies
Cad
Baker Botts
Pillsbury
Dentons
Vinson
Greenberg
H&K
Freshfields

If this is Boies and you are dead set on lit, then accepting now may make sense.

For any of the other firms, a V20 will def provide you with better opps long term. You can always lateral “down” to any of these firms.

For instance, A&O and Freshfields, while great firms, are satellites of their European counterparts and UK firms tend not to be the best place to start your career cause of such nature (you end up becoming a US support group of European deals).

K&L Gates is below market.

Cad is a securitization sweatshop and bad rep in general.

Dentons is generally below market and is not considered a good firm in general cause too big and takes any and all whatever churn of the mill matters. I never see them on the other side.

Baker Botts and Vinson are respectable and Vinson seems to have more weight in Texas (and as a result in general), but they are both Texas firms. If NY, might not be the best place to start unless you are interested in energy.

Pillsbury and H&K are not bad but you can go there anytime after a year or two at a Ropes or whatever. Also, I think H&K may not be market.

Greenberg is a sweatshop. Dont go.

[Anonymous User]

So the V50-60 are:

Allen & Overy
K&L Gates
Boies
Cad
Baker Botts
Pillsbury
Dentons
Vinson
Greenberg
H&K
Freshfields

If this is Boies and you are dead set on lit, then accepting now may make sense.

For any of the other firms, a V20 will def provide you with better opps long term. You can always lateral “down” to any of these firms.

For instance, A&O and Freshfields, while great firms, are satellites of their European counterparts and UK firms tend not to be the best place to start your career cause of such nature (you end up becoming a US support group of European deals).

K&L Gates is below market.

Cad is a securitization sweatshop and bad rep in general.

Dentons is generally below market and is not considered a good firm in general cause too big and takes any and all whatever churn of the mill matters. I never see them on the other side.

Baker Botts and Vinson are respectable and Vinson seems to have more weight in Texas (and as a result in general), but they are both Texas firms. If NY, might not be the best place to start unless you are interested in energy.

Pillsbury and H&K are not bad but you can go there anytime after a year or two at a Ropes or whatever. Also, I think H&K may not be market.

Greenberg is a sweatshop. Dont go.

Great analysis for OP. Will note on the off chance that you are in Texas and the V60 is Baker Botts or Vinson—those are excellent firms in that market and probably better than whatever the V20s you are looking at are. Odds are OP is NY though of course.

[Anonymous User]

What a weird question. Do the callbacks. There’s no downside. See if you like another firm better (and if they give you an offer). If you don’t, you can accept the v60-50 offer. If you do, and they give you an offer, you’ll be grateful you didn’t take the first offer in the door.

[Anonymous User]

So the V50-60 are:

Allen & Overy
K&L Gates
Boies
Cad
Baker Botts
Pillsbury
Dentons
Vinson
Greenberg
H&K
Freshfields

If this is Boies and you are dead set on lit, then accepting now may make sense.

For any of the other firms, a V20 will def provide you with better opps long term. You can always lateral “down” to any of these firms.

For instance, A&O and Freshfields, while great firms, are satellites of their European counterparts and UK firms tend not to be the best place to start your career cause of such nature (you end up becoming a US support group of European deals).

K&L Gates is below market.

Cad is a securitization sweatshop and bad rep in general.

Dentons is generally below market and is not considered a good firm in general cause too big and takes any and all whatever churn of the mill matters. I never see them on the other side.

Baker Botts and Vinson are respectable and Vinson seems to have more weight in Texas (and as a result in general), but they are both Texas firms. If NY, might not be the best place to start unless you are interested in energy.

Pillsbury and H&K are not bad but you can go there anytime after a year or two at a Ropes or whatever. Also, I think H&K may not be market.

Greenberg is a sweatshop. Dont go.

Great analysis for OP. Will note on the off chance that you are in Texas and the V60 is Baker Botts or Vinson—those are excellent firms in that market and probably better than whatever the V20s you are looking at are. Odds are OP is NY though of course.

OP here. Thanks guys! This was really helpful (the firm is actually Pillsbury NY). I also got a NY v20 offer but the Pillsbury people did seem to like me more and vice versa. I was just worried that by turning down their offer now, I would be in their bad graces and wouldn't have a chance to lateral (granted, if they do keep grudges then it probably would not have been a great place to work). I guess I'll keep interviewing!

[Anonymous User]

So the V50-60 are:

Allen & Overy
K&L Gates
Boies
Cad
Baker Botts
Pillsbury
Dentons
Vinson
Greenberg
H&K
Freshfields

If this is Boies and you are dead set on lit, then accepting now may make sense.

For any of the other firms, a V20 will def provide you with better opps long term. You can always lateral “down” to any of these firms.

For instance, A&O and Freshfields, while great firms, are satellites of their European counterparts and UK firms tend not to be the best place to start your career cause of such nature (you end up becoming a US support group of European deals).

K&L Gates is below market.

Cad is a securitization sweatshop and bad rep in general.

Dentons is generally below market and is not considered a good firm in general cause too big and takes any and all whatever churn of the mill matters. I never see them on the other side.

Baker Botts and Vinson are respectable and Vinson seems to have more weight in Texas (and as a result in general), but they are both Texas firms. If NY, might not be the best place to start unless you are interested in energy.

Pillsbury and H&K are not bad but you can go there anytime after a year or two at a Ropes or whatever. Also, I think H&K may not be market.

Greenberg is a sweatshop. Dont go.

Great analysis for OP. Will note on the off chance that you are in Texas and the V60 is Baker Botts or Vinson—those are excellent firms in that market and probably better than whatever the V20s you are looking at are. Odds are OP is NY though of course.

OP here. Thanks guys! This was really helpful (the firm is actually Pillsbury NY). I also got a NY v20 offer but the Pillsbury people did seem to like me more and vice versa. I was just worried that by turning down their offer now, I would be in their bad graces and wouldn't have a chance to lateral (granted, if they do keep grudges then it probably would not have been a great place to work). I guess I'll keep interviewing!

ur totally right abt ducking grudges...there's a chance that if u clearly level-up during interviews you'll be on their lateral radar for the long-term and you will be tapped into other firms that weren't in the equation this time around. you will be much more likely to lateral to pillsbury from a v20 than vice versa, even if they throw a tantrum that you didn't go there. you're clearly v20 material so why would a v60 let their emotions get in the way of potentially poaching you later on? that would just be bad business.

i would definitely be wary of going somewhere because ppl seem more interested in you. i too, like a dog, am very motivated by praise. however, you need to remember that it is all recruitment...they are doing this to get you in the door and know that if they can't beat a firm with prestige they can do it with kindness. once you work for them, there is no guarantee that will hold up, or that the people that were so nice to you (who are the ones firms know to put front-and-center during recruiting) will be the ones you work with. i got the best vibes from Kirkland during my interviews and almost let those vibes take me there...and that should tell you something. the partners there made me feel like i was brilliant and all seemed like amazing ppl to work for...but then i spoke to associates and they couldn't even pretend like they enjoyed their job. make sure you talk to someone not involved in the recruiting process before using the vibe test.

[Anonymous User]

I didn't read all of this thread, but the right answer is to do the callbacks and then decide... are you worried your offer is going to be revoked in the interim? It probably won't be (and I use "probably" only in the sense that nothing in life is certain other than death and taxes (unless you have a good accountant and lobbyists)--if a firm is going to revoke an offer it'll potential rescind an accepted offer too).

[Anonymous User]

Man, law students are lazy. Do the damn callback and then decide. It costs you nothing.

It's amazing this even needs to be discussed.

[Anonymous User]

So the V50-60 are:

Allen & Overy
K&L Gates
Boies
Cad
Baker Botts
Pillsbury
Dentons
Vinson
Greenberg
H&K
Freshfields

If this is Boies and you are dead set on lit, then accepting now may make sense.

For any of the other firms, a V20 will def provide you with better opps long term. You can always lateral “down” to any of these firms.

For instance, A&O and Freshfields, while great firms, are satellites of their European counterparts and UK firms tend not to be the best place to start your career cause of such nature (you end up becoming a US support group of European deals).

K&L Gates is below market.

Cad is a securitization sweatshop and bad rep in general.

Dentons is generally below market and is not considered a good firm in general cause too big and takes any and all whatever churn of the mill matters. I never see them on the other side.

Baker Botts and Vinson are respectable and Vinson seems to have more weight in Texas (and as a result in general), but they are both Texas firms. If NY, might not be the best place to start unless you are interested in energy.

Pillsbury and H&K are not bad but you can go there anytime after a year or two at a Ropes or whatever. Also, I think H&K may not be market.

Greenberg is a sweatshop. Dont go.

Good analysis, but I'd say Boies has fallen off enough to not be a slam dunk anymore even for people set on lit, hence why it is now a V60 and falling. Also, can confirm H&K is market, at least in the major markets.

[Anonymous User]

Man, law students are lazy. Do the damn callback and then decide. It costs you nothing.

It's amazing this even needs to be discussed.

Ok boomer

[Anonymous User]

Man, law students are lazy. Do the damn callback and then decide. It costs you nothing.

It's amazing this even needs to be discussed.

Ok boomer

I'm 25.

[Anonymous User]

Another vote on the "why not wait and see what happens then decide" side. Not all firms are equal, even if the salary is. A firm that only recently went to lockstep might not stick to it through a recession. And long term career will be better from more prestigious firm.