White & Case or DPW for NY finance/banking? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Practice group specific feedback is appreciated. I am 100% on practice group and geography. Posting anonymously as I have been in contact with each of these firms.

White & Case seems to allow more specialization and I'm interested in whether you think that is good or bad in a transactional group. Especially interested in "soft" and cultural measures.

[dyemond]

If you are dead set on finance, the answer is DPW and it’s not close at all. More pointedly, I can’t think of a reason I would do W&C over DPW absent a specific desire to use the NY office as a stepping stone to migrating to an international office.

W&C is a great firm but DPW is probably one of a handful of firms that is strong in nearly every high profile practice area.

Specialization isn’t a particularly “good” thing. If you are boxed into airplane engine securitizations or something like that, it will seriously cramp your learning curve.

[Anonymous User]

This is no brainer. Go to DPW. DPW is stronger in all areas, including banking/finance.

In terms of soft and cultural factors, DPW is much better as well. W&C has a billable target, but even if you bill above the target, they sometimes do not give full bonuses to some associates when the firm overall hasn't performed well. Morale on the whole is not great there. That firm doesn't care much about associate morale. DPW is one of the most profitable firms in the country and will never disappoint you with respect to compensation.

Earlier this year, many firms, including W&C and DPW, laid off associates. I've heard that DPW gave out 6-month severance packages whereas W&C gave out 3 months to most and 5 months to a few.

Also, DPW has just about as strong international presence in major overseas markets such that I can't imagine anybody picking W&C in this case because they want to work overseas later. In fact, I can't think of any reason anyone would choose W&C over DPW in this case.

[existentialcrisis]

This is not a practice area I’d recommend being set on as a 2L.

That being said, DPW is prob the single best firm at banking and finance

[Anonymous User]

This is no brainer. Go to DPW. DPW is stronger in all areas, including banking/finance.

In terms of soft and cultural factors, DPW is much better as well. W&C has a billable target, but even if you bill above the target, they sometimes do not give full bonuses to some associates when the firm overall hasn't performed well. Morale on the whole is not great there. That firm doesn't care much about associate morale. DPW is one of the most profitable firms in the country and will never disappoint you with respect to compensation.

Earlier this year, many firms, including W&C and DPW, laid off associates. I've heard that DPW gave out 6-month severance packages whereas W&C gave out 3 months to most and 5 months to a few.

Also, DPW has just about as strong international presence in major overseas markets such that I can't imagine anybody picking W&C in this case because they want to work overseas later. In fact, I can't think of any reason anyone would choose W&C over DPW in this case.

DPW laid off associates? Not doubting you, just that hasn't been widely reported.

[Anonymous User]

This is no brainer. Go to DPW. DPW is stronger in all areas, including banking/finance.

In terms of soft and cultural factors, DPW is much better as well. W&C has a billable target, but even if you bill above the target, they sometimes do not give full bonuses to some associates when the firm overall hasn't performed well. Morale on the whole is not great there. That firm doesn't care much about associate morale. DPW is one of the most profitable firms in the country and will never disappoint you with respect to compensation.

Earlier this year, many firms, including W&C and DPW, laid off associates. I've heard that DPW gave out 6-month severance packages whereas W&C gave out 3 months to most and 5 months to a few.

Also, DPW has just about as strong international presence in major overseas markets such that I can't imagine anybody picking W&C in this case because they want to work overseas later. In fact, I can't think of any reason anyone would choose W&C over DPW in this case.

DPW laid off associates? Not doubting you, just that hasn't been widely reported.

According to the layoff tracker (lawlayoffs.com), DPW's HK office laid off at least 4 cap markets associates earlier this year. W&C laid off quite a lot globally this year.