Litigation: S&C (NY) vs DPW (NY) vs Cleary (DC) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Moderate preference for living in DC but having strong exit opps is very important, so would turning down the relative prestige of S&C/DPW limit my options?

Also want a pleasant work environment (by BL standards anyway). I liked my callback interviewers at all three firms. In fact, the people at S&C were probably my favorite BUT there’s so much on this site and elsewhere online about how S&C’s culture is brutal even by BL standards.

Any other thoughts on these firms would also be much appreciated.

[soft blue]

What does "strong exit opps" even mean? Opportunities will be different coming from a DC office that focuses on antitrust compared to NYC offices that focus on white collar (DPW) and general commercial (S&C). At any rate, I would not choose Cleary DC if I wasn't seriously interested in antitrust; that's very much the focus of the office.

[Anonymous User]

What does "strong exit opps" even mean? Opportunities will be different coming from a DC office that focuses on antitrust compared to NYC offices that focus on white collar (DPW) and general commercial (S&C). At any rate, I would not choose Cleary DC if I wasn't seriously interested in antitrust; that's very much the focus of the office.

Ha fair enough. I honestly don’t know what I want—I’m very interested in antitrust but wary about committing to one practice area so early in case I change my mind. By strong opps I meant the breadth of choices: e.g. would Cleary mean the only places I’d be able to go are DOJ/FTC/state AGs to do antitrust? What range of opps could I get after S&C/DPW?

[Anonymous User]

DPW is strong in antitrust. DPW litigators are generalists for the first 3 years and specialize thereafter. S&C litigation associates are generalists. I don't know much about Cleary, but DPW lit associates end up doing pretty well when they leave BigLaw and often go to clients.

[soft blue]

Antitrust is a practice with interesting exits, both government and in-house at the bigger players. Cleary DC is a well-regarded office; if after 2 years you decide antitrust isn't for you, you won't be pigeonholed too much when you try to lateral.

For exit opportunities, it depends on what you do at each firm and how long you stay. Investigations has a different opportunity set than general commercial or securities.

If you want DC and have a strong interest in antitrust, sounds to me like Cleary is the correct call.

[Anonymous User]

I would go with SullCrom or DPW here. Probably SullCrom. You don't know what kind of litigation you want to do, and Sullcrom is strong in generalist lit and has relatively small lit working groups (although people don't just stay within one group, they work with several, so that cuts against the small firm feel a bit). DPW is also a great firm and comparably prestigious, but it's not as strong in general commercial lit

[Anonymous User]

there’s so much on this site and elsewhere online about how S&C’s culture is brutal even by BL standards.

Idk, there's rarely a lot of specifics in those reports. My sense is that they're emblematic (along with Cravath) of the NYC transactional meatgrinder, which is definitely appropriate but doesn't mean things are better or worse than the rest of the big V20 offices in that city

[Anonymous User]

I would go with SullCrom or DPW here. Probably SullCrom. You don't know what kind of litigation you want to do, and Sullcrom is strong in generalist lit and has relatively small lit working groups (although people don't just stay within one group, they work with several, so that cuts against the small firm feel a bit). DPW is also a great firm and comparably prestigious, but it's not as strong in general commercial lit

What makes you rule out Cleary—is it the (obv relative) lack of prestige?

[Anonymous User]

there’s so much on this site and elsewhere online about how S&C’s culture is brutal even by BL standards.

Idk, there's rarely a lot of specifics in those reports. My sense is that they're emblematic (along with Cravath) of the NYC transactional meatgrinder, which is definitely appropriate but doesn't mean things are better or worse than the rest of the big V20 offices in that city

Hmm DPW doesn’t get as bad a rep for this, though.

[Anonymous User]

Why do you prefer DC? Is it just location? Or do you want more proximity to government work?

I think the biggest difference here is being in the NY or DC market. Sull Crom and DPW are pretty similar within the NY market, with Sull Crom being perceived as better at general civil litigation.

[The Lsat Airbender]

there’s so much on this site and elsewhere online about how S&C’s culture is brutal even by BL standards.

Idk, there's rarely a lot of specifics in those reports. My sense is that they're emblematic (along with Cravath) of the NYC transactional meatgrinder, which is definitely appropriate but doesn't mean things are better or worse than the rest of the big V20 offices in that city

Hmm DPW doesn’t get as bad a rep for this, though.

DPW has at times enjoyed a rep of being populated with nicer people and then there is this countervailing thing where people claim that what counts for "nice" there is actually an unpleasant passive-aggression with more pleases and thank-yous. I don't think either PoV is specific enough to be credible but anyway it goes to show that culture is in the eye of the beholder

[Anonymous User]

Why do you prefer DC? Is it just location? Or do you want more proximity to government work?

I think the biggest difference here is being in the NY or DC market. Sull Crom and DPW are pretty similar within the NY market, with Sull Crom being perceived as better at general civil litigation.

Proximity to govt work and cost of living.