Litigation: WLRK or Cleary (DC) Forum

[knowoneknows]

Have narrowed it down to these two. Hesitant to leave too many details about my thought process here because I don't like having an online foot print.

To make a long story short: I'd be doing antitrust at Cleary, really liked the people & office, am a fan of the international opportunities, and prefer DC's more family-friendly big law culture. I currently live in DC and love it, but also love New York as a city. My hesitation really comes more from the work = life big law experience at the elite firms there. I know DC will be a grind too but based on my conversations I'm confident it'll be a little more humane.

My partner wants to be in NYC and my best option there is WLRK. Him aside, I'm wondering whether it's crazy to turn down WLRK for Cleary DC. It seems like a fairly easy decision to me now based on my gut instinct, but coming into law school I'd have never imagined turning down the money/experience that comes with a firm like that.

Thanks.

[crouton62]

If you're okay with leaving the money on the table if you turn down WLRK, you would not be crazy to pick Cleary in your situation. You will almost certainly work much more at WLRK than you will at Cleary. WLRK is WLRK, but it is hard to beat Cleary in terms of antitrust. Would you be doing antitrust at WLRK, as well? If not, are you okay doing whatever else type of work they would staff you on?

I believe Cleary's antitrust practice is run out of D.C. but would Cleary let you work out of their NY office? Would this be an acceptable outcome to you to accommodate your partner's preference for NY? If not, to me, this comes down to you and your partner figuring out whether you can collectively be happier in DC v NY.

Also, if you can get a job at WLRK, they can't be your only option for a job in NY. Have you applied to other strong antitrust firms in NY like Cravath or Skadden?

[Anonymous User]

WLRK is *significantly* more time at work -- it's your life. Even in litigation.

[Anonymous User]

I like money so I think you'd be crazy to turn down 450k starting comp.

[sleepyzombie]

You can always lateral to Cleary from WLRK but I doubt the other way around would be possible.

[Anonymous User]

Would you be doing antitrust at WLRK, as well? If not, are you okay doing whatever else type of work they would staff you on?

WLRK antitrust is almost strictly M&A deal support. Agree that OP should get a sense of what they'd be practicing as a litigator there because (aside from the money, perhaps) that's the biggest career difference here.

IMHO this comes down to how serious OP is with their relationship with guy-who-likes-NYC. If he's The One (or you're already engaged/married) and can be trusted to be supportive, getting those WLRK bonuses in his preferred city is kind of the dream. If it breaks down later and/or if he turns out to not like dealing with WLRK hours you're heading for a lot of resentment. An outsize percentage of people who succeed at WLRK have supportive spouses who either SAHM/SAHD or have really chill jobs and no kids

[Anonymous User]

You can always lateral to Cleary from WLRK but I doubt the other way around would be possible.

Wrong, my friend literally did this lol

[Anonymous User]

Have narrowed it down to these two. Hesitant to leave too many details about my thought process here because I don't like having an online foot print.

To make a long story short: I'd be doing antitrust at Cleary, really liked the people & office, am a fan of the international opportunities, and prefer DC's more family-friendly big law culture. I currently live in DC and love it, but also love New York as a city. My hesitation really comes more from the work = life big law experience at the elite firms there. I know DC will be a grind too but based on my conversations I'm confident it'll be a little more humane.

My partner wants to be in NYC and my best option there is WLRK. Him aside, I'm wondering whether it's crazy to turn down WLRK for Cleary DC. It seems like a fairly easy decision to me now based on my gut instinct, but coming into law school I'd have never imagined turning down the money/experience that comes with a firm like that.

Thanks.

I am not particularly money motivated, but, still, Id give serious thought to watchtell. I get that you feel confident that DC will be less of a grind, but how do you know? It might be less work *on average*, but there's serious variation from the mean in both markets. I agree that DC is more family friendly, but if you don't yet have kids, it might be a little while before you "feel" the difference given that infants don't do much at all. If I'm right to infer that you're not yet married, it could be ~3 years before the family-friendly factor matters much (i.e., one to get married, another to have a baby, another till that baby is 1). It's actually pretty easy to imagine that, by that point, you've decided you've had enough of biglaw. In that scenario, I bet you'd be glad you picked watchtell.

[GunnerControl]

While WLRK is WLRK, I don't think it'd be crazy to pick Cleary for antitrust if that's what you want to do and where you'd rather be. Location and strength in desired practice area are generally thought of as two of most important factors in these decisions. And I know Cleary has some NY antitrust associates so if you ever wanted to move there, that might be an option too.

[Anonymous User]

An important aspect of this question is your work tolerance. WLRK can be miserable if you're not the type who can work a ton even by biglaw standards. (No shade if you are, I don't think I could handle WLRK, although I would never be accepted so who knows, that might just be sour grapes).While WLRK pays more, you won't be making more money if the long run if you burn out after 1 year. If even normal biglaw work hours feels like too much that may point to Cleary being a better option.

[Anonymous User]

Just do 1-2 years at WLRK and either lateral if you do not like it or leave to clerk. The resume line of WLRK will pay out dividends for the rest of your career. You are going to work a lot anywhere so whatever. DC antitrust shops are not going anywhere.