So you want to be a NY Corporate Associate? Forum

[rpupkin]

I'm not the one who started with the NBA analogy, don't be stupid. And pay has nothing to do with it. I'm saying the LIKELIHOOD of a D1 player entering the NBA is probably more comparable to the chances of a lawyer in BigLaw getting into gov from a T14. If the chances are better than that's even better. #ReadBetweenTheLines

[MyNameIsntJames]

Alright so I'll drop the gov option for now. It seems like that it is really difficult & enough people are saying it to where I'm not gonna question it. What do you all think about the JD/MBA path?

expensive but maybe not dumb if you have enough business experience to make it work

ETA: at a school with a good b-school.

What about in terms of expanding career options?

[smaug]

lmao

[MyNameIsntJames]

I'm not the one who started with the NBA analogy, don't be stupid. And pay has nothing to do with it. I'm saying the LIKELIHOOD of a D1 player entering the NBA is probably more comparable to the chances of a lawyer in BigLaw getting into gov from a T14. If the chances are better than that's even better. #ReadBetweenTheLines

Sorry not to be a asshole lol. That response was a little aggressive , I'm drinking right now.

[PeanutsNJam]

I know James you're a URM but you still seem comically deluded as to what you can accomplish with a 3.1/161. Harvard? JD/MBA Northwestern? You talk like biglaw is a guarantee when many T14 strike out. Get gov't job easy? Lol.

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I know James you're a URM but you still seem comically deluded as to what you can accomplish with a 3.1/161. Harvard? JD/MBA Northwestern? You talk like biglaw is a guarantee when many T14 strike out. Get gov't job easy? Lol.

You don't know what you are talking about. James, go gender fluid and you will get Yale no problem.

[BigZuck]

I know James you're a URM but you still seem comically deluded as to what you can accomplish with a 3.1/161. Harvard? JD/MBA Northwestern? You talk like biglaw is a guarantee when many T14 strike out. Get gov't job easy? Lol.

You don't know what you are talking about. James, go gender fluid and you will get Yale no problem.

I might have stumbled into this thread at the wrong time but can someone tell me what the hell "gender fluid" is?

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I know James you're a URM but you still seem comically deluded as to what you can accomplish with a 3.1/161. Harvard? JD/MBA Northwestern? You talk like biglaw is a guarantee when many T14 strike out. Get gov't job easy? Lol.

You don't know what you are talking about. James, go gender fluid and you will get Yale no problem.

I might have stumbled into this thread at the wrong time but can someone tell me what the hell "gender fluid" is?

"Gender Fluid is a gender identity best described as a dynamic mix of boy and girl. A person who is Gender Fluid may always feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more boy some days, and more girl other days.
Being Gender Fluid has nothing to do with which set of genitalia one has, nor their sexual orientation.
No, I'm not a boy, and I'm not a girl either. I am gender fluid."

[Danger Zone]

Getting back to the topic at hand, a full set of revised loan docs just came from opposing counsel today for a deal that's supposed to close tomorrow. Gets who gets the first pass at reviewing! Wooo

[asdfdfdfadfas]

Getting back to the topic at hand, a full set of revised loan docs just came from opposing counsel today for a deal that's supposed to close tomorrow. Gets who gets the first pass at reviewing! Wooo

Call in sick.

[Danger Zone]

I prefer this hell to unemployment, shockingly. Also I'm expected to work on days that I'm out sick too.

[Johann]

Been sick for 3 days this week. Haven't totaled my hours yet, but its somewhere around 85 billables.

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I prefer this hell to unemployment, shockingly. Also I'm expected to work on days that I'm out sick too.

How long do you anticipate it will take to get done? Also, are you in NY?

[Leonardo DiCaprio]

I prefer this hell to unemployment, shockingly. Also I'm expected to work on days that I'm out sick too.

what practice area are you in DZ

[Danger Zone]

Wooo that's enough. Didn't take as long as I thought but I also probably fucked up, lol first year.

I'm a general corporate guy. Can do anything from securities offerings, M&A, financings (usually involving real property), and restructurings resulting from bankruptcy.

I dislike all of these.

[rpupkin]

Been sick for 3 days this week. Haven't totaled my hours yet, but its somewhere around 85 billables.

JFC. Are you in trial? If not, 85 hours in a week is brutal, sick or otherwise.

[eng2law]

Read some but not all...sorry if already asked/discussed.

I'm definitely not some dreamy-eyed law student, I know Biglaw is Biglaw and it sucks, but any correlation to the fact that OP works at a V3? Is it the same everywhere or will people at V20....V50....etc...say any different?

It's very hard to generalize, but I'd say that--as a crude generalization--the higher the Vault ranking, the worse the experience is for the associate.

What do the V20 firms have in common? With a couple of exceptions, they have high profits per partner, high leverage, big clients with complicated matters/cases, and high billing rates. All of those things are great for partners, but at least most of those things are bad for associates.

As you get further down the Vault rankings, you'll find more firms with relatively humane environments and more substantive opportunities for associates. It also helps to be outside of NYC.

Again, this is a crude generalization. You'll find exceptions on both ends of the Vault scale.

My experience has been the exact opposite (I had a much better time at a non-NYC V10 than a non-NYC V100). Of course, it is possible that my experience is an outlier but I would guess that my experience is more typical. I'm talking within BigLaw, not BigLaw vs. MidLaw.

[rpupkin]

My experience has been the exact opposite (I had a much better time at a non-NYC V10 than a non-NYC V100). Of course, it is possible that my experience is an outlier but I would guess that my experience is more typical. I'm talking within BigLaw, not BigLaw vs. MidLaw.

Like I said, it helps to be outside of NYC. Some V10 satellite offices are relatively chill.

But what makes you think your experience "is more typical"?

[eng2law]

My experience has been the exact opposite (I had a much better time at a non-NYC V10 than a non-NYC V100). Of course, it is possible that my experience is an outlier but I would guess that my experience is more typical. I'm talking within BigLaw, not BigLaw vs. MidLaw.

Like I said, it helps to be outside of NYC. Some V10 satellite offices are relatively chill.

But what makes you think your experience "is more typical"?

Money flows more freely at the V10, so lock-step bonuses etc. are usually a given. At lower ranked firms people can stress you out with money issues and ding you out of raises. I have found that hours are not my major problem. They're bad, but they're more tolerable when other crap doesn't stress you out.

[rpupkin]

My experience has been the exact opposite (I had a much better time at a non-NYC V10 than a non-NYC V100). Of course, it is possible that my experience is an outlier but I would guess that my experience is more typical. I'm talking within BigLaw, not BigLaw vs. MidLaw.

Like I said, it helps to be outside of NYC. Some V10 satellite offices are relatively chill.

But what makes you think your experience "is more typical"?

Money flows more freely at the V10, so lock-step bonuses etc. are usually a given. At lower ranked firms people can stress you out with money issues and ding you out of raises. I have found that hours are not my major problem. They're bad, but they're more tolerable when other crap doesn't stress you out.

I agree that associate bonuses are generally better in the V10 than lower down in the Vault rankings. But how do you think the V10 firms manage to maintain higher PPP and higher associate bonuses? Part of the answer is higher billing rates, but the other part is higher leverage with associates getting ground into the ground. Sure, associates can work long hours at lower-ranked Vault firms as well, but the hours are likely to be worse at a V10.

[eng2law]

My experience has been the exact opposite (I had a much better time at a non-NYC V10 than a non-NYC V100). Of course, it is possible that my experience is an outlier but I would guess that my experience is more typical. I'm talking within BigLaw, not BigLaw vs. MidLaw.

Like I said, it helps to be outside of NYC. Some V10 satellite offices are relatively chill.

But what makes you think your experience "is more typical"?

Money flows more freely at the V10, so lock-step bonuses etc. are usually a given. At lower ranked firms people can stress you out with money issues and ding you out of raises. I have found that hours are not my major problem. They're bad, but they're more tolerable when other crap doesn't stress you out.

I agree that bonuses are generally better in the V10 than lower down in the Vault rankings. But how do you think the V10 firms manage to maintain higher PPP and higher associate bonuses? Part of the answer is higher billing rates, but the other part is higher leverage with associates getting ground into the ground. Sure, associates can work long hours at lower-ranked Vault firms as well, but the hours are likely to be worse at a V10.

What you say about leverage and PPP is true theoretically. Also, I'm not supporting V10 because they pay better.

Generally, I found the atmosphere more respectful at the V10 (also could be just the firm's specific culture). What I'm implying is that some of these lower ranked firms just can't really afford to pay their associates BigLaw salaries, but they do, and that leads to problems. That's my explanation -- which may or may not be true. Questions about whether clients will actually pay your bills (or if clients have budget caps), can make a partner's and hence an associate's life more stressful.

Also it just might be firm culture differences rather than rankings.

[Johann]

yeah V10s have way more associates per partner too. which means theres a lot more people either (1) being fired or (2) voluntarily leaving $200-$400k jobs. That's scary as shit.

[Londonbear]

How worried should you be about getting fired in your first year if you're at a NY V10?

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I have a general question. When you guys are referencing V whatever, I am assuming you are referencing vault rankings. Are those taken more seriously than the US news rankings? I have seen them used quite frequently here and I was just wondering if someone can just give me a general overview.

Also, for those who are practicing what are your thoughts on DLA Piper? Just wondering.


Thanks.

[Danger Zone]

Also, for those who are practicing what are your thoughts on DLA Piper? Just wondering.


Thanks.

ENJOY IT HAR HAR HAR