Top Law Schools

Like most other people on here, I am looking to work in a pretty decent-sized law firm. I have no desire to work in NYC, DC, or LA because (and I can't believe I'm saying this) I want to stay in CT. I have spoken with a few attorneys from the bigger +100 lawyer firms, however they are all out of the V100 range. From what I understand, just about everyone that either praises or complains about Biglaw is talking about the very high end firms in the V100, V20, ect. What about the lower end of the Biglaw spectrum? One of the firms I'm looking into is the lower end of AM 200. How much do the billable hour requirements change? Are the supervising partners still as stringent as the top firms? Just asking so I know what to brace myself for.

Circumstances vary from firm to firm.

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Biglaw_Associate_V20 wrote:Circumstances vary from firm to firm.

This. You're talking about literally "everyone else." Some of those firms are still modeled on vault firms, with typical biglaw traits (like hiring and offering summers, up-or-out promotion, lockstep salaries, some attempt to map onto market salaries and bonus) while others aren't.

I know there are some strong firms with interesting practices in CT, but I don't think there are many "full service" offices, so my biggest question would be about which groups have a strong CT presence. I'd try to find a friendly alum or two of your school working in that market and see what they'll tell you.

I don't think the "vault 100" are fixed; it's an pseudo-amorphous category from which a firm can fall in and out from year to year. So obviously there are firms outside the 2014 V100 that are ranked, they just don't make the cut.
Example: last year, Troutman Sanders would not have technically been "V100." This year it is. Next year some other firm that wasn't on the list will make it. By default, there are a number of firms that are per se "V100" in nature even if they aren't repeat players on the list.