West Virginia Big law Forum

[joefresh]

I want to do M&A work, so that's definitely a plus. In my research thus far (Vault, NJ250, etc) I've noticed a lot of people complaining about low salary but there seems to be some information which suggests Dentons offers high bonuses/benefits to 2/3rd year associates which makes up for this. Furthermore, I guess there's the ability (or, perceived ability) to lateral to one of Dentons many international offices.

I care A LOT about salary.

Please let me know what you guys have heard/experienced.

Thank you kindly.

[Mullens]

Hey all, looking at a SA at Denton's next summer through a family connection (other firms available as well, just curious about Dentons)

I want to do M&A work, so that's definitely a plus. In my research thus far (Vault, NJ250, etc) I've noticed a lot of people complaining about low salary but there seems to be some information which suggests Dentons offers high bonuses/benefits to 2/3rd year associates which makes up for this. Furthermore, I guess there's the ability (or, perceived ability) to lateral to one of Dentons many international offices.

I want to be in New York or somewhere in the northeast, and I care A LOT about salary.

Please let me know what you guys have heard/experienced.

Thank you kindly.

Dentons does not pay market. Any firm with black-box compensation does not pay market as a rule. Any talk from the firm about bonuses to make up for compensation is bullshit and still will leave you under market.

Dentons also doesn't do that much M&A

[Pokemon]

What are the other available firms?

[Wipfelder]

Hey all, looking at a SA at Denton's next summer through a family connection (other firms available as well, just curious about Dentons)

I want to do M&A work, so that's definitely a plus. In my research thus far (Vault, NJ250, etc) I've noticed a lot of people complaining about low salary but there seems to be some information which suggests Dentons offers high bonuses/benefits to 2/3rd year associates which makes up for this. Furthermore, I guess there's the ability (or, perceived ability) to lateral to one of Dentons many international offices.

I want to be in New York or somewhere in the northeast, and I care A LOT about salary.

Please let me know what you guys have heard/experienced.

Thank you kindly.

Dentons does not pay market. Any firm with black-box compensation does not pay market as a rule. Any talk from the firm about bonuses to make up for compensation is bullshit and still will leave you under market.

Dentons also doesn't do that much M&A

According to NALP they pay Summers market (3462.00/week). I imagine that means first year compensation is 180,000.00.

[Winter is Coming]

If salary is your number one concern and you are competitive for other firms, obviously you should look for firms paying lockstep market. Absolutely use Dentons as a fallback if you have great connections there. The Vault rankings are useless in a lot of ways, but for large deal M&A work in NYC they are actually a pretty good guideline for firms you should be looking at. A lot of this depends on your school and grades in terms of how competitive you will be for those types of firms.

[joefresh]

What are the other available firms?

Thompson & Knight + id rather not spill my entire prospect list. But the advice thus far has been helpful.

[Pokemon]

What are the other available firms?

Thompson & Knight + id rather not spill my entire prospect list. But the advice thus far has been helpful.

If your other firms are the like of Thompson then dentons probably a good deal. If the others are the likes of let's say Paul Weiss, then dentons is a bad deal. Hard for people to advise if they do not know your other prospects

[joefresh]

I thought Thompson>Dentons, if I'm honest..... or maybe my "I want to be in NY" thing is what messed that up.

And ya ... No Wiess. a) couldn't get it b) dont care very much about prestige

[Mullens]

I thought Thompson>Dentons, if I'm honest..... or maybe my "I want to be in NY" thing is what messed that up.

And ya ... No Wiess. a) couldn't get it b) dont care very much about prestige

So the Vault rankings/prestige are pretty much only valuable for Corporate practice is New York. Considering you want to do M&A in New York, then you should be considering things like the M&A league tables and Chambers rankings.

Obviously if Dentons is your best option, then take it without hesitation, but it's far from being the best option for M&A in New York.

[joefresh]

I thought Thompson>Dentons, if I'm honest..... or maybe my "I want to be in NY" thing is what messed that up.

And ya ... No Wiess. a) couldn't get it b) dont care very much about prestige

So the Vault rankings/prestige are pretty much only valuable for Corporate practice is New York. Considering you want to do M&A in New York, then you should be considering things like the M&A league tables and Chambers rankings.

Obviously if Dentons is your best option, then take it without hesitation, but it's far from being the best option for M&A in New York.

Did not know this. What if ... say I wasn't interest in doing M&A and realistically just want to make market-pay? Would you suggest I focus on any field in particular to maximize odds (just not Patent obvs)

[law9898]

I thought Thompson>Dentons, if I'm honest..... or maybe my "I want to be in NY" thing is what messed that up.

And ya ... No Wiess. a) couldn't get it b) dont care very much about prestige

Yeah I don't think TK does very much m&a work in NY. If you're talking about Dallas/Houston then sure but I'm pretty sure TK in NY is mainly just real estate.

[joefresh]

Yea, TK in Texas is cool .... like, I'd be happy

[BigZuck]

Don't go to law school.

[joefresh]

Don't go to law school.

i think you mean "retake"

[BigZuck]

Don't go to law school.

i think you mean "retake"

No I really don't. This is a straight up don't go, full stop situation.

[joefresh]

Don't go to law school.

i think you mean "retake"

No I really don't. This is a straight up don't go, full stop situation.

Would west virginia or Ole Miss give me a better shot at Texas big law? People in another forum told me Texas A&M would not help but I'd think that the regional pull would be valuable. I'm not taking the Lsat again and I'm dead set on becoming a lawyer as it is all that im passionate about.

[TLSModBot]

Moved to Ask a Law Student/Graduate forum.

[UVA2B]

Don't go to law school.

i think you mean "retake"

No I really don't. This is a straight up don't go, full stop situation.

Would west virginia or Ole Miss give me a better shot at Texas big law? People in another forum told me Texas A&M would not help but I'd think that the regional pull would be valuable. I'm not taking the Lsat again and I'm dead set on becoming a lawyer as it is all that im passionate about.

Then enjoy not getting the type of lawyer job in the region where you want to practice. That's not hyperbole. West Virginia and Ole Miss is not putting you in TX corporate work. It's hilariously misguided to even have to ask that question.

[cavalier1138]

Would west virginia or Ole Miss give me a better shot at Texas big law? People in another forum told me Texas A&M would not help but I'd think that the regional pull would be valuable. I'm not taking the Lsat again and I'm dead set on becoming a lawyer as it is all that im passionate about.

Way to bury the lead.

Don't go to law school. If you are dead set on not retaking and your goals are stupidly impossible from your potential schools, then just don't go. If you're really passionate about this work, then you'll do what's required to actually do it, which involves going to a law school that has a decent biglaw placement rate.

Edit: I thought your name looked vaguely familiar. Create your own account (assuming this is the friend of the original account user) or stop trolling (if it's been the same person the whole time).

[joefresh]

I think the numbers from these schools are negatively biased. Not everyone who goes to law school wants to be a practicing lawyer. A lot of people just want a useful qualification and some female students are just there to find a husband.

Assuming I dont want big law, im sure if i do well at one of the aforementioned schools I can network my way into a reasonably respectable firm.

[guynourmin]

some female students are just there to find a husband.

what?

[chandhi]

some female students are just there to find a husband.

what?

[joefresh]

My friends say a lot of their girlfriends are there mostly for the social aspect woth no intentions of practicing. I dont condone it but i think it skews the statistics

[joefresh]

whatever. i told my friend this forum was useless anyways. bye.

[guynourmin]

bye.

plz