Associate Bonus Watch: Proskauer Shares the Wealth With Boston and L.A.
The latest Biglaw bonus announcement to cross our desk is that of Proskauer Rose. The firm is paying year-end and special bonuses, according to the familiar scale, consistent with the firm's "established merit and hours guidelines." The non-New Yorkers among you will be pleased to see that the Proskauer bonuses are the same across the New York, Boston, and Los Angeles offices.
Also, congratulations to Proskauer's eleven new partners (and four senior counsel), whose promotions were recently announced. A special shout-out to Jon Oram, our law school classmate, and a leading young sports lawyer. Jon's clients include the NBA, the NHL, Major League Soccer, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New Jersey Devils. Congrats, Jon!
P.S. For the record, Jon was not our source for the Proskauer bonus memo -- which we've posted for your reading pleasure, after the jump.
PROSKAUER ROSE LLP -- MEMORANDUM -- 2007 ASSOCIATE BONUS ANNOUNCEMENT
Re: Bonus Announcement
To: Boston, Los Angeles and New York Associates
cc: Partners, Senior Counsel
From: Executive Committee
Date: November 14, 2007
The Executive Committee is pleased to announce year-end benchmark and special bonuses to eligible associates as set forth below.
Benchmark Bonus Special Bonus
Class of 2007 $35,000 pro rated $0
Class of 2006 $35,000 $10,000
Class of 2005 $40,000 $15,000
Class of 2004 $45,000 $20,000
Class of 2003 $50,000 $30,000
Class of 2002 $55,000 $40,000
Class of 2001 $60,000 $50,000
Class of 2000 $65,000 $50,000
As we announced at the last Town Hall meeting, we will pay year-end bonuses based on the established merit and hours guidelines. This year, we will also pay a special bonus, consistent with those guidelines. Both bonuses will be paid in December to active associates in good standing.
Bonuses for senior counsel and associates beyond the Class of 2000 will be determined and communicated on an individual basis.
We thank you for your professionalism, hard work and commitment to providing the highest quality legal service to our clients, all of which have led to another successful year.
Proskauer Rose Announces 15 New Partners and Senior Counsel [Proskauer Rose LLP]
(105) Comments
Yeah Boston!
First!!!
You know, I always hated the first posters, until I had the chance to become one. FIRST!
Hours requirement at PR is 2000, so it shouldn't be an issue for most associates.
Curses, foiled again. My day will come, and it will be glorious.
Why Boston and LA but not DC? Weird!
has latham or cadwalader matched yet?
That is like $200k for 2000's in Boston and like $50 for 2000's in NY. And we have all the sports titles. Suck it NY!
has latham or cadwalader matched yet?
has latham or cadwalader matched yet?
I PASSED! Can I trust their website, though, after the software debacle in which they lost one of my essays?
W-O-W
No DC match? Proskauer DC people can thank Covington for that one. Proskauer has maybe 50 attorneys in DC, so it would not have been a big deal to just do nationwide (excluding NOLA), but they clearly didn't feel the need.
Bonus List of Shame
by NY Attorneys (Source: Crains)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15) Schulte
16) Wilson Elser
17)
18)
19) Latham & Watkins
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25) Greenberg Traurig
Latham hasn't matched....they're always late in announcing. Of course they will match, though, and now they'll be matching in at least some of their other offices, if not all.
Wait a second. Let me get this straight. Elite Boston-based firm bonuses are uniform throughout their major offices, yet elite Chicago and Washington-based firm bonuses are higher in their NY offices (even if their associates bill less in NY)? Must be that Boston cost of living.
Proskauer is very shady with bonuses. Less than 50% of the associates get full bonuses, notwithstanding their proported "matching".
Also, new partners at Proskauer are just glorified senior associates, since they are all non-equity. Proskauer hasn't made an equity partner since it switched to a two tier partnership.
I hate this coverage of bonuses so much. When will Late kill this stupid "feature."
I weep for the NY attorneys. Your bonus isn't bigger than everyone else's. How unfair is this world to you?
Where's the NY Bar Post of the Day?
9:51: Don't click on those stories then, stupid. Traffic is heaviest when bonus news comes out, so some people must like this coverage...
Lat we need a bar exam thread ASAP. The results are up.
9:50: "less than 50% of the associates get full bonuses?" How precisely are you getting information like what each associate gets for their bonus each year? I call bs.
9:52: Your faux concern is misdirected.
has Shulte matched?
has Shulte matched?
There we go again with the bonus coverage, stupidest thing on the entire Internet. We basically get 20 bonus threads for every LEWW thread or thread about who gets SCOTUS clerkships now, which says a lot about the priorities of ATL's readership.
10:13 - shut up.
NYC Bonus List of Shame
2008 Vault Rank / Firm / 2006 RPL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 Latham & Watkins LLP / $920,000
9
10
* 11 Kirkland & Ellis LLP / $1,035,000(Punted)
12
13
14
15 Wilmer Cutler / $890,000
16 Williams & Connolly LLP / $955,000
17
18 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP / $1,050,000
19 O'Melveny & Myers LLP
20
21 Arnold & Porter LLP / $855,000
22 Jones Day
23 Morrison & Foerster LLP
24
25
* 26 Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft / $1,000,000 (Punted)
27 Hogan & Hartson LLP
28 Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP
29
30 Ropes & Gray LLP / $855,000
31 Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
32
33 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP / $840,000
34 Winston & Strawn LLP
35
36 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
37 Linklaters
38 Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
39
40
41 King and Spalding
* 42 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius (Punted)
43
44 Baker & McKenzie
45 Baker Botts LLP
46 Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP / $980,000
47 Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP / $1,025,000
48 Dechert LLP
49 Irell & Manella LLP / $1,050,000
* 50 McDermott, Will & Emery / $875,000 (Punted)
51 Jenner & Block LLP
52
53
54 DLA Piper
55
56 Fish & Richardson P.C.
57 Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
58 Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
59 Goodwin Procter LLP
60 Cooley Godward LLP
...
67. (Kaye Scholer Matched w/ Performance Reqs.)
92. (Kramer Levin Matched w/ Perf. Reqs.)
NR. McKee Nelson (Failed to Match)
BONUS STATUS BY 2006 RPL
Rank 2006 in revenue
by revenue Revenue per lawyer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Wachtell ABOVE MARKET $2,455,000 2.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Sullivan & Cromwell MARKET & ABOVE MARKET FOR SENIOR ASSOC. $1,565,000 1.3%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Wiley Rein $1,520,000 162.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Cravath MARKET $1,355,000 5.9%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Davis Polk MARKET $1,200,000 4.8%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Simpson Thacher-MARKET $1,200,000 6.7%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 McKee Nelson BELOW MARKET $1,190,000 1.7%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Milbank, Tweed MARKET $1,110,000 10.4%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Skadden MARKET $1,095,000 10.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Cahill Gordon MARKET $1,075,000 8.6%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Fragomen, Del Rey $1,070,000 26.6%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Gibson, Dunn $1,050,000 4.0%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Irell & Manella $1,050,000 9.9%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 Kirkland & Ellis PUNTED $1,035,000 5.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 Paul, Weiss MARKET $1,035,000 0.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 Munger, Tolles $1,025,000 18.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17 Quinn Emanuel $1,020,000 28.3% SLIGHTLY ABOVE MARKET BUT PARTIALLY DEFERRED
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 Shearman & Sterling MARKET $1,010,000 2.0%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 Debevoise & Plimpton MARKET $1,005,000 8.6%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 Cadwalader BONUS ANNOUNCED, NO $ FIGURES $1,000,000 6.4%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 Boies, Schiller $980,000 3.2%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 Weil, Gotshal MARKET $980,000 2.6%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 Cleary Gottlieb MARKET $975,000 7.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 Willkie Farr MARKET $970,000 12.8%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 Williams & Connolly $955,000 2.7%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 Finnegan, Henderson $945,000 11.2%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27 Townsend and Townsend $940,000 6.2%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28 Fried, Frank $930,000 MARKET 4.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 Schulte Roth $925,000 6.9%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 Latham & Watkins $920,000 5.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31 Wilmer Cutler $890,000 5.3%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32 McDermott Will PUNTED $875,000 12.9%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33 Kaye Scholer MARKET WITH POSSIBILITY OF MORE & PERF. REQS. $865,000 7.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 Arnold & Porter $855,000 4.9%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 Ropes & Gray $855,000 1.8%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 Choate, Hall $850,000 10.4%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 Kramer Levin MARKET W/ PERF. REQS. $850,000 6.3%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 Heller Ehrman $845,000 5.0%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
39 Akin Gump $840,000 7.7%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Hughes Hubbard $835,000 12.1%
Not listed: Dewey (Market with hours requirement)
Clifford Chance (Market)
White & Case (Market)
Morgan Lewis (Punted)
Covington (Special Bonus - Regular Bonus not yet announced)
Sidley (Special Bonus - Regular Bonus not yet announced)
Freshfields (Market)
Allen & Overy (Market)
Proskauer (Market)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonus List of Shame
by NY Attorneys (Source: Crains)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15) Schulte
16) Wilson Elser
17)
18)
19) Latham & Watkins
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25) Greenberg Traurig
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-NY Bonus List of Shame:
(firms not matching in all domestic offices)
Firm (Offices that DID match)
1) Dewey & LeBoeuf (NYC)
2) Fried Frank (NYC)
3) White & Case (NYC)
4) Sidley Austin (NYC)
5) Covington & Burling (NYC)
6) Proskauer (NYC, LA, Boston)
Proskauer's bonus system is actually great because it allows bonuses for people who bill less than 2000 (1800-2000 get 85%), as compared to the other non lockstep NYC firms where less than 2000 = no bonus. Yeah, most people bill more than 2000, but for those of us who want lives too and don't reach 2000, we can still get a good chunk of loot. It's a nice thing.
A number of partners have made equity thus far, including this year. And not only do the majority of associates get market, those over 2300 (and some under 2300) get 10% above market. Plus, those under 2000 still get 85% of market (and can be bumped up to market based on other considerations). Get your facts straight.
10:13 -- start your own boring-ass blog then.
Can anyone give me legit feedback and analysis between Proskauer and Ropes in Boston?
It may seem like a simple decision to many; nevertheless, I am truly torn. Thoughts?
Lastly, a genuine analysis is appreciated. More than just "Proskauer is TTT" is also very appreciated.
Prosakuer has a 2400 hour requirement to get the top bonus. This is not a match, it is a public relations memo.
9:50: total bs. the current bonus structure at Proskauer is great. as 10:18 mentions, there are various scales for receiving bonuses: 1800-1999 is 85% of market, 2000-2299 is market, 2300-2799 is 110% and for those unfortunate few, 2800+ is 115% plus vacation (a bit ridiculous, I admit).
Overall, not too shabby.
10:28 -- total bs. why post if you have no idea?
10:28[2] - bs.
Pete/10:18, 85% please. The true benchmark is when you're firm sets really low billable requirements (so low that you should be fired for not meeting them) or none at all. See Skadden or Willkie.
10:28: honestly, unless you want to do something very specific that Ropes doesn't do, I would say Ropes is clearly the better choice. The firm has a reach that proskauer just doesn't have. (THat is not saying proskauer is a bad firm, it's a great firm, I just don't know what makes it so different that you would be willing to go there over Ropes.)
Paul Hasting has announced their bonuses.
Proskauer did not match. The memo was sent to make them look good. I hope Proskauer associates come back here after bonuses are actually paid and report how they all got screwed.
Congrats to all the new Proskauer "Partners" who now have a shiny new title to go with.... umm, absolutely nothing, since they are non-equity.
10:56 - no it has not
Thanks and appreciated.
One of my major concerns is my coming from a midwest Tier 2 school. I worry about fit and acceptance within the Ropes community, especially other SAs. I understand that "work speaks for itself." However, I don't want to spend a summer looking over my shoulder at 50 H kids that can't figure out why I am allowed in the same room with them. Is this a real concern, or am I letting the few (mainly bloggers from this site and others) speak for the many?
i love all the people who post "first" but then aren't actually first. douchebags.
I interviewed with a T&E (?) partner (female) at Ropes years ago for a legal asst job as a precursor to law school. She said with a haughty tone "All my prior assistants when on to such great schools at Harvard . . ." Although I went to a top liberal arts school, my grades were middle of road, so I knew I wasn't getting in there. I also didn't get the job. So, yes, I think they would be snooty.
Also, Boston is very provincial when it comes to hiring associates.
s/b went on to such great schools . .
doh!
10:17-
On your BONUS STATUS BY 2006 RPL list shouldn't it be:
Proskauer (Market with merit and hours requirements)
Or are hours reqs now market (if so shouldn't you change those like Dewey to simply "market")
85% for 1800 hours is a pretty good deal. Do they could pro bono hours?
11:01: there are certainly lots of HLS kids at Ropes, but they (and those from Y&S) make up less than half the class. I think it was just slightly above a third of the class last year. So there are lots of folks from non HYS schools. The SA's main connection seems to be to the Boston area and not to their schools.
11:01: there are certainly lots of HLS kids at Ropes, but they (and those from Y&S) make up less than half the class. I think it was just slightly above a third of the class last year. So there are lots of folks from non HYS schools. The SA's main connection seems to be to the Boston area and not to their schools.
10:52: If you want to do labor/employment or sports law, absolutely go to Proskauer. In my mind, Proskauer also has the more national reputation, but I'm probably just being NYC-centric.
First-timer: I understand what you're saying, but just take your paycheck and rise above it. It's annoying, but that's about it.
First Timer -
You won't get an offer at Ropes unless the firm (and the people who interview you) think you're smart, hard working and a good fit. If you get the offer, we meant it, and no one here will care where you went to law school.
The Ropes "Harvard-only" stigma is outdated. We're hiring a ton of people, and we're trying to take the best students from a wide range of schools.
Bingham raised the minimum billables - firmwide to 2100 hours. They should be giving special bonuses firm wide. No word yet.
11:40: Yes, I agree with your position about sports law and possibly even national recognition. But what are the odds that Proskauer/Boston/Corporate breaks into Proskauer/NYC/Sports Law?
Ropes has a growing Sports Law practice in Boston that is part of its Corporate Practice Area. Doesn't it seem more plausible that breaking into Sports Law through Ropes would be easier, or is this practice limited.
A couple other tidbits...Proskauer is growing exponentially since its opening in 2004 (Boston). My understanding is that this growth isn't capped; therefore, just b/c it is currently limited in its corporate reach, it may not be in 2 or 3 years.
Thoughts on working at the mothership (Ropes) v. branch office (Proskauer)?
Does the permanent offer process work different? Rumor has it Proskauer offers specialized work (Private equity), whereas Ropes offers general corporate.
11:47: Thanks for the comments.
I have both offers in hand and could not be happier. I just want to make the right decision, not based solely on prestige/stature/work, but also on culture and fit (and the ability to eventually kick ass). A little soft I know, but nonetheless important.
i'd take ropes over proskauer in boston any day
id take bingham over proskauer any day too
11:19. Duly noted. The change will be noted on the next List of Shame. Hours requirements are definitely NOT market.
10:28 - Proskauer certainly has the advantage in sports law, but that's it. It would be tough to find a reason why you'd choose any firm over Ropes in Boston, but especially a NY firm's branch office...
Ropes is hands down the best firm in Boston. It's a regional firm that has a great national name (like Cravath in NY - just Boston's a smaller market so not as well known a name).
If you want to stay in Boston go to Ropes, its also a fantastic place to work (I have friends who went there and absolutely love it).
After Ropes comes the rest of the pack, led by Bingham.
I don't understand these comments about PR bonuses. I've been with the firm for years and know for a fact that most associates get full bonuses. Several years ago, the firm paid below market bonuses which caused problems with morale and associate retention. In the last three years, the firm has paid market bonuses to all associates who bill 2000 hours per year, 85% to associates who bill between 1800 -1999 and 110% to associates who bill 2300+. I know several people who billed between 1800-1999 who were bumped up to the full market bonus. They give 100% for ALL pro bono hours worked (i.e., there is no cap) and for shadowing time (capped at between 125-200, based on years of experience). I'm not saying that PR is the best firm on earth, but to say that they don't pay market bonuses to most of the associates is total BS.
All I can say as someone at one of the top tier Boston firms, is thank god for Proskauer. They were the first NYC firm with a legitimate Boston presence to raise to the 160K scale, and now they are the first one to match the NYC bonuses.
If history repeats itself, Ropes will be next, and then the rest of the wannabe firms will fall in line, usually in order of prestige.
It is funny that there are summer associates here, weighing the decision between some of these firms. Pay close attention, young padawan, to the speed with which the Boston firms get their shit together on compensation. It will be a very telling sign for how they will act on compensation changes when you join them. Would you rather work for a firm that is rapid to reward the hard work of it associates in a manner that reflects the inevitable tide of the market, or one that has to think for three months on whether you are worth it?
HINT: there are a lot of associates in Boston right now who wish they worked at Proskauer so they could stop wasting their otherwise billable time reading this damn blog for bonus news updates.
Where does Chadbourne & Parke fit into all this? They're conspicuously left off of the lists of shame and the rankings. Can anyone weigh in on C&P?
I would take Goodwin over Ropes or Bingham any day
1:14
you're crazy - or you work at Goodwin.
I work in NY (and thus don't really care) and tell you it goes Ropes, pretty big drop off, then Bingham leads the rest of the pretty tight pack.
To piggyback 1:04:
Proskauer and Ropes are just two different animals in Boston. It is understood that Ropes is the more prestigious and settled firm in Boston. Even still, Proskauer is exploding into Boston and expanding rapidly, not to mention those I know who work there seem to actually enjoy being a part of the firm (even enjoy each other). Whereas, Ropes is well, Ropes - some say a machine or "meat-grinder." No doubt a great choice to have, but I agree with First Timer that it may not be as cut and dry as some would have it be.
1:04
You don't know what you're talking about. Skadden hasn't announced their bonus structure yet - does that mean every other firm in NY is better? or will pay more? do you really think Skadden associates are worrying about it?
The real issue is that the Boston market is slower to announce than NY. Proskauer announced because they announced in NY anyway and Boston isn't their main concern. In fact, that should be evidence that other firms are better for Boston - namely that if you want to work in Boston you should pick a firm whos main concern IS BOSTON if possible. Otherwise known as Ropes and Bingham and a couple others. Maybe its a good thing PR is there to set a trend, but that doesn't mean its a market leader in Boston - just that its a follower in NY and Boston is getting a perk.
1:20
I work in NY at Goodwin, and I don't know where you get that Bingham leads the rest of a pretty tight pack. Anyone who tells you that Ropes doesn't lead the way just doesn't know how it works up there, but otherwise I think there's a pretty comparable pack there. Then again, I've never really understood what makes one firm a "leader" or why you'd be "crazy" to go to one of the other firms.
Skadden announced last week. Get with it. Every place worth considering in NYC (along with a few maybe not worth considering) have announced bonuses.
sweet jesus thank you
1:30
Maybe its all pretty tight, those are just my personal ideas of whos the best - whatever that means. In the end its a personal preference - I was speaking to prestige in Boston. Ropes in my mind is by far the most prestigious in Boston, and then comes Bingham - partly becuase its the main office of a 1000 person firm in NY and has a great Boston practice and has been around forever. They do everything and do it really well. They seem to have a good mix of history and great management. That being said their Boston office isn't going to be their main office for long, I've heard rumors of their NY office tripling in size pretty soon (obviously through a merger).
As far as being crazy - I meant being crazy in terms of whos the most prestigious, not which is a better firm for an individua person.
"in NY" supposed to read "in the US"
I think the 85% bonus is actually better than the firms with hours requirements that don't have this option.
Infirmation used to keep a table that included footnotes with all the different variables. As it appears that above law is currently taking infirmation's place with respect to bonus info, it would be great if above law could dedicate a webpage having such information.
dear Bingham-lover
Bingham doesn't give any bonus below 2100 hours - its not pro-rated
2099 and you get NOTHING
1:54 - is that true? Any Bingham associates beg to differ?
1:27-
As another poster already pointed out, Skadden announced their bonus structure some time ago. As you would also know if you had half a clue, the NYC firms that have not announced bonus numbers at this point in fact very much ARE looking like a bunch of turds who can't get their shit together. Thanks for proving my point. Thanks also for proving another of my points (which I had yet voiced), namely that anyone who disagrees with my mind numbingly obvious contentions is one of the following: (a) a moron, (b) a leader of the comp committee at one of these "drag the feet" firms, or (c) both.
For those non-morons watching this thread, you now understand the seriousness of the problem here.
P.S. The posts elsewhere that suggest Bingham is number two in Boston are so laughable that I think they can only mean we are being baited. Anybody who could think such a thing has never been closer to Boston than Connecticut. Oh crap, I just took the bait.
Oh its definitely true. Whats more - they claim not to have an hours requirement, but a "goal" of 2100 hours (which was recently raised from 2000 and ripped in a post a couple weeks ago). Bonuses are completely "discretionary," but everyone knows if you don't bill your "goal" don't expect a penny.
I'm a current Bingham associate. We are raising our hours requirement to 2100 for FY2008, which is a ridiculous public relations, recruiting, and retention disaster in the making. However, Bingham hasn't announced its bonus policy yet for 2007 (which is annoying in its own right too).
So 1:54 p.m. has no idea what he or she is talking about.
From what I've heard from friends who work at Bingham, in they past they haven't given any partial bonuses whatsoever. I didn't say anything about this year - but if the same trend continues they wont be giving it this year either.
If I'm wrong and they go give pro-rated bonuses, let us all know.
If not then you're wrong and I do have an idea what I'm talking about.
I bench 285 and could bench 340 when I was on steroids.
Anyone ever heard of a SA rescinding an acceptance?
Were they kicked out of the legal community forever...banished to boutiques in Duluth, Minnesota.
lots of firms have 2100 hours minimum for bonus and no one cares - bingham just raised so everyone knows about it.
not to mention people at bingham only bill right above the minimum. a lot of firms who have a 2000 hour policy (which seems better than Bingham) on avergae bill 2500 and up, so the 2000 hour policy basically could be anything (1700) cuz no one bill it anyway. it makes no practical difference
1:41 -
Hahaha. That made me laugh. Keep thinking that Bingham will ever remotely matter in NY. Hahahahahaha...... Bingham is just another regional firm trying to make an international presence that, at the end, is just TTT when compared to NY Biglaw.
whats TTT
Where does Skadden's Boston office and the Wilmer office fall in the hierarchy of firms?
Below Ropes and Bingham
Below Ropes and Bingham
Anyone, anyone?
Would you do it for a "better" firm or is your word your bond?
My friend wants to know.
Third Tier Toilet
Would anyone pick Rope's NY office over some other considerably higher ranked firms (according to Vault at least)?
Is there noone to tell me if you would rescind an acceptance at a good firm to go to Ropes Boston?
My friend still wants to know.
it depends on what the firm is that you're rescinding. If the firm you accepted at is in Boston its kinda shitty - if it was in another city you could say that your plans have changed and you really need to be in Boston for personal reasons and you hope they understand. Its not too late that they're done interviewing they can always get someone else.
Dear This thread is dead,
Supposedly, rescinding an offer is frowned upon as most of the recruiting chairs at the various firms know each other and as Boston is such a small legal market, people know who is who. So think about it in those terms. I personally would consider rescinding b/c I was coerced by a friend to accept an offer at a less than TTT firm in Boston that was supposedly lifestyle... was warned not to rescind offer in exchange for Ropes or Skadden or Goodwin... one month into my summer experience, was painfully miserable, promised things would get better, accepted offer (yes, idiot) , didn't get better, contemplated how badly it would hurt if I jumped out the window... and left within a year for a top firm. So I say rescind if you think it's the right thing to do. All firms are the same crap shoot anyway. Just pick what makes you feel comfortable. Trust, you are completely disposable and they won't remember you after rescinding your offer.
Theres nothing wrong with the other top firms in Boston. Skadden is Skadden and Wilmer Hale is great too - just in case you're the guy who posted earlier. You're not hurting yourself going there.
What's all this stuff about Proskauer having non-equity partners? Non-equity partners at Proskauer are "senior counsel." Partners are partners.
Tell your "friend" to go for it. Firms leave people high and dry all the time, so give it back to them ... I mean, tell your friend to give it back to them.
what is up with the Paul Hastings bonus?
yeah dude just so you know this message board is anonymous, you don't have to say its your friend to save face
Just left: You are VERY wrong. Proskauer only makes non-quity partners these days. You get the title of partner, and a little more cash, but you don't get a piece of the firm. You are basically a higher paid senior associate with a nice title (not that there's anything wrong with that).
5:12 -- there's now a 2-tier partnership, with a senior counsel position still open for those who aren't seen as partner track.
No one cares about Proskauer. Clearly second -- or third? -- tier (size doesn't make up for quality).
Funny - I thought Ropes and Wilmer were neck and neck in Boston for tops.
To be honest, I never saw the Ropes offer coming...now that it is here, I find myself trying as hard as humanly possible to kick myself in the face. I cannot believe how uncomfortable it is between this rock and this hard place. I thought the more offers the better...nope, ruined that by accepting too early.
Dazed -
Discuss it with your Ropes recruiting attorney. See what he/she says.
10:54: Just rescind the other offer. Any fallout will be outweighed by having R & G on your resume. These places have short memories, anyway. You're one of many at this point.
For the person wondering about Ropes from a low ranked school: Go to Ropes - I met plenty of the people during recruiting and they didnt seem to be the type to care that I wasnt from HLS. In my experience, when you meet those from schools ranked far below you, you just presume they are smart enough to have been at or near the top of their class, else the firm wouldnt hire them.
I know people from Ropes. I know people from Proskauer Boston. The people I know from Proskauer are far happier with their career (they are all corporate, I dont know about litigation etc.). Take it for what it's worth, but Ropes tends to drive associates into the ground.
Beantown -
Your thoughts on this subject are not worth anything. As a Ropes corporate associate, I can tell you it is an excellent place to work. I also certainly know more Ropes associates than you, and dispute your claim that we all are being driven into the ground.
But thanks for playing.