Featured Survey Results: Would You Do It Again?(And: Which firms' associates have no regrets?)

Last week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey asked, “If you knew then what you know today, would you still choose to join your current firm?”
We received 540 responses, and, overall 68% of you said yes. But the gruntlement (i.e., satisfaction) varied quite a bit from market to market:
  • Atlanta – 50%
  • Boston – 74%
  • Bay Area – 79%
  • Chicago – 70%
  • Dallas – 80%
  • Houston – 82%
  • Los Angeles – 71%
  • New York – 71%
  • Philadelphia – 75%
  • Washington, DC – 68%
Apparently, “everything is bigger in Texas” includes job satisfaction, and the Bay Area is close behind, followed by Philadelphia. Meanwhile, firms in Boston have managed to produce slightly happier associates than firms in New York, notwithstanding the city’s often lamented bagels and challenging pizza scene — a challenge Chicago offices, hampered by quiche deep dish pizza, have been unable to surmount. Washington, DC lags a bit behind, and Atlanta clearly needs a hug.
Associates at a few firms were particularly likely to say they’d make the same choice today. Find out which firms have especially happy campers, after the jump.


The following firms scored a 100% “yes” response:
  • Latham & Watkins – “By far the friendliest and smartest large firm.”
  • WilmerHale – “Good money, great benefits, pretty good work.”
  • Weil – “Still think it’s the best gig in bigfirm NYC – I almost always have fun at work”
  • McDermott, Will & Emery – “[T]hey are conservative in their hiring, thus when it comes to the time of recession, there is less likelihood of layoff/fake performance firing.”
Davis Polk and Skadden were in the 85% to 90% range, with comments including “Love the people, work” and “Prestige, impressive clients, and wonderful people”, respectively.
Also getting at least an 80% yea vote were Kirkland & Ellis, praised for “Money, Opportunities & Experiences, and Prestige”, and Ropes & Gray, described as “Great experience for a junior lawyer, caring supportive environment, great mentors, sane colleagues.”
For those of you who answered “no”, last week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on where else you would go is still open.

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