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Fall Recruiting Open Thread: Vault 11-15 (2010)

comparing.jpgEven though we are moving out of the Vault top ten, we are still firmly in the land of law firms that everybody recognizes.

To refresh your memory, here is the next batch of firms on the Vault list:

11. Williams & Connolly
12. Debevoise & Plimpton
13. Paul Weiss
14. Gibson Dunn
15. Sidley Austin

Williams & Connolly was crowned the safest firm by Above the Law readers in March. And so far, the firm has worn its crown with grace and style. No layoffs to report at this small dynamo. It’s something to consider during this recruiting season.

After the jump, the Paul Weiss / Gibson Dunn troll fight starts in 3 … 2 … 1 …

Having me as an alum doesn’t seem to have hurt Debevoise’s rankings. The firm is ranked #12, exactly where it was last year. Whew! Of course, that means that I didn’t do anything to help Debevoise’s rankings either. In fact, to the untrained eye it would seem that my existence is entirely irrelevant. Let’s move on before my entire worldview comes crashing down.

We’ve had a lot of people say a lot of great things about Paul Weiss, but its strength during the recession has not shown up in the rankings. In contrast, Gibson Dunn — another firm that generates a lot of positive reports in our comments — did move up two spots to #14.

And at #15, Sidley Austin is still hanging in there, just where it was last year. Do you think laying off 229 people should have no effect on the firm’s ranking? Or do you think that the firm was wise to postpone its layoff decision until March?

Share with us your thoughts on the firms ranked #11 - #15 on this year’s Vault list.

Earlier: Vault Open Threads - 2010
ATL March Madness for Law Firms: Williams & Connolly is Crowned Biglaw’s Safest Firm

Comments

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1 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:40 PM

FIRST to say the ship be sinking.

Suck it Michael Ray!

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2 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:43 PM

Paul Weiss is starting relatively on time. I kind of wish I were working there...

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:52 PM

ANY OFFERS FROM PHILLY FIRMS YET????????????

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4 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:52 PM

Gibson Dunn couldn't have treated its summers any better. People are starting in November and received interest-free loans to cover them in addition to their stipends. Absolutely no attorney layoffs and an almost 100% offer rate. Quality work, quality people. Dollars to donuts GDC's rank continues to go up in the years to come.

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:54 PM

I love working at GDC. Quality, intelligent work. Great partners. Solid no jerks policy. Free market system = I've gotten work I really like. I couldn't be happier, as far as Big Law goes. I can't believe we moved down. Weird.

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 6:57 PM

How do people remember the difference between Paul Weiss and Paul Hastings?

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:08 PM

2 -- no, you don't.

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:10 PM

Plus, at GDC you can moonlight on reality shows.

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:12 PM

If I had my choice of firms, it would be GDC...

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:13 PM

Anyone know about summer associate offer rates at GDC NY?

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:15 PM

Summer offer rate at GDC DC?

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:28 PM

Oh wait... I think I've figured it out! Hastings has a T which you can replace with TTT because Paul Hastings is the shittier of the two Pauls. Is that how people keep them straight?

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:29 PM

How is that year after year, Williams & Connolly ranks below Covington in the general rankings, but if you go to the "Best in DC" rankings, it's always on top, ahead of Covington?

Further proof that the Vault rankings make no sense.

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:34 PM

13:

Probably because Covington has offices outside of DC, you retarded donkey.

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15 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:34 PM

BREAKING NEWS IN RACISM

Is there anything in the natural world that is not racist?

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Sca/SCA_WhoIsAtRisk.html

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:38 PM

15 is racist, pls moderate.

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:44 PM

15, Please be advised that there is an informal gentleman's code, which holds that if you post a link in a comment it had better be on topic and either very interesting or very entertaining. Otherwise you are considered by all to be a jackass. Thank you.

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:45 PM

Oh, Latham is not on this list either. Yes, they fell THAT far in just one year.

The market doesn't like ungodly layoffs.

FIRE DAVE GORDON

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:45 PM

wow, gibson trolls really are out in force today.

great firm and all, but they've been doing stealth layoffs for months. i personally know several ppl let go for "performance" when it's just an hours thing.

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:46 PM

Gibson Dunn is now ranked higher than Latham

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:47 PM

Folks who took Latham over Gibson are PISSED

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:50 PM

mcdermott will and emery to 190k !!!

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 7:59 PM

any guesses as to when Sidley NY class of 2009 non-deferred will actually start? anyone hear anything beyond the November 2 email from March?

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:01 PM

22 - you mean mwe to 190 layoffs?

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:05 PM

Paul Weiss = slave labor

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:05 PM

14, I laughed out loud at that. Quite right.

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27 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:16 PM

I'm a 2L in NY doing OCI and was wondering if I could get some help. I bid on Latham because I heard they were very prestigious. I just noticed that their Vault rank went down this year. Does anyone know why that may be? They are still ranked pretty high though. Was it just a mistake and they might come back next year? Would it still look good to have Latham on my resume? My only other options are lower ranked firms--Quinn Emanuel, Boies Schiller and Jones Day. I'm afraid it would be career suicide to go to a lower ranked firm, and my gut tells me that Latham will rebound back into the top ten. What should I do?

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28 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:27 PM

Gibson made offers to 43 out of 47 summers in NY.

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:28 PM

27--you should stop trolling this blog, fuck off and die. Thanks.

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:36 PM

27 -- I would say choosing any of these three firms -- Quinn Emanuel, Boies Schiller and Jones Day -- would be a way smater choice than going to latham.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:38 PM

Get a life, 27.

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:39 PM

Wow. That's angry. How am I the one trolling when you are the one who sounds like an angry little troll? Maybe I don't understand what "trolling" means? Anyway, could someone actually help? I thought this group of practicing attorneys might have some insight. I have to make decisions about these callbacks soon.

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:48 PM

27/32, when I was in law school, I actually had a life and didn't know what this website was or every sordid detail about the happenings of lawfirms. BUT, that was in boomtimes.

I can't believe that in this economy, you don't know about Latham's mass layoffs and butchering of first year associates and exactly why it's fallen in rankings. Therefore, you are a troll.

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:52 PM

23 - No word on that here in Chicago either. Also, we still don't have assigned practice groups.

My theory is that they're waiting until they find out who passes the bar.

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:54 PM

27 - unfortunately, no one thinks you are funny.

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36 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:56 PM

27, Latham is still a great firm. I wouldn't be too concerned about rankings and prestige as I'm sure Latham will end up alright. I'd concentrate more on where you feel comfortable.

I'm an associate at Gibson and couldn't be happier. To me job security is important and I feel that more here and I'm not sure how much I'd feel it at some of the other firms out there. When I started some years back we were ranked lower than Latham.

You're gonna spend a lot of time at work, just get used to that. So find a firm where you feel comfortable spending those hours, even if it's a few spots lower on the vault ranking. Each firm has its own personality and feel to it. Gibson is not for everyone, neither is Latham, neither is Quinn Emanuel, etc. When you interview, FIRST see which firms give you an offer before you stress over it, then see if there's one that stands out and feels good to you.

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37 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 8:59 PM

I heard on NPR about White & Case layoffs but they did not mention Latham. This is my first time to this blog. A friend at school said it was a good place to get the inside scoop on firms. I guess I should have read the old posts before asking here. Frankly, I'm astonished by how un-professional these comments are for a blog supposedly frequented by the best and brightest. Sorry if I wasted anyone's precious time they could have spent calling each other gay poopy heads.

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:04 PM

Hi, thanks for having me here. I'm a first time commentor

STFU

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39 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:11 PM

Any word on the Gibson DC summer offer rate?

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:13 PM

I chose Debevoise over Skadden thinking that Vault rankings weren't that important. Turns out VAULT RANKINGS ARE ALL THAT MATTER.

FML.

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:23 PM

Vault rankings are important if you have a small pecker..
or, if by some fluke, you got an offer from one firm that is much higher ranked than the other offers you received.

I guess they also matter for bragging rights during law school.

42 Posted by Waaaaaaaaambulance Chaser | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:31 PM

I will fight for your bragging rights during law school!!!

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:42 PM

Gibson has been doing stealth layoffs for months. I know multiple people who were given 3 months to get out. This includes junior associates who otherwise received excellent reviews.

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44 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:47 PM

how do you pronounce debevoise?

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:49 PM

44, the French way . . . on opposite day!

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46 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 9:59 PM

Nice subtle Boies trolling.

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47 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:18 PM

observations:

Williams is a fantastic place for the uber-brilliant and nerdy. Its for the annoying law review types at the Top Ten schools. So its kinda irrelevant to all the wannabes on this site.

Debevoise is a classy place. But more nerdy types. Older, multiple degrees, married with kids- not a fun place. Great job security though- riding this recession like few others.

Paul Weiss will work you until you die, and then work you some more. But theyre the tops in New York litigation. Worth it for a few years but no more.

Gibson seems like the perfect firm, though it has a long ways to go before it becomes a serious player in New York. But its nice to see Gibson knock Latham off its california perch.

Sidley is the quintissential all around multipurpose firm. Theyre not the best in anything anymore but they do pretty well across the board. No way to really know if its reputation as the "nice and friendly firm!" is bullshit or not, though the Sidley people I've dealt with were always very smart, personable, etc. etc. Definitely not a sweatshop, but I guess these days thats not something you kids really need to worry about.

end.

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48 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:18 PM

37--sorry for the confusion. You thought this blog was for the best and the brightest. It actually is intended for lawyers and law students, i.e., the most mediocre and unimaginative.

Glad to clear that up for you.

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49 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:28 PM

It's hilarious that ATL thinks any of the V15 is hiring anyone outside the Top 10% at HYS this fall. Where's the ATL post on the OCI massacre of the class of 2011???

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50 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:37 PM

23, 34

Is Chicago the only Sidley office without assigned practice groups? This silence is unnerving.

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51 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:39 PM

NY has not assigned practice groups either. Though, to be fair, they usually don't until July/August. So, if the November start date is to be believed, practice group assignment should take place around Oct.

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52 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 10:49 PM

Sidley isn't a sweat shop? Think again. That place is a hell hole.

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53 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:04 PM

latham suck a cummy dong

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54 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:09 PM

42 = dumbest attempt at a schtick ever.

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55 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:14 PM

Latham is Gibson's bitch

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56 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:15 PM

Im at sidley and the place is not a sweatshop. its got plenty of flaws, like every place, but ive been here for 5 years and have always been treated well, worked reasonably hard, etc. much better off in that dept than my friends are other V20 firms.

this is the the corporate side in NY, though i hear the same holds true in chicago.

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57 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:17 PM

27

Taking Latham NY over ANY firm is insane. NY is Latham's most jacked office.

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58 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:24 PM

17 -- put that code up your ass. I say dumb shit here all the time. Maybe you need somebody eat your asshole out.

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59 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:25 PM

I hear Bob Dell and Dave Gordon bathe together in the tears of the Lathamed first years.

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60 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:26 PM

these rankings make no sense as they never have. w&c should be #1. Debevoise should be like #3 or #4.

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61 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:28 PM

Starting salary will be 190K ... in 2017

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62 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, August 24, 2009 11:59 PM

so latham's not even in the top 15 now?

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63 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:00 AM

42- you rock! Your schtick is better than that PE nonsense.

-not 42

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64 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:33 AM

anyone know reasons for the gibson no offers?

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65 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:38 AM

51 - I had heard that Chicago assigned practice groups in June in years past. Tacking on two months for the deferral, we should have heard something by now.

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66 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:08 AM

49 - um, top 10% at CCN, 2 offers at V10 already, and 8 or so callbacks to come. It's bad, but not THAT bad.

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67 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:22 AM

I'll put in a good word for Sidley Chicago. I'm in the corporate group and really like it. Nice people, good attitudes and the work is challenging.

As for timing of practice groups, etc.: I didn't hear about my practice group until a few months before I started. Also, anyone who believes that they're waiting until bar exam results before giving the info is an imbecile. No one fails--seriously.

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68 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:26 AM

27.

If you think this group is helpful, you are wrong. This place is a factory for loathing, ire, and resentment. If you are looking for information, truth, or analysis perhaps you'd be more comfortable at the wall street journal law blog or howard bashman's how appealing column. Just make sure to load up on coke first, because otherwise you'll fall asleep.

Therefore, and thuswith, allow me to be the SECOND to advise you to fuck off ... and die.

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69 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:17 AM

When looking at the Williams & Connolly website, the people don't look super trendy, but neither very nerdy. I particularly like the name Ba(b)bylon

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70 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:01 AM

A friend of mine says that at least one office of Sidley will be having their meeting for summer offers on Wednesday. Wonder whether they will have lots more pissed off folks come Thursday/Friday.

From another friend the Lit group is keeping them right now as Corp and Real Estate are slow to screwed. Wishing folks well since you didn't have the sense to go to K&E ;)

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71 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:04 AM

Oh, speaking of Sidley and holding off til March, it was probably purposely done since the survey was due like the day BEFORE they announced layoffs.

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72 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 7:02 AM

Wonder when deb summers will start...

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73 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 7:10 AM

cov is ranked higher than w&c b/c cov has an awesome Transportation Practice -- that's where all the big money is made and where the future growth lies.

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74 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 8:58 AM

GREAT NEWS

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75 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:00 AM

Walmart won its fight to build a store on the Wilderness battlefield. Cheap Chinese lead tainted plastic shit 1- History 0.

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76 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:32 AM

48 for the win!

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77 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 10:28 AM

47 - Debevoise isn't riding this recession better than anyone else. It's just adopted an alternative model for wholesale lay-offs: stealth firings.

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78 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 10:49 AM

Paul Weiss litigation is the best place to be in any economy; I don't think there's another biglaw firm in New York that has the same quality of work. And it has to be one of the "safest" firms in this economy (see two recent huge lateral partner hires -- Beth Wilkinson and Vice Chancellor Lamb -- for some proof of this).

That being said, it's not for the faint-hearted.

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79 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:07 AM

I know MANY gibson no offers - in NY and especially LA. Don't be fooled, their offer rates were not 100% and these were not awkward or lazy people

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80 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:16 AM

Latham's a shit firm. They laid off over half the first years in NY four months after they started. Nearly half the associates in that office have been canned. Predictably, it's become a very miserable place to work, contrary to what Latham recruiting or Dave Gordon may tell you. Layoffs of that magnitude will do that to a firm. Don't think they won't do it again. Only a couple years ago the firm had record PPP and was making its "no layoffs" promise.

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81 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:30 AM

WHO GIVES A FLYING FUCK

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82 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:31 AM

Why doesn't anyone have the Gibson summer offer rate by office?

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83 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:44 AM

Gibson NY did give offers for 43 of 47, the vast majority of whom have already accepted. The remaining four had a variety of reasons for not getting offers, each unique to the individual. Anyone on here who states that the number is different is clearly not from GDC NY.

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84 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:00 PM

WC is easily the top choice here, but the likelihood of getting a job there is so slim that nobody really talks about them. Firm is really in a class by itself when it comes to litigation. If I had to choose the best firms to work for - it would be Watchell for deals and WC for litigation; hands down. Both firms are both small, well managed, and are never in need of work (they turn tons of it away at the door). So if you can get a job here - TAKE IT

Of the rest Debs. is probably ranked lower than it should be. I havent looked at the partner rankings, but my guess is they rank higher there.

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85 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:02 PM

Gibson is too presitige driven. The firm would rather take someone with a 3.0 at HLS and no extracurriculars or journals than a 3.5 at a top 35-45 school with journals and extracurriculars. The firm is only interested in appearances and HYS.

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86 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:11 PM

Gibson is definitely feels more prestigious than Latham in LA. Latham NY used to be better than Gibson NY, but now Latam NY is total shithole of suckup and dumbasses.

BTW - whatever firm you are in, Gibson or Latham (god forbid), don't believe that free market system is helpful for you associates. It is used by the firm to employ you as know-nothing mokeys and if you don't concentrate in something in particular within 6 months, you will be useless when they lay you off as an associate.

-Dave Gordon (fake fucking rat asshole)

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87 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:40 PM

Gibson and Sidley had more Supreme Court arguments last Term than any other firms, by far. That has to count for something in a "prestige" ranking.

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88 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:19 PM

85 - maybe Gibson realizes its not fair to compare the grades of someone at a top school with someone who couldn't get in

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89 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:50 PM

79 - Everyone at GDC LA has seen the offer rates and they were ~95%. If you don't have the information, keep quiet.

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90 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:05 PM

77 - where do you get this information that Debevoise is having stealth layoffs? I work there and, to my knowledge, your assertion is untrue.

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91 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:44 PM

I can confirm 89. The email was sent out to everyone in GDC L.A. I don't know about other Gibson offices, but it looks like the offer rate in L.A. wasn't noticeably off from other years.

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92 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:09 PM

I assume 77 was just dinged after his Debevoise interview. Chin up though, friend--you should prepare for your next interview instead of bitterly posting lies on ATL.

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93 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:26 PM

79, I hate to tell you this, but if you know a no-offered GDC LA summer, your friend is awkward. And if you haven't noticed yet, you probably are too. (And by "awkward", I mean "social disaster.")

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94 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:51 PM

Sidley just sent out a confirmation email: the entire firm is starting its new associates on November 16.

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95 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 5:13 PM

GDC DC offer rate? anyone?

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96 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 5:41 PM

95 -- there were some splitters who stayed late and whose fate has not yet been determined.

That is, there's no final number yet.

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97 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, August 25, 2009 7:21 PM

Anyone who says Paul Weiss is slave labor or is a bad place to work is full of shit. Any law firm is slave labor and a bad place to work. And Ellie, I'm sure Debevoise would appreciate if you don't associate yourself with them seeing as you are an embarassment to the legal community.

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98 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, August 26, 2009 7:03 PM

83's info is totally legit.

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99 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, August 26, 2009 11:04 PM

85/88: Gibson doesn't take anyone with a 3.00 from any school, period. HYS recruits generally have to be in the top 30-40%, and it jumps up to top 10-20% for most other schools. Having said that, their standards are way too low at some schools (e.g., Columbia and Virginia) (see Househusbands of Hollywood).

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