We received 1,036 responses to last week's ATL / Lateral Link survey on where you'd most want to work, which, in turn, was based on your nominations last month.

Here's how it turned out:

Survey Results: Which Firm Would You Most Want To Work For?

Overall, Latham & Watkins dominated the field, pulling in almost one fifth of all votes. Latham was the most popular choice among voters in L.A., the Bay Area, and Washington, DC, and was particularly favored by tax lawyers and litigators.

Runner-up Wachtell was actually the top choice of respondents in New York, narrowly besting Davis Polk and Latham. It was also, by far, the most popular pick among M&A lawyers, with roughly 30% of their vote.

Kirkland placed third overall, but was the top choice of Chicago respondents and patent lawyers, with almost twice as many votes as the next most popular firm in Chicago (Latham) and almost as many patent votes as the next two firms combined (Latham and Quinn).

Williams & Connolly, Ropes & Gray, and Davis Polk tied for fourth, with Ropes & Gray dominating the Boston vote, Williams & Connolly pwning DC (and gaining the second highest vote from litigators after Latham), and Davis Polk rocking the investment management scene (with Ropes & Gray running second best in that field).

Paul Hastings was the clear winner among labor & employment attorneys, winning almost 70% of the vote, and was also the most popular choice among real estate attorneys and lawyers in Atlanta.

On the Magic Circle front, Linklaters proved more popular than Allen & Overy, and was actually the most popular choice among securities lawyers. Allen & Overy was the most popular choice among structured finance attorneys.

So far, almost 1,000 ballots have been cast in this week's ATL / Lateral Link survey on where you'd most want to work, and it's clear that some firms are trying to win those votes.

Front-runner Latham has announced a "no layoffs" promise, and Ropes & Gray has upped the ante on the cool factor with revelations of card sharking partners. Speaking of cool, let's not forget that Quinn Emanuel's firm retreat is in Switzerland. Switzerland.

But while the firms work the vote, how do they work you? Are your assignments handed out by a careful administrator, or overseen by a mentor? Or is there a free market where you choose your own adventure?

Let's find out, in today's ATL / Lateral Link survey.

This month's ATL / Lateral Link survey, focused on which firm you would choose if you could go anywhere, was dominated by Latham & Watkins and Wachtell Lipton. But several firms were close behind.

  * Respondents had several reasons to applaud Latham: "Prestige", "Friends there are happy", "Awesome firm, awesome people", "They rock", "Prestige, substantive work, great litigation practice", and "Top notch clients and matters; kick ass bonuses; selective hiring in a good way (need good grades plus a good; personality); Vault top 10 without the stuffiness of originating on the east coast; good growth but no risk of Brobecking (great management + tons of funds).....should I go on?" Or, as one respondent summed it up: "ass kickers."

  * At Wachtell, with 2007 profits per partner of $4.48 million, money played a key factor in respondents' enthusiasm for the firm: "100% bonus", "money", "it's all about the cash", "I want the compensation!", "money honey" and, of course, "CASH."

  * "Money" was also a big plus for Cravath (even though their profits per partner were a mere $3.3 million). Voters also noted "Prestige, training, can go anywhere else afterwards."

  * "Prestige" and "Exit opportunities" also won several votes for Skadden, who also had more than $2 billion in revenues last year. (Their SideBar program is pretty cool, too.)

  * "Bonuses and work" were praised at Kirkland & Ellis, as was stability: "They're well positioned for the credit crunch and M&A downturn. And the pay's better, of course."

  * Sullivan & Cromwell was also coveted for "good work, and $$$$" as well as "reputation." With profits per partner of $3.13 million, that "$$$$" is appealing at multiple levels.

  * Paul Hastings surged in popularity as respondents complemented their labor & employment practice and their compensation structures in Atlanta and Chicago.

  * In an incendiary match-up, Davis Polk was heralded as "da bomb", while Boston heavyweight Ropes & Gray was declared "the bomb."

  * Among the Magic Circle firms, Allen & Overy supporters declared "Great offices, european attitude" while Linklaters was called "the best globally, both in equity and debt."

  * Debevoise won several votes for its combination of "prestige and culture".

  * Litigators were torn between Quinn Emanuel, where "hard core litigators with a great reputation" create an atmosphere where "[p]ersonality, quirkiness, and fun seem prevalent," and Williams & Connolly, as "the best litigatio[n] shop. Period."

So of these fourteen juggernauts of practice, prestige, and sweet, sweet profits, who would you most like to work for?

Cast your vote in today's ATL / Lateral Link survey, after the jump.

Several tipsters wrote us about the upcoming firm retreat of Quinn Emanuel -- or the "2008 Firm Hike," as it's officially called. It's taking place from July 9–13, over in... SWITZERLAND!!!

From one incoming QE summer:

I'm summering at Quinn, and I just found out that the annual firm hike is going to be in Interlaken, Switzerland. It's a four-day trip, capped by a 25 km hike in the alps. Summer associate perk watch?

We asked this individual if they're excited about the hike:

Hell yes. Forget ballgames and cooking classes, this is a serious trip. I chose Quinn because of the work hard-play hard mentality and outdoors-y vibe, but this is taking it to another level. It is rough that it's such a short trip, but I'd guess that a bunch of full-time employees will extend it by a few days.

More discussion -- some pro- and anti-hike sentiment, from full-time QE lawyers, plus comment from John Quinn himself (in an email with capitalization!!!) -- after the jump.

Your reading of gossip blogs -- well, at least those relating to your profession (so Perez Hilton probably doesn't count, unless you're in showbiz) -- has just been blessed. From an article entitled "Gossip Is Information By Another Name," in the New York Times:

Q. The office sometimes feels like one big water cooler, with colleagues gossiping about one another and about management. It’s hard to resist joining in, but it feels subversive to spread information this way. Is it?

A. Not necessarily. Most gossip is just communication, a way that people form networks of trusting relationships.

The word “gossip” has a negative connotation, but you could also call it strategic information sharing, counseling or mentoring, said Michael Morris, a research psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Columbia Business School who studies social cognition.

So feel free to bill your reading of ATL to "professional development," "office admin," or something similar. If you get asked about it, say you were gathering and sharing "strategic information," or "mentoring" younger lawyers.

As long as the information you’re spreading is not intended to hurt another person, it can actually be good for the company. Especially during times of major change, like downsizing or layoffs, gossip can be cathartic for employees, Professor Morris said.

See, e.g., Friday's O'Melveny & Myers thread (250+ comments).

A little more discussion, after the jump.

Here are a few quick updates on the associate bonus front:

1. Wilson Sonsini: On Monday night, the firm issued a long and complicated memo, which we've posted in all its glory after the jump. Since we haven't taken math since high school calculus, it went a bit over our head.

General reaction to the WSGR bonus news was less than positive. From one tipster: "My friends there are pretty pissed in light of Latham's bonuses." From another:

"Some constituent groups (those with low hours) are happy. Other groups (people who work for a living) are less happy. All associates outside of New York are upset that New York special bonuses were paid without a minimum hours requirement."

Under the WSGR bonus system, in certain class years, a lawyer in New York who billed 500 hours less than her counterpart outside New York could wind up with a bigger bonus.

2. Akin Gump (Washington, DC): On rather short notice -- the email went out at around 1 p.m., announcing a meeting at 5 p.m. -- a meeting to talk about bonuses was held on Monday in the D.C. office of Akin Gump. Here's the bottom line:

[T]he gist was that bonuses "ranged from $1,000 to 75,000," which basically means that if you are a first year (or any associate who started in the fall) you got $1,000, and the most senior associates who are most valued got $75,000. Associates were also told that the average was $25,000. This was not broken down by class year, hours, or any other details that may tell you whether you'll be compensated well or terribly.

Lovely. Guess they think transparency is overrated

3. Quinn Emanuel: At Quinn Emanuel, in contrast, management is fairly transparent, and communication is relatively open (at least by Biglaw standards). How many senior partners of major law firms write open letters to ATL, as John Quinn did recently?

Anyway, two pieces of news. First, yesterday QE gave supplemental bonuses today to laterals, recalculating how they pro-rated (a subject of prior controversy). Second, they provided some information -- albeit not terribly specific information -- about billable hours and 2008 bonuses. Memo after the jump.

For whatever reason, Quinn Emanuel -- the highly prestigious, super-profitable litigation powerhouse, with offices in California and New York -- has received a disproportionate amount of coverage here at ATL. As we previously wrote, "we have a lot of tipsters over there. It seems that QE associates love to talk about their firm, for good or ill."

And it's not just associates. Last night we received an email from John Quinn, the "legal titan" and "known litigation genius" who founded Quinn Emanuel. In his long and detailed email, Mr. Quinn addresses several of the criticisms of QE that have surfaced on ATL. This was our favorite part:

it has been suggested that i do not use capital letters in my typing in an effort to be "cool." i am not cool; wish i was, but after 56 years i don't think it is going to happen. the fact is i am not coordinated enough to hit the shift button with one hand and a letter with the other.

Check out his complete email -- in which he addresses a whole host of topics, including billables, bonuses, partnership decisions, partner compensation, and even office supplies -- after the jump.

More news from one of ATL's favorite law firms, Quinn Emanuel. See Gawker and Radar.

If your friends are as fabulous as Susan Estrich's, why hide them behind a bcc?

Query: Could this actually be a brilliant viral marketing ploy? Has Susan Estrich harnessed the power of the blogosphere to get all the world to read her paean to QE?

The Art Of The 'To' Line [Gawker]
Fox News' Susan Estrich Has a New Job [Radar Online via Big Law Board]

Some of you might think we have a strange obsession with Quinn Emanuel around here. That's really not the case; it's just that, for whatever reason, we have a lot of tipsters over there. It seems that QE associates love to talk about their firm, for good or ill.

Today, for good. From a source at the firm who is quite content:

John Quinn gave his annual State of the Firm address today and I think he really did a great job addressing the bonus fiasco. In a section of the address where he mentioned things the firm has to work on (which included an honest list of wide ranging topics), he mentioned that the partners have to do a better job of communicating the bonus system. After first noting that, historically, bonuses are awarded differently every year, he stated that the partners will provide a detailed list sometime in the middle of the year of what hours will be required, and what types of hours will apply in what amounts. He said that the amount of the bonus will stay open (of course), but the partners do believe this will help prevent future dissatisfaction. He also mentioned that the firm's leadership did something "stupid" with the lateral hires by using the wrong denominator in calculating their special bonus. (You might not remember, but there were complaints that laterals were cheated out of an extra month of hours due to the discrepancy between QE's fiscal year and the calendar year.) Quinn stated that they will recalculate hours and distribute special bonuses based on that recalculation.

More after the jump.

Some associates at Quinn Emanuel are a tad grumpy these days. But here are three items to cheer them up:

1. Profits per partner clear $3 million. As we previously reported in these pages, some QE associates were rather unhappy with their bonuses. But look on the bright side: stingy bonuses mean more money once you make partner.

As reported by Zusha Elinson in the Recorder:

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges continued its screaming ascent in 2007 with financial results that should put a scare into the most profitable New York firms.

The Los Angeles-based litigation shop reported that profits per partner hit the $3 million mark last year -- a height surpassed by only three firms on the Am Law 100 list for 2006.

"That's Wachtell country," said Ronald Beard, a law firm consultant with the Zeughauser Group, referring to the highly profitable New York deal shop Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

Managing partner John Quinn offered a rebuttal to the bonus complaints:

The financial results didn't prevent some associates from complaining about their bonuses. Legal blog Above the Law reported griping that the firm unexpectedly drew the line for full year-end bonuses at 2,100 hours, 100 hours more than the previous year.

Quinn said that decisions about bonuses are made at the end of the year, not beforehand, and that 2,100 was "not necessarily" a bright line. He added that Quinn associates were given a special bonus this year on top of the normal ones, matching a move made by only a few elite New York firms.

"If [Quinn associates] are not the most highly paid, they're among the most highly paid in the country," Quinn said. "Any suggestion that the firm has done really, really well and the associates haven't shared is false."

We have a rebuttal to the rebuttal from a disgruntled associate. Check it out -- but caveat lector, this tipster may have an ax to grind -- after the jump.

Update: Note the many defenders of the firm in the comments. Not all associates are whiny bee-atches!

2. Susan Estrich is in da house. Quinn seems to have a weakness for high-powered litigatrices. Already home to former Stanford Law dean Kathleen Sullivan, the firm just added Susan Estrich, who joins as Of Counsel in the Los Angeles office. From one associate:

Susan Estrich just joined our firm. Classic.

Now when I watch Fox News at home, I'll hear plugs of work.

3. Retention bonuses: We're looking into reports of retention bonuses in the high five-figures, which vest in 18 months. In light of the dissatisfaction in the ranks, retention bonuses may be just what the doctor ordered.

Quinn Partner Profits Clear $3 Million [The Recorder via Law.com]

Earlier: Associate Bonus Watch: A Few More Updates

The holiday season is pretty much over, and bonus season kinda is, too. But it's not completely over, so we'll still bring you occasional updates on news that comes across our desk. If you have information to share, please email us (subject line: "Associate Bonus Watch").

While placing info in the comments is helpful, comments aren't subject to verification and follow-up in the same way as emails. Also, due to sheer volume, we can't (and don't) read every last comment. So email is still the best way to send us bonus info (or request that we cover a given topic).

Here are some associate bonus odds and ends:

1. Quinn Emanuel: Lots of unhappy campers. The upshot is that they employed a very bright-line 2100 hours cutoff to get the full bonus. More details, after the jump.

2. Fish & Richardson: They announced a new compensation plan back in November. It didn't go over so well. To their credit, they seem to be reversing themselves (for the most part; look out for a higher hours requirement). More details, after the jump.

3. Covington & Burling (New York): We previously reported on their special bonuses, which matched market. In case you were wondering, they're also paying the standard year-end bonuses (in New York).

4. Bracewell & Giuliani (New York): We haven't written much about them before. But since name partner Rudy Giuliani is in the news a lot lately, thanks to his presidential bid, and some folks were kind enough to send their memo our way, we provide their bonus announcement after the jump.

5. Kasowitz Benson: We also haven't written much about Kasowitz Benson before. It's a very profitable shop, and a bit on the secretive side. Since several people passed along their bonus memo, though, we're happy to post it after the jump.

This week has been fairly quiet in terms of associate bonus news. We started wondering: Are you, our readers, holding out on us? Have there been bonus announcements from major firms that you haven't told us about?

Maybe not -- at least not from West Coast firms. From an article by Kellie Schmitt for The Recorder:

Want to kill a conversation with a California law firm leader? Talk about bonuses.

Weeks after top New York firms started announcing lavish special bonuses on top of the usual year-end handouts, California's firms have made no moves. This week, leaders at eight of 10 leading West Coast firms declined multiple requests to talk bonuses.

So no, it's not our imagination. West Coast firms are still deliberating about bonuses. For example, we've heard that the relevant committee at O'Melveny & Myers recently met -- but we've not heard about what conclusion they reached.

More discussion, after the jump.

One of our favorite firms here at ATL, Quinn Emanuel, has announced bonuses. And in true QE fashion, they're doing things a little differently (which is why we like them so much -- they keep things interesting).

Their year-end bonuses are standard, but their "special" bonuses are, well, special. In some ways, the Quinn scheme is better: mo' money. In some ways, it's worse: half of the special bonus paid this month, half in June 2008.

For details, check out the memo, after the jump.

P.S. We'd like to do a little write-up of the QE Deer Valley recruiting trip. Can any of you help us? Please submit any info by email. Thanks.

We aren't the only ones having fun with the story of the Quinn Emanuel recruiting junket to Deer Valley. Check out this cartoon, over at The Recorder.

As noted by some commenters, Quinn Emanuel just launched a new, upgraded website. Sadly, the "Day in a Life of an Associate" video -- which featured a fictional associate, a Yale and Stanford Law-educated hottie named "Ivy" (geddit?) -- appears to have been pulled. (The site says that the video is "coming soon.")

Some of the speculation about why the video was pulled is amusing. Check it out, after the jump.

We've devoted an insane amount of coverage to Quinn Emanuel's plan to take recruits to a resort in Deer Valley, Utah (in lieu of callbacks). Now The Recorder has this interesting article:

Instead of bringing students met during on-campus interviews back to the office for a series of sit-downs, the firm will take them on the road. Quinn Emanuel is arranging an all-expenses-paid October weekend of dining and drinks in Deer Valley, Utah, for about 40 students. They'll stay at the Stein Eriksen Lodge, a Scandinavian-inspired chalet where a suite runs more than $2,000 a night in peak season.

"We stole the idea from an investment bank -- I don't think any law firm has tried it," said firm leader William Urquhart.

Reporter Kellie Schmitt confronted Quinn Emanuel partners with some choice comments from ATL readers. Learn about their reactions, after the jump.

Has Quinn Emanuel's unorthodox approach to the callback process ruffled some feathers? Maybe. Why does the firm brass keep on sending out emails about it?

Last Thursday, firm founder John Quinn sent out this email. Then, on Friday, name partner Bill Urquhart chimed in:

From: "A William Urquhart"
To: "Attorneys"
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:38:28 -0700
Subject:

We have received several questions about the recruiting weekend at Deer Valley. Here are some answers.

Question: Who is attending the weekend?

Answer: There will be approximately 20 lawyers from the firm--both associates and partners. There will be lawyers from all the firm's four offices.. There will be law students from Texas, Chicago, Harvard and Yale. All of them will have received call backs. As you know, the vast majority of those students invited back to our offices receive offers. If the on campus interview processes operates as intended, this number should be close to 100% because nobody should be invited back unless they meet our minimum objective standards. They should also have met our more subjective standards.

Question: How did you choose these schools?

Answer: These were the schools whose interviews were late in the recruiting season. If this experiment is successful, we may decide to have two such events next year--one in late September for the students of the schools which schedule interviews early (e.g. Columbia, Stanford, U Va, NYU, etc.).

More discussion, after the jump.

Here's a follow-up to yesterday's post about Quinn Emanuel's innovative approach to callback interviews:

From: "John Quinn"
To: "Attorneys"
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:46:53 -0700
Subject:

reproduced below is an email which we sent yesterday to chicago students who received call backs. it describes an experiment we are going to try this year with the call backs from law schools whose on campus interviews are late in the season (chicago, yale, harvard and texas). instead of having them come back to the firm for interviews, we are inviting them to come to a weekend at a resort in utah. aside from attempting to distinguish ourselves from other law firms, the reasons for trying this are described in the email below. we think those reasons are compelling. however, the proof will be in the pudding.

we have a limited amount of space available for students, partners and associates. we can not invite everyone we would like to. certain of you will be invited to attend the weekend. the invitations will be sent out shortly.

[Aaron Charney is very upset he wasn't invited. Expect to hear from his lawyers shortly.]

the recruitment weekend has generated a lot of buzz on some law blogs already. you may be asked questions by the students who will be coming through the office in the next few weeks. please tell them that this is an experiment. if it is successful, we may decide to expand it next year to two events. also, please be sure to state that the firm will be absorbing all expenses associated with the weekend.

We should hope so. As one commenter noted, "Why Deer Valley in the summer? That's like going to Vermont in March to see the leaves changing." What sane law student would shell out his own dough to schlep out to Utah this time of year -- other than, say, someone applying to clerk for Judge Michael McConnell (10th Cir.)? (Actually, we hear that Judge McConnell might come out to the East Coast to interview clerkship applicants.)

Anyway, the email sent to the Quinn Emanuel callback-ees appears after the jump.

The fall recruiting process. Some firms mess things up; some firms live it up.

We're hearing through the grapevine that this year, for students at schools with late on-campus interview weeks, Quinn Emanuel isn't doing the whole callbacks-at-their-offices thing. Instead, they're inviting the students they like in the on-campus interviews on a weekend trip at a resort in Deer Valley, Utah, to get a better feel for the firm and its attorneys.

Apparently former Stanford dean Kathleen Sullivan will be on the trip, to make a pitch to the students. There will also be DVDs with virtual tours of the offices, in case some interviewees want to know what their office would look like if they chose to work there.

It appears that Quinn is trying this out as a pilot program this year, with the late OCI schools (e.g., Harvard, Chicago, Yale). If it works well, then they might expand its use.

This strikes us as a cool and fabulous junket. But on the other hand, maybe people wouldn't want to spend this much time on an extended callback. Thoughts?

Update: More details about the experiment are available here.

We're pressing on with our series of open threads on Vault 100 law firms. We know that some of you are eager to discuss firms ranked in the 70's, and we don't want to disappoint you.

And a quick word from one of our sponsors, ATL's Career Partner, Lateral Link:

"Lateral Link provides free access to the Vault firm information/career guides. Readers can get free access to the full information on our site as part of our career center."

Without further ado, here are the five firms for this afternoon (in Vault 100 order, prestige scores in parentheses):

41. King & Spalding LLP (6.183)
42. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (6.099)
43. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges LLP (6.080)
44. Baker & McKenzie (6.079)
45. Baker Botts LLP (6.061)

Please discuss them in the comments. Thanks.

The Vault Top 100 Law Firms [Vault]

Earlier: Vault 1-5; Vault 6-10; Vault 11-15; Vault 16-20; Vault 21-25; Vault 26-30; Vault 31-35; Vault 36-40

In case you're wondering what happened to the litigation support guy at Quinn Emanuel, who sent around an office-wide email reprimanding an associate for allegedly rude treatment, here's an update:

The lit support guy got his walking papers almost immediately. The litigation associate to whom he directed the email was baffled by the entire event.

Apparently, he just told the guy that there was a mistake and that it needed to be fixed ASAP. Knowing this associate pretty well, I say it's pretty inconceivable that he would treat someone like a "dog," or even unprofessionally.

So maybe the associate didn't do anything wrong, and the litigation support guy was just a bit unhinged -- a beleaguered support staff member, on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Cf. The Patton Boggs librarian.

Since the litigation support guy got fired over his email, we hope he derived a lot of satisfaction from sending it.

Earlier: ATL Practice Pointers: Be Nice to the Support Staff