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LA vs Boston. Which city pays higher? Big4 tax
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Who’s planning on leaving after getting their bonus?
Does anyone want to be my M&A coach? Will pay.
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OP, In my experience, every office of a BigLaw firm has a different culture. After all, the culture is the people who work there, their backgrounds, and the culture of the office location. For example, DC is wholly different from NYC, and both are wholly different from Raleigh/RTP, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and LA/Orange County. Where the HQ is located is influential but not determinative.
You’ve stated that you’ll be going with a partner for whom you have worked before and for whom /with whom you evidently like working. Great!
NOW, It is CRITICAL that you found out if that partner will be the sole person allocating work to you. Also, what other partners and associates are in the department you all are joining? Check their bios online and their reps through the grapevine. These people can make your life miserable if they are miserable, back-stabbing or abusive sharks.
Find out from your partner why he or she has chosen H&K to transfer to. What is the lure? What are the benefits? What does the partner see as benefitting you? MAKE SURE that the partner is not leaping to avoid consequences at your current firm and that the partner has or is taking a book of business MORE than large enough to feed you both. What is the partner’s relationship with the others at H&K? You don’t want to be excluded but mentored and groomed for partnership (even if you don’t choose to go partnership track in the long run, you WANT TO GET that promise, preferably in your offer letter.) in your offer letter, secure a minimum contract of 2 years, if possible, and severance pay of 1 year. Then, be willing to negotiate down from there. You’ll also want no probationary period for the position, 401K contributions, and health & life insurance. Value yourself and avoid the pitfalls I’ve implied above.
I’ve never worked for H&K but did my decade in BigLaw at the #1 ranked firms in my field and in BigLaw at the time and traveled all over the US for work and then, with my own firm, all over the world. If you need me, I’m here.
Pay is Cravath. Smaller markets are about $10k less than Cravath but transparent about it. Remote policy depends on specific office. Some are requiring 2-3 days now, some still don’t care.
You’ll have more luck on this question in the biglaw bowl.
^^ yes, the biglaw bowl is unbearable 🙃
Awh, we aren’t so bad in the BigLaw bowl. Some of us elders are there to help. Believe me, I was shocked to discover how much easier it is to write in that bowl than in any other social media or game chat platform — and I left BigLaw 20 years ago after putting in my decade. If BigLaw people in this bowl need help, many of us will answer. Plus, you gotta appreciate the rapier wit. As for any dogpiles, I don’t participate and I don’t post — just respond to help.
Namaste