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Bowl Leader
I’ve never been so happy!!!!
Got accepted for the SaT rotation program!
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Subject Expert
What does “collections” refer to LPQs?
Conversation Starter
Conversation Starter
Bowl Leader
I’ve never been so happy!!!!
Got accepted for the SaT rotation program!
Subject Expert
What does “collections” refer to LPQs?
Enthusiast
Live in the city. Have been to NYC many times. Every time I come back to chicago, I appreciate it more. NYC is like Chicago on ecstasy and with garbage everywhere. Although NYC is incomparable in many ways, Chicago is full of culture, diversity, great food, awesome events, and the amazing lakefront. I’m glad I picked Chicago over NYC during my move. My suggestion would be to move during spring so that you can get settled before summer starts. Plus, chicago is a big legal hub and there are a lot of big law offices here.
Coach
Chicago is just nicer. The people are so much nicer. The culture is nicer. It’s just…….nicer.
Coach
I work in the Chicago office of a firm where staffing across offices is pretty common. My quality of life decreases immensely whenever I get stuck working on deals with partners in the NYC office
Couldn’t say it better myself. This job is miserable when I’m staffed on NY deal teams. Absolutely love the job when it’s a Chicago team.
I’ve lived and biglawed in both and Chicago is absolutely more humane in every way. Your money goes further too so it feels like you live the way you ‘should’ live for working so hard. In New York juniors divide one bedrooms into three bedroom apartments and someone doesn’t even have a window in their room. In Chicago juniors can have a nice, new, sunny well located place with a view and space. Senior associates buy single family houses in easy commuting distance to the office. It’s a massive city with tons to explore and do. Genuinely can’t believe I used to put up with New York, especially in biglaw. It makes a hard job a lot harder.
Public trans is also a very viable option in CHI if you want to live in the suburbs and get the lower COL while still working and enjoying all CHI has to offer. Did it for years before going in-house
I’m a second year Chicago associate and agree with what’s been said. It can be practice dependent, but what I’ve noticed in my group at least is that the Chicago people have good work life balance compared to NYC and even LA. I generally like the other people in my office and other associates are super nice! My billable requirement is 1900 and I’m going to hit that and not much over….have good amount of free time and hobbies.
Lived in Chicago for 5 years and recently moved. It’s great, but the crime factor is real and encroaching on the loop; the weather is legitimately miserable in the winter (its pitch dark by 5 & frigid); it’s much more homogenous from a cultural perspective than NYC (i.e., 60% of people I met I felt like grew up in the Chicago suburbs). Did you grow up in the Midwest or East Coast? That would factor in here I think. I generally liked Chicago but decided it’s not where I want to start a family. Just a few things to consider.
It's a big city with pockets of abject poverty, so there is of course crime. It's not nearly as bad as many other large cities or as it's portrayed by certain media... don't get me started on that part.
Winter is far worse of an issue than crime, imo
WLB strongly depends on the firm and group but you can easily suss it out in the interview process. I moved from on call always, frequent all nighters to getting a heads up and apology that I might need to work on a weekend. Some weeks are rough ofc but I still have hobbies and see my family regularly. Living in the city last decade but will make the move to close suburbs (still accessible by CTA) soon probably, for the space.
LOVE living in Chicago. Big city but also parks and real beaches. All the good stuff of big city life plus a real neighborhoody feel in the non downtown areas. Food and entertainment on par and given all the new restaurants and events that keep popping up, you’re in no danger of having “done it all” anytime soon. Cannot recommend this city enough.
Mentor
I live in the city, and from what I've heard, biglaw is not as bad here as in New York. That may vary depending on firm, but I can tell you that New York based firms have a reputation for working their associates harder. The main location of the firm creates cultural implications across the entire firm, but even within that, there are still variations by office. Personally, I prefer to work for a Midwest based firm.
Based in Chicago and love working with our Chicago team (m&a senior associate). I avoid our NY attorneys like the plague because the difference in style and approach is massive. The Chicago approach is a lot more laid back, team oriented, and dare I say…..balanced.
I moved in the opposite direction and have toyed with heading back to Chicago. The below are specific to my preferences/wants/needs, but may be helpful to you as well.
Pros:
-the color of the lake
-real estate that is both nice and not a financial stretch
-slightly lower tax burden
-overall slightly less expensive goods and services
Cons:
-many, many more associate seats in my practice in NYC (especially if you don’t want to go to K&E or Sidley)
-it’s really cold sometimes with a shorter summer
-realities of segregation and institutional racism felt more strongly
Even:
-amazing food cities
-good airport connectivity including a non-stop to where both my partner and I have family
-would likely get a car for Chi which is a cost but also opens up opportunities
Whether you like Chi or NYC is a personal decision as both cities offers different stuff. But my takeaway from living in both cities is:
making biglaw $ in Chi = you can live like you thought you would live as a biglaw lawyer
making biglaw & in NY = unless you toil away for yearssss and make partner, it’s harder to live that luxurious life