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Hi all! I’m looking to connect with folks who either work at Coinbase or have interviewed recently for the Business Operations and Strategy Manager or similar role. I am looking to schedule my first interview which I believe is a consulting style case. So any details you can provide, I am all ears. The next interview will be a presentation. Again if you have any experience/advice on this, I’m ready to listen.
Thanks in advance! Help me escape Deloitte pleaseeee. I want this job sooo much!
5% in the US. Putting in my notice tomorrow!
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Do NOT go to Bracewell if you are looking for litigation work. Their rainmaker lit partners are leaving for another firm next month. Also, litigation has NO work (less than 1000 hours a year) and will absolutely be continuing their stealth layoffs. Nice people in other groups but Houston lit group is cursed.
Can confirm this is accurate
Bracewell is 5 days a week in the office and has been stealthing a ton of associates with a focus on women and POC. Would steer clear.
I *personally know* more than two people who were laid off.
I don’t have an axe to grind. Like I said, I had a generally good experience. I liked most of the people I worked with.
OP, beware of bootlickers who refuse to accept that the firm they work at has any flaws or downsides.
Given that you’re interested in litigation, I’d note that I don’t think that V&E’s litigation group is better than Bracewell/HB’s — it is small and not a priority for the firm. V&E as a firm is more prestigious, but the nationwide prestige comes from its transactional work. There won’t be a substantial difference on the types of litigation matters you get to work on across the 3 firms.
Bracewell fired some litigation associates late last year, which seemed strange.
There were 2 people involved and the departures were well justified. Will not say more in the interest of keeping their identities confidential.
VE is in a better tier of firm than the other two. Not sure if that is dispositive to your decision.
Nationally but also more importantly within Texas. For many many many years V&E was the clear #1 in Texas. Now in recent years, it has “fallen” down to sharing the top tier with Kirkland and Latham (in Houston anyway, I believe in Dallas firms like Sidley and Gibson are also at the top), but it’s still very much a top firm.
This matters for several reasons. It will be easier lateral out later, either to another firm or in-house. As BigLaw pay rises in the future, V&E is more likely than the others to keep up with the big national players. V&E is less likely to experience financial troubles that could jeopardize your job. And the types of matters you work on at V&E will probably more sophisticated.
If you’re thinking of this as just some random job where you work in exchange for a paycheck, then yeah I guess fuck it. But if you care about it as an actual long term career, V&E will give you a far better launch pad into future success whether you want to make partner or not (or even stay in BigLaw).
This is not to shit on the other firms, which are perfectly good. Just nowhere near V&E’s league within Texas.
Edit: and for the record, I’m at a V&E competitor, so I’m not usually one to talk about how great they are.
Practice area?
Bracewell was originally requiring in the office 5 days a week. I’m not sure if that has changed.
We at Bracewell are not requiring folks to be in the office 5 days a week. If you’re busy and it’s more convenient to work from home, you’re more than welcome to. If you have nothing going on, you should be showing up to the office a few days a week looking for work. There is no official number of days required to be in the office, it’s a personal “be an adult” judgment call on the part of each attorney. I’m in the office 3-4 days a week depending on how busy I am and how I feel that week.
Also what are your priorities (WLB, tier of work, etc.)? And what culture would you prefer (bros, buttoned up, relaxed, etc.)?
As P1 mentioned, V&E is in a different league than Bracewell and HB, but might have the most intense work of the three. HB probably has the best WLB of the three.
Bracewell is known for a bro-y culture. HB is more relaxed. V&E probably somewhere in between.
In terms of job security, HB and V&E are very stable.
I think HB and Bracewell maintain market comp, at least for the first few years. At higher levels, V&E would have significantly more comp.
Lastly, it’s far easier to go from V&E to Bracewell or HB than it would be to go the other way around.
V&E is in a different league than HB/Bracewell. With that “prestige” comes clients willing to pay top dollar, a reality that naturally lends itself to more complex/interesting/high-stakes work.
Just something to consider.
I’m a little shocked 2 of those firms are hiring in lit. Are you junior? Or is this for fall 2023?
This isn't for some posted job. I had just reached out to these firms due to changes in my market. No offer and not even sure if they have spots, your info is likely better then mine.