What BigLaw firm is the biggest mess of them all and why?

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Did we stop roasting Kirkland?

likefunny

Kirkland isn’t a mess - the opposite actually. It’s a cold, ruthless profit machine.

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Cadwalader is the most sustainable mess. They’ve been a mess for decades and somehow still continue.

likesmart

@A10 - Yes. CWT’s culture was notoriously rough pre-GFC, and that reputation has stuck, although I wouldn’t say that reputation is entirely justified anymore.

Nowadays, as someone who has worked at multiple NYC big law firms and has a lot of friends / acquaintances working across NYC big law, I would say the culture is merely slightly below average or even average for NYC big law.

WLB in litigation in particular was I would say outstanding relative to other firms. Hidden gem if you can tolerate working at a less prestigious practice. Also you can actually make partner without having clerked, which is unheard of in market paying NYC big law lit.

bsf by a mile

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Good call

Kirkland most hated and ruthless, Shearman best chance of imploding

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Mine

likefunny

U at Shearman too?

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Shearman cut associates (including first years) explicitly for financial reasons, didn’t even try to couch it in terms of performance. It’s financial spiral downward is irreversible. Just go to work tomorrow and check out the partners’ default facial expression. The look of terror will tell you everything.

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Dechert and other firms are cutting for the same reasons. It doesn’t inevitably mean an irreversible spiral (though I admit Shearman has other problems too). Not lying about associate cuts is not a bad thing 😂

Cahill hanging by a thread.

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Their PPP is down 20%

Bracewell Giuliani

likefunny

Always, Giuliani or not.

Based solely on Fishbowl, Gunderson and Shearman

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Why Gunderson?

Definitely Shearman

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Didn’t SullCrom cause a literal coup in a Latin American country at one point?

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Shearman may be in decline, and those on the outside may think it will implode, but it can carry on. The financial results weren’t so awful compared to other firms and it’s admittedly having an identity crisis right now but it’ll survive.

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This is karma for screwing over their associates

Please rephrase: “Which firm and a the biggest mess, and why is it Sherman?”

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LBBS! Not biglaw I know but they’re worth the roast!

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