Firm Information - Mid-Atlantic

[Alex_de_Large]

In today's legal, Wolf Block announced that they are "culling" around 10 equity partners. So much for the brass ring.

I would post a link but subscription is required. Anyone have one who can summarize the article in more detail?

You can still get the brass ring - you're just not allowed to keep it unless you continue to kiss ass.

It's unfortunate, though. I always thought Wolf Block kind of rejected the big-firm mentality. I mean, their PPP sucks, where do they get off acting like a big firm?

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by racer_x
You can still get the brass ring

Who wants a brass ring coated in shit?

[baltassoc]

Interesting article on Law.com about the unionization of lawyers at a firm that gives new (or maybe its really old) meaning to the word "sweatshop."

http://www.law.com/jsp/printerfriend...=1048518259019
(Spree: Lawyers unionize - nothing prurient, but may scare the bejeezus out of your boss if he catches you looking)

I know there is at least one firm like this in the Baltimore area - I think in Towson - but the name slips my mind.

Has anyone here actually worked in a place like this?

[ms. naughty diplomat]

whoever wrote your board motto didn't pay very much attention in geography class.

the most common and usual division on the east coast goes new england (maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, road island, and connecticut), mid atlantic (new york, new jersey, pennsylanvia, maryland, delaware, district of columbia, west virginia, virginia), southeast (north and south carolina, geogria, florida).

the most usual variation is to move virginia into the southeast and sometimes west virginia as well which makes no sense because although west virginia has much in common with western pennsylvania, it has nothing in common with georgia. thus west virginia usually remains in the mid-atlantic. another relatively common grouping is to group west virginia, kentucky, ohio, indiana, and michigan together as the eastern part of the midwest

of course, the odds of anyone asking a question or commenting on the west virginia leagal market are pretty low so i can see why the issue never came up.

ms. geography timmy diplomat

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by leagleaze
Timminess aside, the board is defined this way simply because it is those four states that traditionally are discussed here. Not because the term Mid-Atlantic is confined to those states.

Probably the geography thing shouldn't be there though.

I like the geography thing. Actually that was the only reason I looked at this board (since I live in TX now, not much mid atlantic news to report). At some point I considered adding a snarky Virginia comment in reply, but never did so.

n(who wants the boards to be run by a bunch of push-overs?)cs

[ms. naughty diplomat]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
I like the geography thing. Actually that was the only reason I looked at this board (since I live in TX now, not much mid atlantic news to report). At some point I considered adding a snarky Virginia comment in reply, but never did so.

n(who wants the boards to be run by a bunch of push-overs?)cs

interestingly enough on the old midatlantic board the map of the midatlantic which served as the board picture included virginia and west virginia and the board message only listed nj, pa, and de. that never made any sense to me.

ms. naughty diplomat

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by leagleaze
Are you suggesting I am a push-over you you....meanie?

*sniff*

I am suggesting you are not a push-over and the abrupt message on the main page about discussions of only certain states is an affirmative statement to those who might not know it...

N(either that or you are now a push-over who has succombed to the iron will of a non-midatlantic dweller and therefore left the message intact)cs

[baltassoc]

I leave for a couple of days and suddenly MidAtlantic gets traffic. I understand.

Originally posted by ms. naughty diplomat
whoever wrote your board motto didn't pay very much attention in geography class.

the most common and usual division on the east coast goes ... mid atlantic (new york, new jersey, pennsylanvia, maryland, delaware, district of columbia, west virginia, virginia),
ms. geography timmy diplomat

As leagleaze mentioned, the current configuration mirrors the old one. As you may have noticed in your wanderings of the board, New York and DC have their own boards, so are not included (similarly, FL and TX are not include in the southern board). Northern Virginia had its own board back in the day, but it never had any posts, so most Nova questions go to the DC board. Southern Virginia questions land on the southern board, as I think everyone would agree is appropriate. West Virginia has no attorneys who can access the internet.

I'm deciding between going to Temple with a half-scholarship or George Washington with $9000 a year in grants. I'm most interested in IP (not patent), government, or appellate work. I have no idea where I want to be when I graduate (either NY, Philly or DC) but know I don't want to spend the entirety of my life in Philly. I'm also going to be 31 when I graduate and don't know if I'll want to marry myself to BigLaw.
What are my monthly loan payments going to be like with either choice? And if I go to GW, is it possible to find jobs outside of BigLaw that'll pay the bills? Can I leave Philly with a Temple degree?

The difference in tuition is $6000/yr at Temple compared to $21,000/yr at GW, by the way. And Philly is a much cheaper town than DC. Thanks for your input though! I know GW is the better school, I'm just wondering if it's good enough to justifiy the cost ...

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by lawskirt
I'm deciding between going to Temple with a half-scholarship or George Washington with $9000 a year in grants. I'm most interested in IP (not patent), government, or appellate work.

I'm really not qualified to speak of Temple, except to note that I've never actually met a Temple Law grad, so that may speak to how many manage to move south on I-95 (my practice leads me to contacts with both Baltimore and DC).

As to GW, however, I know some things. It is certainly known for its IP program and is a nationally well regarded school. It has also had recent physical renovations that make it a much better place to spend three years. On the other hand, at GW IP = Patent. I don't think it is especially better than many other schools for soft IP. While the soft IP profs are great (TM is particular), the course offerings aren't particularly diverse, so there may be little advantage to a GW degree in that respect, except that when most lawyers between DC and NY hear "GW" they think "IP" (and not necessarily just "patent").

For appellate work, this really just devolves to the straight reputation of the school; it's not really a specialty that certain schools are better known for (except maybe Harvard and Yale). An appellate-only practice is really a pretty rare thing anyway.

For government work, if by that you mean working for the government, by all means go to the cheapest school possible. GW's expense will make it almost impossible to enter government service for an extended period of time, at least right out of law school. If you mean private practice working in government contracts, GW is quite possibly the best school in the country, although it still might not pay for itself.

GW has great professors and gives a great education. But damn it's expensive.

Just some things to think about.

Any comments on the general atmosphere at Dechert-- either Philadelphia or Princeton?

moved to main thread by baltassoc 4/28

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by leagleaze
I cannot comment on Princeton. The Philadelphia office, in terms of the dealings I have had with it, seems to be a good place. Caveat is I deal mainly with Partners.

It might help to ask specifically about whatever groups interest you, users might be then better able to offer you their opinion.

Obviously, any large firm is going to have its good parts and its bad parts, but overall, Dechert seems to me, from what I have heard, to be a pretty decent place to work.

And no, I don't work there. If people disagree, please feel free to speak up. I think all perspectives will be useful to the question put before us here.

I know people who are happy and people who are miserable. It really depends on the group.

AdL

[baltassoc]

I always liked K&L.

Kirkpatrick and Lockhart hires a diversity consultant


(edited to note that registration is required to access the above article. Leagl)