General Discussion - Boston

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Mass. Lawyer's Weekly today says that Dolf Garcia is moving from McDermott to Ropes & Gray; that has to be a huge loss to MWE, as he was really a driving force in their corporate department. Does anyone hear what prompts this move?

[Sparklehorse]

G3,

Good question...now to lure some anon-loving MWE corporate associate over to comment....

Hmm?

Any active members of Boston Bar Assoc. or Mass. Bar Assoc. here?
I attended some great BBA meetings in the fall, when I had some free time. Regrettably, I have had trouble making meetings lately, as my firm is hopping with work lately. From the small sample of people I met at the BBA amd MBA, it seems some of the larger Boston firms are more flexible and encouraging of their associates to attend bar asssociation meetings than smaller-medium size firms
Anyone else in this predicament? I probably shouldn't complain, given the growing layoff casualty list, but there is tremendous networking opportunities at both organizations, and I feel like I'm getting stale. Lets face it, this Hub is small legal community.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Here.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

it looks like everyone want their own thread. Anonymously of course.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

I've been active in both the BBA and the MBA. Take it from someone who has been through a full economic cycle, you've always got to be planting seed cord. In good times you're tempted to just keep reeping, in bad times you're ready to eat the seed corn, but you've got to plant it.

I think the BBA and MBA are great forums to build a reputation and base of expertise. Chairing both a BBA and an MBA committee as a midlevel associate help build my own credibility and confidence; and there are chairs there that are open to eager and hardworking midlevels (try volunteering for writing duty on a newsletter or something first; also, if you make every meeting of a committee you are going to get drafted for something). Ultimately, they aren't the best direct marketing opportunities since there is obviously a very high ratio of hunters to prey, but when you are doing direct marketing it is very good to be able to say you chaired this or that professional committee.

I'm in New York working in the litigation department of one the firms regularly ranked in the top 3 of NYC firms. In NY, one of the best credentials for a young litigator is a stint as an AUSA in SDNY or EDNY. This applies both to lawyers looking to return to private practice specifically as trial lawyers or as general commercial litigators at major firms (where, of course, trials are relatively rare).

Is a stint in the Boston area USA's office (is Mass. one district?) similarly valued by the litigation community in Boston? Would a lawyer coming out of the Boston USA's office look especially attractive to the major Boston litigation shops/departments? (Assume, in answering these questions, the lawyer in question had very sound credentials otherwise: top school, law review, federal appellate clerkship, etc.)

I ask b/c I'm thinking of applying to AUSA's jobs. I know there is a professional bounce to having had the job in NYC. However, personal interests are pulling me to Boston. If an AUSA job in Boston is as potent a credential in the Boston market as the AUSA job in NYC is in the NYC market, my decision would be easy (assuming I get an offer).

Thanks for your help.

You certainly sound like you have the qualifications.

What kind of cases do you want to try? Do you want to work in civil or criminal?

The current US Attorney once headed a local DA's office; some of those who do the interviewing and hiring now worked for him previously n the DA's office. Therefore, if you weren't a prosecutor at one time, or don't have roots/connections here, forget about working in criminal there. However, depending on what experience you have you may fare better applying to civil, especially if you have health care experience, or federal civil litigation experience. A lot of it is defensive litigation, (so insurance defense looks good too) some affirmative (False Claims Act, qui tam actions, FLU there always needs help if you want to do collections from felons, etc.)

Certainly looks great on a resume here, nice segue into a big firm. but not necessarily a partnership, unless you can bring biz with you. However, with your credentials, assuming you get your resume in the right hands at the right time, you might have a shot.

Great office, prime waterfront location, basically 9-5, i.e. you can have a nice life! If you can get in your golden.

Best of luck.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Thanks leagl, I think this is easier.

Now for the gossip:

I understand that Nixon Peabody may be picking up some remnants of Cummings and Lockwood in CT after other folks are done cherry picking. This is pretty much the same model they used with Hutchins, taking most of what was left was Weil was through.

Is Nixon Peabody becoming another McHolland & Knight, a place where offering second rate fare at every street corner? I thought they were trying to stay a level above that?

Thanks for the info, G-Man.

My hope is to do criminal (spent a summer with an AUSA in the SDNY doing it during law school), with the expectation of returning to private practice eventually doing a mix of white collar defense and general commercial litigation. In NYC, many of the top partners doing that mix of work were AUSA's at one time. Sounds like it could be a tough nut to crack in Boston with the current group in the USA's office and me with no prosecutorial experience. Still, the fact that the cred. is valued in the Boston market makes it worth the time to send an app.

Definitely apply. They interview on a rolling basis, and hire when the need arises. Seems more turnover among women - not necessarily just for family reasons either. Frustration arises because certain judges just don't like the AUSA's office; in fact one judge (who was an AUSA!) has turned into a dictator on the bench, he sent the Marshals out to yank the US Attorney from the dentist's chair to bring hm in to testify. Front page story in Mass. Lawyer's Weekly about how the US Att. is (rightfully so) getting rid of plea bargains, etc, which should create more trials, (and safer streets) maybe more slots? So get the app. in soon, and expect to eventually undergo a very,very thorough background check, (much more comprehensive than what you had to go through just to get the summer internship)

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by G-Man
. . . Frustration arises because certain judges just don't like the AUSA's office; in fact one judge (who was an AUSA!) has turned into a dictator on the bench, he sent the Marshals out to yank the US Attorney from the dentist's chair to bring hm in to testify. ...

Wouldn't happen to be Mark Wolf? Clasic example of a judge who's let his elevation to the bench go to his head, and then some.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

I've heard vague rumors of another round of layoffs at Choate. Does anyone have details? My rumors are admittedly third hand, but indicated that office visits have happened in the last 24 hours.

[Anne Elk]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
I've heard vague rumors of another round of layoffs at Choate. Does anyone have details? My rumors are admittedly third hand, but indicated that office visits have happened in the last 24 hours.

I've heard rumors about a few other firms and the market in general as well, but nothing has happened yet. Hopefully all these rumors are unfounded and we all stay employed.