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Milbank, Jones Day, Baker Hostetler, or Duane Morris?

  • Milbank
  • Jones Day
  • Baker Hostetler
  • Duane Morris
0 voters

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Milbank pays market and you said it is in a major city. Milbank has also been quick to match the csw scale and bonus raises each time they have happened. These seem like material pluses, no?

Milbank D.C.? I mean, generally not known for lit but at least DC is more justifiable. LA has IP and commercial lit but still, not known for it. Though I suppose the culture and pay is good.

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Fun story about Milbank, just in case you didn’t read it for ProRep: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-7th-circuit/1148010.html. Apparently Mr. Gellene isn’t there anymore lol

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We call it Chillbank, bruh. That should tell you all you need to know.

No idea who that clown is in that case. If you’re looking at the LA office, we have minimal interaction with the NYC folks. Super mellow here. People arrive 9:30-10 (except for first years), and leave when they need to leave. AIP is a bit more intense, but if you’re going for litigation, it doesnt matter. Litigation group is super mellow group of people doing great work. I can’t imagine practicing law in a better environment that pays top of the market.

Milbank LA associate here. Generally agree with everything said. The lit group here is awesome; everybody gets along and they’re working on some really cool stuff at the moment. Milbank’s lit department is a lot better than people give it credit for, but I think that’s partially just because some of our elite transactional groups get most of the recognition (i.e., PF, Restructuring, etc.). Even the chairman of the firm is a litigator. Also, that case is from 1999 and I’ve never heard of it, but nice solid attempt at trolling the firm.

JD Chicago assoc. I know a little about Baker and DM and can’t really imagine choosing either over JD. Don’t know anything about Milbank. In a vacuum, the reasons to choose JD (at least in my view) are substantive experience and longevity. JD staffs litigation very lean so you get to take depos, cover hearings etc much earlier than at peer firms. Also we’re a single tier p-ship, and making it remains a somewhat reasonable goal.

I like who I work with and like my job probably 3.5 out of 5 days a week.

Tell me a firm that doesn’t say it staffs things lean.

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Personally, I’d take guaranteed market scale than risk the stupid JD black box, but that’s just me.

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Fully agree with LaLiblabla.

Assuming you have ties to the flyover state. If so, great (I guess?). Otherwise there is more at stake than being a renter vs. being a potential owner; LA and DC have a lot to offer culturally that you can’t get in, say, Cleveland.

Cleveland is the best city on the planet

OP. You should pick the firm in the location you would like to settle down in.

I assume JD/Baker are in Cleveland. I worked there.
JD has → More prestige, better lawyers/matters and the most national/international reach.

Baker has → Better hours and pay sometimes (no bonus at JD and black box can screw you).

Milbank (in NY) has never seemed like an awesome place, but in what ever market your looking in it maybe.

DM → take this job if the other options are mail and pray or food stamps.

I have seen JD people lose Cleveland in-house gigs to out of state (NYC/DC) folks so it’s not like they have a wall around the in-house mkt there, but their brand is better then Baker and would allow you to move to a different city internally (usually).

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Pretty sure I know who you are and I interviewed you at Milbank. If you are who I think you are, everyone liked you and I think you’d fit in well here. It’s a pretty great firm (no hours requirement for bonuses, great people, great practice groups, very laid back, etc.). But that’s just my $.02.

If I’m the guy you’re thinking of, thank you! I really liked everyone there!