What's going on in Texas? Forum

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:05 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I had heard that Jones Day is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the Houston biglaw market (unlike jones day in other cities). Guessing that they can afford to have low offer rates because they aren't competing for the top students in the first place?
Idk, JD Houston has two returning Yale summer associates so I doubt that. I was at a different JD office and don't have the full story, but apparently there was some major drama between the summers that contributed to the low offer rate last year.
I work in biglaw in Houston. Jones Day is a non-player. If you have other options, you don't go there. Don't know about the two yale summers unless they want litigation and are just going to bail to clerk anyways and then apply to better shops in town.
Also biglaw in Houston, second this. Have never been across from JD on a transaction.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:01 pm

To above current Houston associates - what are the firms in Houston you would consider going to? Who are the top firms?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:To above current Houston associates - what are the firms in Houston you would consider going to? Who are the top firms?
At LW/VE/KE. I would say these are top three for corporate work and we often work across from each other. GDC has some really great partners too but obviously still building. I am not up to date on lit. Do you have a particularly type of work you would like to do? Will try and give unbiased opinion.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I had heard that Jones Day is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the Houston biglaw market (unlike jones day in other cities). Guessing that they can afford to have low offer rates because they aren't competing for the top students in the first place?
Idk, JD Houston has two returning Yale summer associates so I doubt that. I was at a different JD office and don't have the full story, but apparently there was some major drama between the summers that contributed to the low offer rate last year.
I work in biglaw in Houston. Jones Day is a non-player. If you have other options, you don't go there. Don't know about the two yale summers unless they want litigation and are just going to bail to clerk anyways and then apply to better shops in town.
Also biglaw in Houston, second this. Have never been across from JD on a transaction.
Dallas biglaw associate here. I've been across from JD Houston and wasn't impressed. They were very nice but there was a notable lack of sophistication when comparing them to say V&E or Latham Houston. Though, to be honest, my experience with JD Houston was very similar to my experience to Sidley Houston, which I believe has a better rep than JD Houston generally.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:39 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:To above current Houston associates - what are the firms in Houston you would consider going to? Who are the top firms?
At LW/VE/KE. I would say these are top three for corporate work and we often work across from each other. GDC has some really great partners too but obviously still building. I am not up to date on lit. Do you have a particularly type of work you would like to do? Will try and give unbiased opinion.
Same situation (at one of LW/VE/KE) and agree with the above. I would add BB as well, though there seems to be a drop off in reputation over the last few years (still a great place to end up if you have the option and like the culture). GDC is too new to really know. Almost no associates so that is good or bad depending on the situation.

Lots of good litigation firms in town, all filled with former associates and partners from back when the Big Texas firms had sizable litigation departments, but honestly, try to avoid them as much as possible so cannot give a very good assessment.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:16 pm

For the above Houston people: Has AK corporate (now HAK I suppose) had any of a reputation rebound from last year now that the merger officially went through and the scare of continuing partner defects has calmed down?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:58 pm

The lit market in Houston revolves around the elite boutiques (think Susman, AZA, etc). For traditional big firms, NRF remains the main lit powerhouse. Other traditional big firms have scaled back their lit practices in response to the rise of the boutiques.
Last edited by Anonymous User on Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:01 pm

Anonymous User wrote:For the above Houston people: Has AK corporate (now HAK I suppose) had any of a reputation rebound from last year now that the merger officially went through and the scare of continuing partner defects has calmed down?
Short answer: No.

Long answer: Not in the slightest.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:30 pm

Dallas biglaw associate here.
Would you mind sharing some insights about the Dallas market? Who are the top corp players (guessing HB, VE, Weil ... where do places like JD fit in)? Are certain firms more known for no offering than others?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:38 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Dallas biglaw associate here.
Would you mind sharing some insights about the Dallas market? Who are the top corp players (guessing HB, VE, Weil ... where do places like JD fit in)? Are certain firms more known for no offering than others?
Also, any insights on Dallas lit?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:54 pm

Any insights on Winston & Strawn's offices in Houston and Dallas?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Apr 13, 2018 1:48 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Dallas biglaw associate here.


Would you mind sharing some insights about the Dallas market? Who are the top corp players (guessing HB, VE, Weil ... where do places like JD fit in)? Are certain firms more known for no offering than others?


Also, any insights on Dallas lit?
My impression is that Dallas lit is much less boutique-dominated than Houston. Although McKool, etc are in town, Fulbright, Gibson, Sidley also all have very successful lit practices in Dallas. Not up to date with transactions though.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Apr 13, 2018 9:23 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Any insights on Winston & Strawn's offices in Houston and Dallas?

The Dallas office is expanding a lot almost every week with good laterals into trans and lit, cool deals, moving into a new building soon.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:04 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Any insights on Winston & Strawn's offices in Houston and Dallas?

The Dallas office is expanding a lot almost every week with good laterals into trans and lit, cool deals, moving into a new building soon.
One of the Houston biglaw annons from above. Except for perhaps their IP work, Winston & Strawn has no visibility at the top of the Houston market. Have never seen them across on a deal, small or large.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:58 am

One of the Houston biglaw annons from above.
Do you have any thoughts on Akin Gump Houston for transactions? Haven't heard a lot of info on them.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 2:12 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
One of the Houston biglaw annons from above.
Do you have any thoughts on Akin Gump Houston for transactions? Haven't heard a lot of info on them.
Decent group, not at the top of the market, but they get and do good work overall. Trying to grow their M&A practice it seems.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 2:57 pm

What about Mayer Brown, I think they have a tiny office?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:01 pm

Any insights on Jackson Walker Houston for transactions? I know they're a lower-tier regional and do very little if any energy transactions, but does that also mean that they're more insulated from the chaos at the top of the market (with all the New York firms coming in, etc.)?

Also - how is Norton Rose for transactions in Houston? I know they are more of a lit firm and that they aren't at the top-tier for corporate, but is their corporate practice at least mid-level for Houston?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:30 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Any insights on Winston & Strawn's offices in Houston and Dallas?

The Dallas office is expanding a lot almost every week with good laterals into trans and lit, cool deals, moving into a new building soon.
One of the Houston biglaw annons from above. Except for perhaps their IP work, Winston & Strawn has no visibility at the top of the Houston market. Have never seen them across on a deal, small or large.
What can you say about their IP work?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:37 pm

I've seen comments on GDC, but any idea on how Orrick is doing in the Houston market since it opened up?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:38 pm

What's the view of Orrick in the Houston market since it opened up?

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:11 pm

Anonymous User wrote:What about Mayer Brown, I think they have a tiny office?
It is quite small. Don't have much (any) visibility in the market, at least not on the M&A side.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:12 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Any insights on Winston & Strawn's offices in Houston and Dallas?

The Dallas office is expanding a lot almost every week with good laterals into trans and lit, cool deals, moving into a new building soon.
One of the Houston biglaw annons from above. Except for perhaps their IP work, Winston & Strawn has no visibility at the top of the Houston market. Have never seen them across on a deal, small or large.
What can you say about their IP work?
I cannot say anything as it is not my area. I only know that their Houston office is known to be more IP focused, beyond that, no real info that I can offer.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:16 pm

Anonymous User wrote:What's the view of Orrick in the Houston market since it opened up?
To both Orrick questions above, at least from my perspective, they have not made much of an impact. Not sure more broadly but on the transaction side (specifically M&A and midstream oil and gas work, which are the two areas I focus) I have seen/heard nothing from them and never been across from them. For perspective, I have been involved in deals were GDC was also involved a few times since they opened.

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Re: What's going on in Texas?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Apr 14, 2018 9:15 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:What about Mayer Brown, I think they have a tiny office?
It is quite small. Don't have much (any) visibility in the market, at least not on the M&A side.
What about Corporate work, generally?

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