Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions Forum

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:33 am

I had heard 20k at the end of the summer upon signing you offer but I didn't hear it directly from KE.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:55 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:any other 2Ls with offers receive an offer of money as a sweetener to accept a summer position? didn't know that was a thing till now
Lol is this a joke? You received an offer for a signing bonus for a summer position?
I know that htey offer signing bonus to summers
How much is it?
Mine was in the 2x,xxx range... Contingent on me accepting a full time offer at the end of my summer (and seemingly separate from any bar stipend type bonus
Was this in your offer letter? Pretty bummed I did not get anything like this in my offer letter.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:57 pm

I am hoping a recent summer can chime in here. When you complete your summer and accept the offer of employment, do you get a signing bonus then or is it when you join the firm after taking the bar exam? Either way, how much is it at KE Houston?

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:47 pm

Will someone please comment on the typical amount of hours billed by a junior associate in the Houston office (on an annual and/or weekly basis). I'm not scared of long hours and I understand that the hiring surge lowers the value of such data moving forward, but I actually think that is the most helpful number when evaluating what the culture is really like at K/E.

Obviously it varies between associates, but I'm looking for something along the lines of:

Example 1: "Most associates work more than 2300."

or

Example 2: "Its usually between 2XXX and 2XXX, but it would be rare to exceed 2XXX."

or

Example 3: "My hours personally for 2015 were 2XXX, and this is fairly standard for my class level give or take 100 hours."

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 17, 2016 9:56 am

Anonymous User wrote:Will someone please comment on the typical amount of hours billed by a junior associate in the Houston office (on an annual and/or weekly basis). I'm not scared of long hours and I understand that the hiring surge lowers the value of such data moving forward, but I actually think that is the most helpful number when evaluating what the culture is really like at K/E.

Obviously it varies between associates, but I'm looking for something along the lines of:

Example 1: "Most associates work more than 2300."

or

Example 2: "Its usually between 2XXX and 2XXX, but it would be rare to exceed 2XXX."

or

Example 3: "My hours personally for 2015 were 2XXX, and this is fairly standard for my class level give or take 100 hours."
My hours last year were just shy of 2200. That being said I think it is super important to state that hours do not equal culture. There are plenty of places where the associates don't bill very much (read: below 2000), but they still sit in the office 9-7 because the partners are there and they have to be in the office for show. Also aggregate yearly hours don't tell you much, because you have no idea how they breakdown. I've been across from associates at "lifestyle" firms exchanging emails at 3am before a signing/closing because that is what happens in corporate no matter what firm you're at. The difference will come after signing/closing when I bill 30-40 hours from my couch the next week and that associate bills 10 hours but still has to be in the office for "face time" or whatever.

Also there are lots of reasons why folks may not bill much - including, that they want to bill more, but they don't have the work or that the firm over hired. Further firms that have low average annual billings can still have bad cultures and firms that have average billing at 2400 may be great places to work. By your statement above, I think you're placing too much emphasis on that number.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 17, 2016 11:03 am

.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:51 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Will someone please comment on the typical amount of hours billed by a junior associate in the Houston office (on an annual and/or weekly basis). I'm not scared of long hours and I understand that the hiring surge lowers the value of such data moving forward, but I actually think that is the most helpful number when evaluating what the culture is really like at K/E.

Obviously it varies between associates, but I'm looking for something along the lines of:

Example 1: "Most associates work more than 2300."

or

Example 2: "Its usually between 2XXX and 2XXX, but it would be rare to exceed 2XXX."

or

Example 3: "My hours personally for 2015 were 2XXX, and this is fairly standard for my class level give or take 100 hours."
My hours last year were just shy of 2200. That being said I think it is super important to state that hours do not equal culture. There are plenty of places where the associates don't bill very much (read: below 2000), but they still sit in the office 9-7 because the partners are there and they have to be in the office for show. Also aggregate yearly hours don't tell you much, because you have no idea how they breakdown. I've been across from associates at "lifestyle" firms exchanging emails at 3am before a signing/closing because that is what happens in corporate no matter what firm you're at. The difference will come after signing/closing when I bill 30-40 hours from my couch the next week and that associate bills 10 hours but still has to be in the office for "face time" or whatever.

Also there are lots of reasons why folks may not bill much - including, that they want to bill more, but they don't have the work or that the firm over hired. Further firms that have low average annual billings can still have bad cultures and firms that have average billing at 2400 may be great places to work. By your statement above, I think you're placing too much emphasis on that number.
This is true. I am at one of VE/BB and hit almost 2500 last year, but would say it is a great place to work. Lots of people were under 2300, not many under 2000. With corporate its hard to place an emphasis on hours so generally. Some places are a sweat shop, but most of the time a lot of the work is on you to accept or turn down. If you want to be slammed all year, you probably can. If you want to be slow all year you probably can do that as well. When you are closing a deal you are going to have to put in the hours it takes, even at a "lifestyle firm". If they want to close the deal and there is work to be done ... you do the work till it is done. I think its more about the people you work with. Think about having to pull late nights with those people and how you feel you would interact with them.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Sep 21, 2016 12:47 pm

At K&E Houston do associates have the option for a work phone provided? Or do most just use their personal device for work and personal?

Is the same true for summer associates?

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:32 pm

Anonymous User wrote:At K&E Houston do associates have the option for a work phone provided? Or do most just use their personal device for work and personal?

Is the same true for summer associates?
Question regarding perks:

If you use your personal phone, how much of your phone bill/data do they pay for?

What is the policy on comping dinners/budget?

How much do you pay in parking?

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Sep 21, 2016 3:29 pm

Anonymous User wrote:At K&E Houston do associates have the option for a work phone provided? Or do most just use their personal device for work and personal?

Is the same true for summer associates?
I know for Kirkland NY summer associates, they let you decide whether you want to use your own phone or have a separate work phone. I think everyone opted for having a separate phone though. Everyone gets their own laptop though. I think this is the same when you work full time.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Sep 26, 2016 2:53 pm

Anyone heard the final number of 2Ls that have accepted for the 2017 summer class?

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:01 am

Does anyone know the GPA requirements for the Houston office? I'm around median at one of MPVD with ties to Houston and was wondering if I had any shot at an SA next summer.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Right2BearArms » Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:55 am

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know the GPA requirements for the Houston office? I'm around median at one of MPVD with ties to Houston and was wondering if I had any shot at an SA next summer.
Not a KE, so cant tell you for sure, but based on the way they hired last Summer/OCI, I seriously doubt you would be wasting your time applying.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:26 am

Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know the GPA requirements for the Houston office? I'm around median at one of MPVD with ties to Houston and was wondering if I had any shot at an SA next summer.
You should have a pretty good shot. I'm class of '18 at a lower T14 with around Median GPA and received an offer as well as a signing bonus. Several friends at my school had similar outcomes at KE Houston.
Anonymous User wrote:I am hoping a recent summer can chime in here. When you complete your summer and accept the offer of employment, do you get a signing bonus then or is it when you join the firm after taking the bar exam? Either way, how much is it at KE Houston?
Bonuses for the class of '18 2L Summer Associates was $25K but only upon signing full-time after successful completion of the summer program. Was told that ~8 of the summers (out of ~30) received this incentive.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:27 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know the GPA requirements for the Houston office? I'm around median at one of MPVD with ties to Houston and was wondering if I had any shot at an SA next summer.
You should have a pretty good shot. I'm class of '18 at a lower T14 with around Median GPA and received an offer as well as a signing bonus. Several friends at my school had similar outcomes at KE Houston.
Anonymous User wrote:I am hoping a recent summer can chime in here. When you complete your summer and accept the offer of employment, do you get a signing bonus then or is it when you join the firm after taking the bar exam? Either way, how much is it at KE Houston?
Bonuses for the class of '18 2L Summer Associates was $25K but only upon signing full-time after successful completion of the summer program. Was told that ~8 of the summers (out of ~30) received this incentive.
Are you an URM? I've spoken with some of the current SAs and none have mentioned the bonus. They confirmed the bonus was true in the past two years but not this summer so perhaps you received a diversity scholarship? Or I just haven't spoken to any of the ~8 SAs that received it.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 1:23 am

I heard from a very recent SA that it was mostly diversity SAs that received bonuses in 2016. 2015 was different because they didn't have the recruiting brand they needed as a new entrant to the market. Now they are the leading firm for Texas M&A and have the brand, don't think they will pay out bonuses as easily.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:55 am

Anonymous User wrote:I heard from a very recent SA that it was mostly diversity SAs that received bonuses in 2016. 2015 was different because they didn't have the recruiting brand they needed as a new entrant to the market. Now they are the leading firm for Texas M&A and have the brand, don't think they will pay out bonuses as easily.
You must not be an associate in Houston. No one puts KE as the leading firm for Texas M&A (nor do the M&A tables). Also, they are still offering pretty lucrative bonuses to associates at other firms to move over. Lastly, have you looked at the structure of that office? Unreasonably leveraged.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:06 am

How big do you think the litigation group will get in Houston? Seems like a tough space to compete in.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Bananapancakes » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:23 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:I heard from a very recent SA that it was mostly diversity SAs that received bonuses in 2016. 2015 was different because they didn't have the recruiting brand they needed as a new entrant to the market. Now they are the leading firm for Texas M&A and have the brand, don't think they will pay out bonuses as easily.
You must not be an associate in Houston. No one puts KE as the leading firm for Texas M&A (nor do the M&A tables). Also, they are still offering pretty lucrative bonuses to associates at other firms to move over. Lastly, have you looked at the structure of that office? Unreasonably leveraged.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busines ... 976924.php

"But no law firm handled more Texas corporate transactions in 2016 than Chicago-based Kirkland & Ellis, which opened its Houston office in April 2014. Kirkland advised Texas companies on 82 separate deals in 2016 - up from 47 in 2015."

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:44 am

Right, I am in Houston at one of the top two old Texas firms -VE/BB. Partners here will pretty much admit that Kirkland is way ahead on M&A now. Cap M is still dominated by the old TX firms and Latham. KE was always stronger on PE M&A, now they have taken a lot of the company clients after they originally got them as restructuring clients. Folks are trying to fight back, but tough so long as they are continuing to grow. They hired three of the best young partners from VE over last three years and two from BB. Strategy appears to be if young partners start to get traction against them they hire that those partners to eliminate the competition. Not sure how Gibson Dunn will change things.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:48 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:Does anyone know the GPA requirements for the Houston office? I'm around median at one of MPVD with ties to Houston and was wondering if I had any shot at an SA next summer.
You should have a pretty good shot. I'm class of '18 at a lower T14 with around Median GPA and received an offer as well as a signing bonus. Several friends at my school had similar outcomes at KE Houston.
Anonymous User wrote:I am hoping a recent summer can chime in here. When you complete your summer and accept the offer of employment, do you get a signing bonus then or is it when you join the firm after taking the bar exam? Either way, how much is it at KE Houston?
Bonuses for the class of '18 2L Summer Associates was $25K but only upon signing full-time after successful completion of the summer program. Was told that ~8 of the summers (out of ~30) received this incentive.
Are you an URM? I've spoken with some of the current SAs and none have mentioned the bonus. They confirmed the bonus was true in the past two years but not this summer so perhaps you received a diversity scholarship? Or I just haven't spoken to any of the ~8 SAs that received it.
I am a URM but at least one of my classmates who is not a URM received the same offer. We both summered at one of VE/BB our 1L year so maybe that played into it? Also, can confirm that it was indeed a signing bonus and not a diversity scholarship (I didn't even apply for their diversity scholarship).

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:34 pm

Poster who said the league tables don't have Kirkland as number 1 for TX M&A clearly hasn't seen a league table in a year or two. They dominated TX M&A last year, V&E second, Latham third. Will be shocked if it isn't a wider lead this year, we see them everywhere. Not so much in Capital Markets, seem far smaller there. Litigation also seems small but growing. Lit appears to be run by a very different team than corporate, the female head of that lit practice was opposite our firm recently. Harvard grad.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:55 pm

Current SA at one of BB/VE/NRF/LL. Wanting to do transactional work in the future. Any advice on if staying at my current firm will be a bad career choice if Kirkland and Latham are beginning to dominate the market? I interviewed with Kirkland and didn't exactly love their culture and some associates but I wonder if I should overlook that if the career prospects are better.

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:59 pm

Any insight on the lit/white collar groups? They seem small--are they wanting to increase in size? Is it as brutal as the work on transactional side?

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Re: Kirkland (Houston) Associate - Taking Questions

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jun 27, 2017 5:22 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Current SA at one of BB/VE/NRF/LL. Wanting to do transactional work in the future. Any advice on if staying at my current firm will be a bad career choice if Kirkland and Latham are beginning to dominate the market? I interviewed with Kirkland and didn't exactly love their culture and some associates but I wonder if I should overlook that if the career prospects are better.
The 4 firms you listed are so different I don't know how you could group them in the same corporate category. If you are at one of BB/VE, moving to KE will be about the same I would imagine. If you are at NRF/LL (guessing this is the case since you looped them in), then yes, you should move to one of BB/VE/LW/KE if possible. NRF basically has no corporate group left (top players went to BB) and LL is a solid tier or two below the rest.

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