Firm Benefits Forum

[Anonymous User]

Wait you don't get a solo external office until you're a 5th year at Weil?

wtf

What's the difference between individual internal and external offices?

External offices have windows. I think Weil had frosted glass throughout whether internal or external but obviously internal offices lack a natural light source

They've recently redone/are redoing the floors with frosted glass throughout, so all offices have natural light to some extent. Internal vs. external is just what it sounds like, external offices are on the perimeter with a window.

It's obviously not ideal not getting a solo external office until year 5, but that's the price you pay for being in literally the most expensive office space in all of Manhattan (world?).

Eh. Plenty of firms have offices in very expensive locations in Manhattan and never stick attorneys in internal offices. (And may don't make you share an office, either).

https://www.ft.com/content/8eb214e0-506 ... 144feab7de

This article seems to say that by virtue of being in the GM Building in NYC, Weil pays considerably more for office space than even their counterparts in NYC.

This is correct, the GM building is significantly more expensive than other offices (and we pay much less than other tenants of our building). Frankly I would prefer more space/single offices over being here, but the partners are very attached to this place. Genuinely curious what other NYC firms never stick attorneys in internal offices or make juniors share office space though? I know that's not the case with any of our peer firms.

My V100 has no internal offices for attorneys; that's where the staff are. Everyone gets an exterior private office, even the summers.

[Anonymous User]

Anything on S&C??
Thx!

[FedFan123]

This is correct, the GM building is significantly more expensive than other offices (and we pay much less than other tenants of our building). Frankly I would prefer more space/single offices over being here, but the partners are very attached to this place. Genuinely curious what other NYC firms never stick attorneys in internal offices or make juniors share office space though? I know that's not the case with any of our peer firms.[/quote]

My V100 has no internal offices for attorneys; that's where the staff are. Everyone gets an exterior private office, even the summers.[/quote]


That's great, but who gives a crap? Just lol at anyone making a decision between firms based on a freaking window. Having your own office is much more important than whether or not there is a window.

[dabigchina]

This is correct, the GM building is significantly more expensive than other offices (and we pay much less than other tenants of our building). Frankly I would prefer more space/single offices over being here, but the partners are very attached to this place. Genuinely curious what other NYC firms never stick attorneys in internal offices or make juniors share office space though? I know that's not the case with any of our peer firms.

My V100 has no internal offices for attorneys; that's where the staff are. Everyone gets an exterior private office, even the summers.[/quote]


Having your own office is much more important than whether or not there is a window.[/quote]
He has both, so...

[Anonymous User]

Anything on Jones Day? I know they have a lot of offices, but any info is helpful

Would also like to know.

Jones Day (pretty sure this is firmwide but who knows):

Bar Stipend/Signing Bonus: 10k stipend (less taxes), paid late May/early June and bar expenses paid. If you leave before two years, you have to pay back a pro-rated amount (1/24th for every month before two years). Not sure if they actually collect this in practice.

Relocation Benefits: They contract with Armstrong Relocation for a full move. They pack your stuff in boxes, load it onto the truck, and bring the boxes to your new place. They do not unpack. The firm does not cover storage costs, but they have some kind of container program that lets you store them at a reasonable price. They will also pay for a plane ticket from where you live to your new place, or the mileage to drive there. My move was over $10k, so this was a nice benefit. Not subject to reimbursement, but if you don't stay 39 weeks, the IRS treats it as taxable income.

Health Benefits: Here are the (expensive) health insurance options:

Prices are single/single+1/family per month:

Cheapest plan is 310/655/990
HDHP is 360/757/1140
1700/3400/5100 deductible is 620/1250/1870
Zero deductible is 1020/2045/2990

Nationwide PPO coverage.

Dental (relatively decent coverage) is $29 single, $61 single +1, $86 family.
Eyemed vision - $8.59 single, $16.31 single +1, $23.95 family.

That is the cost to employee before taxes (as in you will ultimtely pay less because you use pre-tax dollars, but that is the sticker price).

Salary Advance - never asked because of the stipend.

Gym Stipend: my building has a gym, not sure how it works elsewhere.

401k: Plan through Wells Fargo, several Vanguard funds to choose from. No match.

Plus a few other random benefits/minor insurance things not worth mentioning.

Thanks! Besides the health insurance, that's somewhat better than I expected.

Since you didn't list them, I'm assuming there are no allowances for meals/cars/phone plan? Also, I understand juniors share offices, but is there any chance for an external office? And the office where I'll be next summer has a gym too. In practice, do people actually use it regularly? Not sure I saw an accompanying shower/locker room during my callback, so I imagine it must be weird walking around in gym clothes while everyone else is suited up.

Oh yeah.

$200 phone allowance.

Up to $50 per month data plan reimbursement.

Dinner (not sure limit, probably $25-30 depending on client?) - I've heard you have to bill 10 hours to one client matter, but could be group specific. No idea about a car. Not in NYC, and that seems like a NYC centric thing.

Re gym, I'm in and back home because I live close enough to walk. So I don't see anyone that early anyway. There are showers here though. But it's really not weird being in gym clothes. People bike in wearing Lycra.

Juniors don't share at the office I'm at.

Yeah at the JD office I summered at no one shared an office. Summers got badass exterior offices--same ones as juniors

[Rahviveh]

Wait you don't get a solo external office until you're a 5th year at Weil?

wtf

What's the difference between individual internal and external offices?

External offices have windows. I think Weil had frosted glass throughout whether internal or external but obviously internal offices lack a natural light source

They've recently redone/are redoing the floors with frosted glass throughout, so all offices have natural light to some extent. Internal vs. external is just what it sounds like, external offices are on the perimeter with a window.

It's obviously not ideal not getting a solo external office until year 5, but that's the price you pay for being in literally the most expensive office space in all of Manhattan (world?).

Eh. Plenty of firms have offices in very expensive locations in Manhattan and never stick attorneys in internal offices. (And may don't make you share an office, either).

https://www.ft.com/content/8eb214e0-506 ... 144feab7de

This article seems to say that by virtue of being in the GM Building in NYC, Weil pays considerably more for office space than even their counterparts in NYC.

This is correct, the GM building is significantly more expensive than other offices (and we pay much less than other tenants of our building). Frankly I would prefer more space/single offices over being here, but the partners are very attached to this place. Genuinely curious what other NYC firms never stick attorneys in internal offices or make juniors share office space though? I know that's not the case with any of our peer firms.

I never even realized firms put associates in internal offices like they are paralegals or the audio visual guy. That sounds degrading. Can we list all the TTT NYC firms that stick associates in internal offices, or make them share past the first year?

[Rahviveh]

Sit with groups and share offices for between 2 and 4 years. All offices have windows, desk set up is senior person behind junior person (so senior can see junior's screen) - substantial majority of second years are in the back desk except for groups that are both large and confined to one floor

LOL WTF is this? so you have some pudgy senior watching your monitor all day? How do you not go insane?

[smaug]

Weil has always claimed they own their floors outright so the cheapness is even more astounding.

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone discuss Latham and how they do bar expenses/bar prep? The sheet they sent us is unclear

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone discuss Latham and how they do bar expenses/bar prep? The sheet they sent us is unclear

Someone mentioned several pages back that bar expenses are a cash stipend, not an advance. I assume this means we book whatever bar program we want.

[FedFan123]

Weil has always claimed they own their floors outright so the cheapness is even more astounding.

Why are you always so bitter about Weil? Strange firm to be so hung up on unless you washed out from there. The amount of false information you spew about Weil is astounding. Weil has never claimed to own their own floors outright. In fact they just recently renegotiated a long-term lease for their floors in a much publicized deal. Now that they have renegotiated that lease they have undertaken a massive renovation and everything is beautiful.
Here is a link so you can stop posting false information: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20 ... ses-in-nyc

[Npret]

Weil has always claimed they own their floors outright so the cheapness is even more astounding.

No they haven't. Where did you get that from? Have you even been to the offices? Weil has had internal offices for 1st years for decades as far as I know. This isn't a new thing.

[smaug]

Weil has always claimed they own their floors outright so the cheapness is even more astounding.

No they haven't. Where did you get that from? Have you even been to the offices? Weil has had internal offices for 1st years for decades as far as I know. This isn't a new thing.

weil literally claimed this during recruiting. it was before the layoffs so things may have changed. i remember it being that they owned their own space and carried no debt, and bankruptcy was countercyclical so they were insulatrd from market pressures. layoffs came a few months later. it was memorable for that reason.

i havent been in weil's offices. i wouldnt be so shocked if i had!

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone discuss Latham and how they do bar expenses/bar prep? The sheet they sent us is unclear

Someone mentioned several pages back that bar expenses are a cash stipend, not an advance. I assume this means we book whatever bar program we want.

yeah that's what it read like. a bigger stipend and then we pay our own bar expenses rather than charging them to the firm. that's not what AtL had on their chard but I know that info is a few years old

[Anonymous User]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know about BuckleySandler?

[Anonymous User]

For all the people who list Bar stipend/signing bonus/cash advance, how does this change if someone is coming from a clerkship? Do you just get a clerkship bonus and nothing else? Can you receive the clerkship bonus while still clerking, or do you need to wait till you start working? Do you need to pay it back if you leave before a certain amount of time?

[RaceJudicata]

For all the people who list Bar stipend/signing bonus/cash advance, how does this change if someone is coming from a clerkship? Do you just get a clerkship bonus and nothing else? Can you receive the clerkship bonus while still clerking, or do you need to wait till you start working? Do you need to pay it back if you leave before a certain amount of time?

Firm dependent re: Paying it back; also firm dependent on when it gets paid, although, I know several firms that include it in first paycheck.

[Anonymous User]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

[Anonymous User]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

Tell us more!

[Anonymous User]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

Tell us more!

Cravath is the same way as DPW- just carry the laptop to/from work. (Summer here)

Does anyone have any info on Cravath? I know people had asked on this thread previously, but I don't think we got any responses

[Anonymous User]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

Tell us more!

Cravath is the same way as DPW- just carry the laptop to/from work. (Summer here)

Does anyone have any info on Cravath? I know people had asked on this thread previously, but I don't think we got any responses

Wait wait wait. At DPW you don't get a separate PC with dual monitors or even one big monitor at work? You have to do all of your work on a tiny ass laptop? Isn't it much easier to work on documents with one big screen or multiple screens?

[MrT]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

Tell us more!

Cravath is the same way as DPW- just carry the laptop to/from work. (Summer here)

Does anyone have any info on Cravath? I know people had asked on this thread previously, but I don't think we got any responses

Wait wait wait. At DPW you don't get a separate PC with dual monitors or even one big monitor at work? You have to do all of your work on a tiny ass laptop? Isn't it much easier to work on documents with one big screen or multiple screens?

I'm assuming they have docking stations that link to separate monitors. At least that has been my experience.

[RaceJudicata]

If firms provide a laptop, do they usually provide mac/windows? Also, do you use the laptop at work as well or is there a different PC you're supposed to use at work?

Depends on the firm. At STB, I keep my laptop at home and have a separate desktop for work. At DPW, associates don't have a separate desktop and have to carry their laptop to/from work each day. Usually Lenovo w/ Windows.

Tell us more!

Cravath is the same way as DPW- just carry the laptop to/from work. (Summer here)

Does anyone have any info on Cravath? I know people had asked on this thread previously, but I don't think we got any responses

Wait wait wait. At DPW you don't get a separate PC with dual monitors or even one big monitor at work? You have to do all of your work on a tiny ass laptop? Isn't it much easier to work on documents with one big screen or multiple screens?

No. Don't work there, but just no. There is certainly a docking station in the office and then monitor or dual monitors. I think this is is standard practice at a significant percentage of businesses and not just law.

[cavalier1138]

Don't work there...

Why not?