Anonymous User wrote:"a very large portion of the 2016 summer class did not even return. The firm had to bring in a bunch of recent grads to fill the first year ranks. The 2016 associates who did return have also left in record numbers and two were already fired." This was in reference to the NYC office and NYC SA class and nothing in my posting is a "lie". These claims are all documented on NALP, Laterally.com, Vault, etc. The DC office did recently cancel its summer program (I did not know it was brought back since I no longer work there).Anonymous User wrote:Former Cadwalader DC associate here. Please do not spread lies about our old firm.
This is untrue. The DC office does have a summer program, any 2016 summer not part of the practice group that moved got an offer to return and will, and the 2016 associates all returned save two: one moved with the practice group to another firm and another went to go clerk. The rest came back. The offices that shut down were in Asia, because they were branches to aid the DC practice group that left.The summer classes keep getting smaller, the D.C. office no longer has a summer program and a very large portion of the 2016 summer class did not even return. The firm had to bring in a bunch of recent grads to fill the first year ranks. The 2016 associates who did return have also left in record numbers and two were already fired.
The reality is that the firm experienced some unanticipated departures and now everyone's making a big deal out of something that has happened to every other firm. (WSRG has taken a group from Sidley, Winston from McDermott, Quinn from Skadden, Holland & Knight from Jones Day -- it's part of the industry.) But that isn't to say that young associates shouldn't look forward to an amazing start to their career. I loved my time at CWT: there was good work, hands-on experience with drafting/filing and plenty of face time with partners. There was one partner who is brilliant, who has been at CWT his whole career, and who is without a doubt the nicest and most effective mentor I've ever had. Also, the current attorney resources department is top-notch. It's run by a former attorney who used to give us practical, useful advice whenever we asked for it. Even when I was lateraling (I left DC to go home to my family and SO) partners and associates were happy to call connections and former classmates on my behalf, and when I got my current job (V15 firm in my top choice market-- having partners calling on your behalf helps), they and staff threw me a goodbye party (or two). In short... don't listen to OP. I'm not sure why he's bitter at CWT, but his experience is likely personal.
The NYC office's SA class had lots of defections (it is a small class to begin with). The NYC SA class sizes when I started there ranged from 25-30, now there are only 20 SAs.
Also, note this another exception to the rule. This is a former associate from the DC office. My post was about the NYC office. If you summer at Cad NYC you will most likely not be one of these "exceptions". These feelings were shared by all of my friends, so I guess they took the firm's treatment of them "personally" too. Cad's reputation extends to its NYC office, I have also heard bad things from the Charlotte people. Once again, please look at the attrition numbers, surveys, office closings, departments fleeing, partners jumping ship, firm financials, etc.
To the Cad superfan above: what do you think about the fact that CWT has seen crazy levels of attrition not only in associate ranks, but also with their managing partners? Between 2013-2015, CWT had no less than 3 managing partners at the helm (White, then Woolery, then Quinn). I mean, come on
When even a managing partner with a guaranteed $10MM salary bails after 2 years, you gotta at least consider the fact that the firm has major cultural problems