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[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

I feel very lucky to have offers from both of these firms. I really enjoyed everyone I met in both firms, and I am having a hard time choosing. Would it be dumb to choose Sidley over PW? I am looking to do transactional work, if that helps any. Any advice or input would be welcome. Sidley is smaller, with a smaller summer class, and I might like that more. PW seems to be more highly regarded, which is stopping me from just choosing Sidley outright.

If you're interested in transactional, it absolutely wouldn't be dumb to choose Sidley if you really felt like you liked it more. That being said, if there's any part of you that thinks you might do litigation, you can't do much better than PW in NYC. Also, if you're looking to stay in NYC long-term, PW has a much more established "brand" in the city, for whatever that's worth down the road in terms of exit options.

[Anonymous User]

I feel very lucky to have offers from both of these firms. I really enjoyed everyone I met in both firms, and I am having a hard time choosing. Would it be dumb to choose Sidley over PW? I am looking to do transactional work, if that helps any. Any advice or input would be welcome. Sidley is smaller, with a smaller summer class, and I might like that more. PW seems to be more highly regarded, which is stopping me from just choosing Sidley outright.

If you're interested in transactional, it absolutely wouldn't be dumb to choose Sidley if you really felt like you liked it more. That being said, if there's any part of you that thinks you might do litigation, you can't do much better than PW in NYC. Also, if you're looking to stay in NYC long-term, PW has a much more established "brand" in the city, for whatever that's worth down the road in terms of exit options.

I very strongly disagree with the first sentence. FWIW, not at either firm but am in corporate group of V5. It would be a mistake to choose Sidley NY over PW for either corporate or litigation. Tbh I think it would be a mistake to choose even their Chicago office over PW for corporate (assuming agnostic about location). I havent seen Sidley NY on a deal (neither my own deals nor as counsel on the deals that are announced internally). Sidley's NY office is an outpost. PW corporate is objectively stronger here in NY. Sponsor-side M&A and all the work (e.g., securities offerings, debt finance, restructuring etc) that spins off of that has really strengthened their corporate side (even before Barshay moved there). Their litigation is better here too. I can't think of a substantive reason to choose Sidley.

[Lincoln]

I feel very lucky to have offers from both of these firms. I really enjoyed everyone I met in both firms, and I am having a hard time choosing. Would it be dumb to choose Sidley over PW? I am looking to do transactional work, if that helps any. Any advice or input would be welcome. Sidley is smaller, with a smaller summer class, and I might like that more. PW seems to be more highly regarded, which is stopping me from just choosing Sidley outright.

If you're interested in transactional, it absolutely wouldn't be dumb to choose Sidley if you really felt like you liked it more. That being said, if there's any part of you that thinks you might do litigation, you can't do much better than PW in NYC. Also, if you're looking to stay in NYC long-term, PW has a much more established "brand" in the city, for whatever that's worth down the road in terms of exit options.

I very strongly disagree with the first sentence. FWIW, not at either firm but am in corporate group of V5. It would be a mistake to choose Sidley NY over PW for either corporate or litigation. Tbh I think it would be a mistake to choose even their Chicago office over PW for corporate (assuming agnostic about location). I havent seen Sidley NY on a deal (neither my own deals nor as counsel on the deals that are announced internally). Sidley's NY office is an outpost. PW corporate is objectively stronger here in NY. Sponsor-side M&A and all the work (e.g., securities offerings, debt finance, restructuring etc) that spins off of that has really strengthened their corporate side (even before Barshay moved there). Their litigation is better here too. I can't think of a substantive reason to choose Sidley.

I generally agree with you, but right there is one reason not to do corporate at PW.

[Anonymous User]

I feel very lucky to have offers from both of these firms. I really enjoyed everyone I met in both firms, and I am having a hard time choosing. Would it be dumb to choose Sidley over PW? I am looking to do transactional work, if that helps any. Any advice or input would be welcome. Sidley is smaller, with a smaller summer class, and I might like that more. PW seems to be more highly regarded, which is stopping me from just choosing Sidley outright.

If you're interested in transactional, it absolutely wouldn't be dumb to choose Sidley if you really felt like you liked it more. That being said, if there's any part of you that thinks you might do litigation, you can't do much better than PW in NYC. Also, if you're looking to stay in NYC long-term, PW has a much more established "brand" in the city, for whatever that's worth down the road in terms of exit options.

I very strongly disagree with the first sentence. FWIW, not at either firm but am in corporate group of V5. It would be a mistake to choose Sidley NY over PW for either corporate or litigation. Tbh I think it would be a mistake to choose even their Chicago office over PW for corporate (assuming agnostic about location). I havent seen Sidley NY on a deal (neither my own deals nor as counsel on the deals that are announced internally). Sidley's NY office is an outpost. PW corporate is objectively stronger here in NY. Sponsor-side M&A and all the work (e.g., securities offerings, debt finance, restructuring etc) that spins off of that has really strengthened their corporate side (even before Barshay moved there). Their litigation is better here too. I can't think of a substantive reason to choose Sidley.

I generally agree with you, but right there is one reason not to do corporate at PW.

Lol you're right, but I figure one could avoid that reason. Plenty of other work to be done

[Anonymous User]

I feel very lucky to have offers from both of these firms. I really enjoyed everyone I met in both firms, and I am having a hard time choosing. Would it be dumb to choose Sidley over PW? I am looking to do transactional work, if that helps any. Any advice or input would be welcome. Sidley is smaller, with a smaller summer class, and I might like that more. PW seems to be more highly regarded, which is stopping me from just choosing Sidley outright.

If you're interested in transactional, it absolutely wouldn't be dumb to choose Sidley if you really felt like you liked it more. That being said, if there's any part of you that thinks you might do litigation, you can't do much better than PW in NYC. Also, if you're looking to stay in NYC long-term, PW has a much more established "brand" in the city, for whatever that's worth down the road in terms of exit options.

I very strongly disagree with the first sentence. FWIW, not at either firm but am in corporate group of V5. It would be a mistake to choose Sidley NY over PW for either corporate or litigation. Tbh I think it would be a mistake to choose even their Chicago office over PW for corporate (assuming agnostic about location). I havent seen Sidley NY on a deal (neither my own deals nor as counsel on the deals that are announced internally). Sidley's NY office is an outpost. PW corporate is objectively stronger here in NY. Sponsor-side M&A and all the work (e.g., securities offerings, debt finance, restructuring etc) that spins off of that has really strengthened their corporate side (even before Barshay moved there). Their litigation is better here too. I can't think of a substantive reason to choose Sidley.

I generally agree with you, but right there is one reason not to do corporate at PW.

Lol you're right, but I figure one could avoid that reason. Plenty of other work to be done

Not OP. Not to derail, but maybe for both my benefit and OP's, could you explain Barshay's reputation as being unpleasant?

[Lincoln]

Not OP. Not to derail, but maybe for both my benefit and OP's, could you explain Barshay's reputation as being unpleasant?

Never worked with him myself, but I have never once heard anyone say anything other than that he is a giant a-hole to his associates and even his partners. Screaming, belittling, mocking, etc. Also totally full of himself, but that is of course a common trait among rainmakers.

[Anonymous User]

Not OP. Not to derail, but maybe for both my benefit and OP's, could you explain Barshay's reputation as being unpleasant?

Never worked with him myself, but I have never once heard anyone say anything other than that he is a giant a-hole to his associates and even his partners. Screaming, belittling, mocking, etc. Also totally full of himself, but that is of course a common trait among rainmakers.

Also have never worked with him but have friends who did before he moved to PW. Generally heard same as above. Goes beyond demanding constant availability (which is frankly common fare for any M&A deal of that intensity).

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

OP: Can I ask when when you heard back from your Sidley and PW cbs