Selendy & Gay Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have any insight/advice about what the one hour writing sample thing is as part of S&G's interviews? The description given is pretty vague and I'd love to feel a bit more prepared.

Also, if anyone has general thoughts/info on the firm, that would be appreciated, the other threads on the topic are getting kind of aged (given how much can change from getting set up to getting more established).

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Anon for obvious reasons. I interviewed with them for OCI and decided not to take the callback. Was with one of their founding partners, found him/her to be pretty...unpleasant. Extremely dismissive of peer firms to the point of being unprofessional, talked about how they were "rethinking BigLaw entirely," sorta pitched it as this mission driven org when their bread and butter is plaintiffs-side securities lit. IDK, it seemed disingenuous in a way that was extreme even for BigLaw.

[Anonymous User]

Echoing the same sentiment as the poster above. My OCI interviewers came off as very abrasive and anti-social in a way that seemed unusual even for a big law attorney. They also told me they had all of this new business and very little was carried over from Quinn but there was (idk if there still is) a lawsuit filed by Quinn at the time accusing them of poaching clients.

My friend who interviewed with them joked that they basically just came to get their name out there because of how elevator pitchy the interview was.

[QContinuum]

My friend who interviewed with them joked that they basically just came to get their name out there because of how elevator pitchy the interview was.

I haven't interviewed at S&G so can't comment on their interviewing style/personality, but to be fair, I think they do have to market themselves in a way that the established names, Quinn included, don't. Law students (and even lawyers) are often remarkably uninformed about new developments in the legal world, so I'd venture that many have never even heard of new entrants like S&G or Kaplan & Co.

[Anonymous User]

Also had a deeply unpleasant screener with one of the name partners. He/she spent the entire time describing the firm in near-messianic terms - think "we're going to change the practice of law forever" - but at the end of the day it seems like a pretty bog-standard lit boutique. Good lawyers there, I'm sure it's a fine firm, but if I wanted to spend all day hearing basic business shit spun as a world-changing endeavor I would have skipped law school and tried to get a job in tech.

[Anonymous User]

OP here, I really enjoyed my screener and it didn't feel evangelical at all. But (1) it wasn't one of the founders/managing partners and (2) it sounds like your screeners were in August (a few months after starting) vs. recently (~a year after starting) which would presumably make a difference.

[Anonymous User]

Also did an August screener, not with name-partner. Both interviewers were very nice and didn't talk up too much. I was thrilled to receive a callback because I didn't expect one based on my transcript. The writing sample was ridiculous - it was way more complicated than I expected given that it was to take place before a callback that I was already nervous for. Most of the people I spoke with were nice, but two people I interviewed with were callous and a bit awkward. I left not wanting an offer, but I could see someone else being happy there. I guess I'd rather be surrounded by more people that make me happy rather than surrounding myself with people who possess talent but not tact.

[Anonymous User]

No offense to the OCI folks, but until you've actually practiced in Big Law full-time, what might seem like unnecessary dragging of big law firms may not once you've done it. Can't speak to S&G, but I can tell you firms like them, Kaplan & Co., and others are welcome competition to a big law model that has set up many, many, many litigation associates to fail.

[Anonymous User]

No offense to the OCI folks, but until you've actually practiced in Big Law full-time, what might seem like unnecessary dragging of big law firms may not once you've done it. Can't speak to S&G, but I can tell you firms like them, Kaplan & Co., and others are welcome competition to a big law model that has set up many, many, many litigation associates to fail.

You misunderstood our posts.

I'm very aware of the flaws of "Big" BigLaw. That's why I chose to interview with S&G in the first place. Their partners are probably fantastic litigators, and I have no doubt the work their associates get is much better than the doc review crap a generic V20 associate is slogging through. Despite all that, I left the interview thinking "I viscerally dislike Partner XYZ, and think I'll take my chances with Cravath."

I subsequently interviewed with, and will be going to one of, WLRK, Susman, Boies, W&C, Quinn, KVN. With the exception of W&C, none of those firms have reputation for being "pleasant" places to work. But the associates and partners were all pretty forthright about the advantages and disadvantages of the low-leverage model as compared to say, a Kirkland or w/e. There's less midlevel support, the work is more challenging, and partners have higher expectations, but if you like litigating, it's a lot more interesting.

That wasn't the message I got from S&G. It was Silicon Valley start-up-esque "we're here to make the world a better place!" Which I found dishonest and frankly, insulting. S&G isn't a mission driven organization; it exists to make the Selendys rich. I may be inexperienced, but I'm not stupid.

Ultimately this is just one data point and OP shouldn't take my experience as gospel. But s/he asked for feedback, so figured I'd share it, particularly given how new the firm is.

[pi.radians]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

[PMan99]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

I had to lol at the inclusion of Quinn with WLRK, Susman, KVN, etc...

This whole thread smells incredibly fishy.

[QContinuum]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

I had to lol at the inclusion of Quinn with WLRK, Susman, KVN, etc...

This whole thread smells incredibly fishy.

To be fair, Boies was included in that list too, and I don't think QE's that far off from Boies. But yes, surprising to have Boies and Quinn lumped in with boutiques like Susman and Keker, or even WLRK.

[cheaptilts]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

I had to lol at the inclusion of Quinn with WLRK, Susman, KVN, etc...

This whole thread smells incredibly fishy.

To be fair, Boies was included in that list too, and I don't think QE's that far off from Boies. But yes, surprising to have Boies and Quinn lumped in with boutiques like Susman and Keker, or even WLRK.

Boies’ compensation is substantially higher than that of Quinn and, at least last year, was much, much, closer to SG/WLRK than, e.g., Cravath.

Quinn is below market before 2100 hours and then 2100-2399 gets you market bonus. Above that to like 2600 gets you an additional 5k or something.

I just want to make the record clear.

[QContinuum]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

I had to lol at the inclusion of Quinn with WLRK, Susman, KVN, etc...

This whole thread smells incredibly fishy.

To be fair, Boies was included in that list too, and I don't think QE's that far off from Boies. But yes, surprising to have Boies and Quinn lumped in with boutiques like Susman and Keker, or even WLRK.

Boies’ compensation is substantially higher than that of Quinn and, at least last year, was much, much, closer to SG/WLRK than, e.g., Cravath.

Quinn is below market before 2100 hours and then 2100-2399 gets you market bonus. Above that to like 2600 gets you an additional 5k or something.

I just want to make the record clear.

Fair point. I was thinking in terms of reputation. But obviously compensation is an important consideration.

[Anonymous User]

It seems like John Quinn has found this thread.

I had to lol at the inclusion of Quinn with WLRK, Susman, KVN, etc...

This whole thread smells incredibly fishy.

to satisfy your prestige radar - I'm one of the other posters from above (not the one who made that list) and going to one of WLRK/W&C

[Anonymous User]

I'm the guy/gal who made the list. Not going to Quinn, agree that they're not in the same class as a KVN/WLRK/W&C/Boies or w/e. Included them because S&G is largely ex-Quinn folks, has a similar model, and my Quinn interviewers were not as obnoxious as the S&G partner. Seems relevant to someone interviewing at S&G.

Hopefully that clears everything up. If people wanna dump on Quinn or had great experiences with S&G, that's fine. I'm not a Quinn stan with an axe to grind lmfao, I'm a 2L who literally spent 30 minutes talking with one partner and disliked him/her, felt like OP might care.

[Anonymous User]

I got an offer from S&G this summer and while I liked most of the founding partners, I found the associates to be downright unpleasant. Before I met them, I was seriously considering accepting the offer but I couldn’t imagine working with those people. They seemed extremely conceited.