San Diego (Corporate) Firms and Opinions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Alright all. I'm looking to lateral to San Diego corporate out of my current situation. There's not a lot of current threads on the San Diego market, so thought I could start a new one. Chambers has a Corporate M&A Southern California band ranking: https://chambers.com/guide/usa?publicat ... onId=16028, which I take to be primarily San Diego-focused, since they break out LA & surrounds in a different list. In that list, Chambers mentions the following firms with SD offices:

-Latham
-Paul Hastings

I've not heard much about those listed above (except for general positive mention of Latham somewhere), but have heard some about and would love to hear opinions on the SD offices of:

-DLA
-Cooley
-Gunderson

Thanks for any current thoughts you all can provide!

[SamuelDanforth]

I think that list must be LA/OC/SD because Gibson hasn't had a San Diego office in years, but they do have one in OC and LA. SullCrom only has an LA Office, as does Skadden.

I can't speak to their strength, but I think the main biglaw practices with corporate folks in SD are Cooley, Latham, Perkins Coie, Pillsbury Shaw, DLA, and Gunderson

[Anonymous User]

Alright all. I'm looking to lateral to San Diego corporate out of my current situation. There's not a lot of current threads on the San Diego market, so thought I could start a new one. Chambers has a Corporate M&A Southern California band ranking: https://chambers.com/guide/usa?publicat ... onId=16028, which I take to be primarily San Diego-focused, since they break out LA & surrounds in a different list. In that list, Chambers mentions the following firms with SD offices:

-Latham
-Paul Hastings

I've not heard much about those listed above (except for general positive mention of Latham somewhere), but have heard some about and would love to hear opinions on the SD offices of:

-DLA
-Cooley
-Gunderson

Thanks for any current thoughts you all can provide!

Gunderson SD is great. The office is an office of laterals, as it's made up of ex-WSGR, DLA, Cooley, and other associates and partners, so lateral integration is smooth there. The office originates its own work so it's not reliant on HQ in the Bay Area, and the partners are really nice people.

[Anonymous User]

I think that list must be LA/OC/SD because Gibson hasn't had a San Diego office in years, but they do have one in OC and LA. SullCrom only has an LA Office, as does Skadden.

I can't speak to their strength, but I think the main biglaw practices with corporate folks in SD are Cooley, Latham, Perkins Coie, Pillsbury Shaw, DLA, and Gunderson

Thanks, edited list to reflect this. Chambers makes no sense sometimes.

[Anonymous User]

Alright all. I'm looking to lateral to San Diego corporate out of my current situation. There's not a lot of current threads on the San Diego market, so thought I could start a new one. Chambers has a Corporate M&A Southern California band ranking: https://chambers.com/guide/usa?publicat ... onId=16028, which I take to be primarily San Diego-focused, since they break out LA & surrounds in a different list. In that list, Chambers mentions the following firms with SD offices:

-Latham
-Paul Hastings

I've not heard much about those listed above (except for general positive mention of Latham somewhere), but have heard some about and would love to hear opinions on the SD offices of:

-DLA
-Cooley
-Gunderson

Thanks for any current thoughts you all can provide!

Gunderson SD is great. The office is an office of laterals, as it's made up of ex-WSGR, DLA, Cooley, and other associates and partners, so lateral integration is smooth there. The office originates its own work so it's not reliant on HQ in the Bay Area, and the partners are really nice people.

Super helpful, thanks. Lemme know if you've got thoughts on any of the other Calif-based firms (Cooley, WSGR, and I'll throw in DLA because I know it's a big SD office).

[Anonymous User]

Alright all. I'm looking to lateral to San Diego corporate out of my current situation. There's not a lot of current threads on the San Diego market, so thought I could start a new one. Chambers has a Corporate M&A Southern California band ranking: https://chambers.com/guide/usa?publicat ... onId=16028, which I take to be primarily San Diego-focused, since they break out LA & surrounds in a different list. In that list, Chambers mentions the following firms with SD offices:

-Latham
-Paul Hastings

I've not heard much about those listed above (except for general positive mention of Latham somewhere), but have heard some about and would love to hear opinions on the SD offices of:

-DLA
-Cooley
-Gunderson

Thanks for any current thoughts you all can provide!

Gunderson SD is great. The office is an office of laterals, as it's made up of ex-WSGR, DLA, Cooley, and other associates and partners, so lateral integration is smooth there. The office originates its own work so it's not reliant on HQ in the Bay Area, and the partners are really nice people.

Super helpful, thanks. Lemme know if you've got thoughts on any of the other Calif-based firms (Cooley, WSGR, and I'll throw in DLA because I know it's a big SD office).

I've heard some fairly negative things from ex-SD WSGR folks (which is an admittedly small sample size). As they've explained to me, the corporate group is fairly small and sweat-shoppy as there's no shortage of work but a refusal to meaningfully expand or share work with associates in other offices. I'd take all the negative WSGR rumors with a grain of salt as TLS seems to be anti-WSGR, but that's just what my friends who were in that office have told me, and that's why they left.

[Excellent117]

Avoid Paul Hastings SD for corporate at all costs.

[Anonymous User]

Latham, Cooley and DLA lead the market for pubco work. Cooley, DLA, and Gunderson lead the market for ec/vc work.

If you wanna do cap markets, Latham, Cooley and DLA are the leaders.

Gunderson seems like a good group of people, but I question why they always have junior openings.

ETA: and they all seem nice but bro-y as fuck. Married bros with kids.

[Anonymous User]

Latham, Cooley and DLA lead the market for pubco work. Cooley, DLA, and Gunderson lead the market for ec/vc work.

If you wanna do cap markets, Latham, Cooley and DLA are the leaders.

Gunderson seems like a good group of people, but I question why they always have junior openings.

ETA: and they all seem nice but bro-y as fuck. Married bros with kids.

Gunderson SD doesn't offer a summer program so they get fill their junior ranks with laterals.

[Anonymous User]

Latham, Cooley and DLA lead the market for pubco work. Cooley, DLA, and Gunderson lead the market for ec/vc work.

If you wanna do cap markets, Latham, Cooley and DLA are the leaders.

Gunderson seems like a good group of people, but I question why they always have junior openings.

ETA: and they all seem nice but bro-y as fuck. Married bros with kids.

Gunderson SD doesn't offer a summer program so they get fill their junior ranks with laterals.

Obviously, and they aren’t alone in not having a summer program for transactional work. The fact remains they have a junior opening fairly frequently (ie several times a year). I don’t think it’s need based.

[Anonymous User]

Avoid Paul Hastings SD for corporate at all costs.

I've heard this before and I have noticed that they're bleeding corp associates. Is it a sweat shop or toxic partner(s)?

[RedGiant]

Mintz has a decent corporate practice in their SD office too. It's not a firm that is normally thought of for its CA presence on the corporate side generally, but it has a great biotech practice (both emerging companies and public company work).

Def apply there if you're checking out SD corporate.

[Anonymous User]

Original anon: Thanks to everyone who has replied.

Kind of silly but kind of related question: where do younger associates tend to live? Looks like most of the firms mentioned have offices near Carmel Valley or just a bit south. I've been looking at the typical young professional neighborhoods in downtown (Hillcrest, North Park, etc), but worry about the commute.

[Anonymous User]

MoFo also has a corporate group in SD but it’s very small. If you end up at a Carmel Valley firm and have a family (or plan to), live around there or further north. If you are single, just be aware that commuting north to Carmel Valley from anywhere south is hell - esp coming from downtown/ north park/ OB. I guess PB and north would be doable but you’ll still deal with a lot of traffic.

[pfunkera]

Original anon: Thanks to everyone who has replied.

Kind of silly but kind of related question: where do younger associates tend to live? Looks like most of the firms mentioned have offices near Carmel Valley or just a bit south. I've been looking at the typical young professional neighborhoods in downtown (Hillcrest, North Park, etc), but worry about the commute.

I worked in San Diego a while back (non legal work/Pharma Company). Traffic sucks so definitely consider the traffic when you pick a place to live. It has been a long time since I worked there, but I used to commute on the Coaster train from Oceanside to Sorrento Valley. Took about the same time as driving but much less stress and you can work on the ride. I was lucky that the Sorrento Valley station was a short walk (up and down a bluff) plus the company I worked for offered a shuttle as well. I am not familiar with where the firms are located though so that may not be an option.

[Excellent117]

Avoid Paul Hastings SD for corporate at all costs.

I've heard this before and I have noticed that they're bleeding corp associates. Is it a sweat shop or toxic partner(s)?

Toxic partners, very inconsistent workflow (which leads to hoarding by the seniors and mid-levels), and an especially terrible workplace if you're a woman (even by big law standards).

[Anonymous User]

Any sense of where the best places are on the litigation side? It seems like IP lawyers have some choices, but for folks who don't want to do other lit work as well Cooley and Latham seem to have the most associate slots. Does that seem right? \

[Anonymous User]

Any sense of where the best places are on the litigation side? It seems like IP lawyers have some choices, but for folks who don't want to do other lit work as well Cooley and Latham seem to have the most associate slots. Does that seem right? \

Confused on your question - “folks who don’t want to do other lit work as well”?

In any event, not sure Latham SD has the most lit spots. I think their litigators in SD mostly do environmental which is pretty niche. SD offices of Sheppard Mullen, Cooley, and DLA probably have the most non-IP lit spots. Then there are a handful of litigators at Paul Hastings, Perkins Coie, Mintz, Troutman Sanders, MoFo, probably some others I’m forgetting.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry, good catch. I meant to say "who want to do other lit work."

[Anonymous User]

Any sense of where the best places are on the litigation side? It seems like IP lawyers have some choices, but for folks who don't want to do other lit work as well Cooley and Latham seem to have the most associate slots. Does that seem right? \

Confused on your question - “folks who don’t want to do other lit work as well”?

In any event, not sure Latham SD has the most lit spots. I think their litigators in SD mostly do environmental which is pretty niche. SD offices of Sheppard Mullen, Cooley, and DLA probably have the most non-IP lit spots. Then there are a handful of litigators at Paul Hastings, Perkins Coie, Mintz, Troutman Sanders, MoFo, probably some others I’m forgetting.

Latham SD has as many traditional litigators (securities, soft IP, healthcare FCA) as environmental litigators (many of whom are not really in the litigation dept at all). Still, probably on par with the other offices you list, but because Cooley and Latham have the biggest summer classes, it would be easiest to target one of these offices and then just say you want to do lit once you get in.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on Jones Day's corporate group in SD? Any idea if the practice group is growing? Seems small.

Anon because some of my other posts may give my identity away.

[Anonymous User]

I lateraled to SD a few months ago and I think the traffic thing is totally overblown. But maybe I’m saying that coming from a major city with horrible traffic.

In any event, I’m likely working until 6:30 or later anyway, and by then traffic isn’t bad at all. The rush hour here isn’t nearly as bad as a lot of other places. And I say that as someone who takes the 805.