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Gunner alert: Susman Godfrey opening in NY

http://www.nylawyer.com/display.php/file=/news/06/03/032106h
passionate brass spot headpube
  03/21/06
can you cut and paste it?
umber lay keepsake machete
  03/21/06
Yeah, sorry I forgot about the registration thing. Interest...
passionate brass spot headpube
  03/21/06
thanks. this should be interesting. they have a pretty uniqu...
umber lay keepsake machete
  03/21/06
yeah, but subleasing space for only five lawyers implies the...
Mint charismatic nowag space
  04/13/06
there are no "superstar" law grads
yellow public bath
  04/13/06
How many "superstar graduates" want to be plaintif...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
In an average year, 1.23
Racy jet-lagged digit ratio
  04/13/06
at Susman? are you kidding? i can see them getting tons of...
Unholy Effete Background Story
  04/13/06
Shareholder derivative suits can be just as sleazy as slip-a...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
well, to your second point, susman has a famously short part...
Unholy Effete Background Story
  04/13/06
Oh, it's sleazy. Susman has its attorneys jumping in garbage...
Racy jet-lagged digit ratio
  04/13/06
A random sampling seems to reveal a ton of Texas grads and a...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
i'm not sure. i know that i could have summered at any one ...
Unholy Effete Background Story
  04/13/06
If you could have summered at Wachtell and Williams & Co...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
It might also have something to do with the fact that the fi...
Cordovan Trailer Park
  04/13/06
Yeah, who would want to work in a state where market is now ...
Infuriating histrionic gas station
  04/14/06
This is my shit right here. I would do this in a heartbeat. ...
titillating dilemma skinny woman
  04/13/06
"Shareholder derivative suits can be just as sleazy as ...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
You're assuming that top law school grads only care about mo...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
You're assuming top law school graduates only care about pre...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
As he said they care about both, and it takes a helluva lot ...
Racy jet-lagged digit ratio
  04/13/06
My intuition tells me it wouldn't take up more money than it...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
I think you're wrong. Putting aside which kind of work is m...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
I think you're wrong. Which work is more evil definitely mat...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
Public interest does not have the hours or the brains requir...
Racy jet-lagged digit ratio
  04/13/06
This is all pretty irrelevant to the fact that, if the salar...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
Hours are not relevant? I'm pretty sure I'd be happier with ...
Racy jet-lagged digit ratio
  04/13/06
But BIGLAW is *at worst* equally evil to plaintiff side work...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
I don't know where you get the idea that BigLaw is "at ...
Metal Purple Chad
  04/13/06
Legal aid is not "plaintiff's work" in any sense t...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/14/06
and susman isn't strictly a plaintiff's firm. 40-50% of thei...
umber lay keepsake machete
  04/13/06
I know. But those fat bonuses come from contingency work, an...
navy sick mental disorder base
  04/13/06
i know. they would probably call themselves a plaintiff's fi...
umber lay keepsake machete
  04/13/06
"and a lot more socially destructive" Relevance...
Brilliant cuckoldry
  04/13/06
Opened: http://www.susmangodfrey.com/news/2006-09-SGOpensNYO...
passionate brass spot headpube
  09/13/06


Poast new message in this thread



Reply

Date: March 21st, 2006 5:21 PM
Author: passionate brass spot headpube

http://www.nylawyer.com/display.php/file=/news/06/03/032106h

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5392062)



Reply

Date: March 21st, 2006 5:36 PM
Author: umber lay keepsake machete

can you cut and paste it?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5392215)



Reply

Date: March 21st, 2006 5:39 PM
Author: passionate brass spot headpube

Yeah, sorry I forgot about the registration thing. Interesting note about their salaries towards the end -- and don't forget this is the firm that pays the 75-100% bonuses.

Houston Firm Bound for the Big Apple

New York Lawyer

March 21, 2006

Reprints & Permissions

Texas Lawyer

Houston-based Susman Godfrey plans to open a New York office in September, pending approval by a March 27 scheduled partnership vote.

Founding partner Stephen D. Susman says he's personally pushing for the new office. "I don't want to retire for another 10 years, and I need a big challenge, and trying to be a success in Manhattan is a big challenge," he says.

With 70 lawyers nationwide, Susman Godfrey has offices in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle. Historically, the 26-year-old firm has opened offices on the basis of a particular partner's interest in pursuing a practice in that city, Susman says, noting that partner Parker C. Folse III moved to Seattle in 1995 and now the firm has nine lawyers in its Seattle office.

Initially, Susman says, he plans to start small in New York, subleasing office space for five lawyers. "I don't want to have a problem, if we are going to close it down in a few months," Susman says. He says he believes, however, that a demand for his type of practice--contingent-fee commercial plaintiffs' litigation--exists in New York.

The firm--responding to moves by Vinson & Elkins, Andrews Kurth and Baker Botts--plans to raise associate salaries in its Texas, Seattle and Los Angeles offices to New York levels, Susman says.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5392231)



Reply

Date: March 21st, 2006 5:50 PM
Author: umber lay keepsake machete

thanks. this should be interesting. they have a pretty unique practice and should probably be able to recruit some superstar graduates.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5392327)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 11:59 AM
Author: Mint charismatic nowag space

yeah, but subleasing space for only five lawyers implies they're not planning on doing much recruiting here. i guess it depends on whether their practice does well.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574449)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:08 PM
Author: yellow public bath

there are no "superstar" law grads

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574493)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:31 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

How many "superstar graduates" want to be plaintiff's lawyers?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574594)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:34 PM
Author: Racy jet-lagged digit ratio

In an average year, 1.23

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574605)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:36 PM
Author: Unholy Effete Background Story

at Susman? are you kidding? i can see them getting tons of top grads if they grow the office. it's not like they're doing slip-and-fall cases.

see, e.g., the first guy on their attorney list.

http://www.susmangodfrey.com/Bio/bio-sagrawal.html

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574614)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:39 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

Shareholder derivative suits can be just as sleazy as slip-and-fall, and a lot more socially destructive. Class-action tort work and product liability are also perceived as sleazy ambulance chasing.

I'd also worry about exit options--are corporations and biglaw firms going to want to hire somebody with that kind of background?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574628)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:42 PM
Author: Unholy Effete Background Story

well, to your second point, susman has a famously short partnership track if that's what you're after.

i don't know whether it's "sleazy" or not. it certainly pays a shitload and is very, very selective. see the full list of lawyers.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574639)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:45 PM
Author: Racy jet-lagged digit ratio

Oh, it's sleazy. Susman has its attorneys jumping in garbage bins searching for inside dirt. That's why they need some people in NYC.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574654)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:49 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

A random sampling seems to reveal a ton of Texas grads and a smattering of people from the T14. I know it's a hard place to get an offer from, but I'm just not seeing that many top students at top schools actually accept full-time offers there. Maybe that's just because they didn't have an NYC office, but I doubt it. They do have an LA office.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574668)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:58 PM
Author: Unholy Effete Background Story

i'm not sure. i know that i could have summered at any one of the firms generally regarded as "non-sleazy," but i'm not at all confident Susman would have hired me. maybe i'm overestimating their selectiveness because of the high pay.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574700)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 1:54 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

If you could have summered at Wachtell and Williams & Connolly, you could have summered at Susman (or at least your resume wouldn't have kept you out).

They do have very high hiring standards. My point is that it seems like very few people at the top schools who meet those standards actually want to work there. I think that has more to do with the hours and the fact that it's plaintiff's work than it does with the lack of an NYC office.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574918)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 3:38 PM
Author: Cordovan Trailer Park

It might also have something to do with the fact that the firm's non-Texas offices are very small. And who wants to work in Texas?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575278)



Reply

Date: April 14th, 2006 12:30 AM
Author: Infuriating histrionic gas station

Yeah, who would want to work in a state where market is now $140k, has a low-cost of living, and no state income taxes?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5577357)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 4:59 PM
Author: titillating dilemma skinny woman

This is my shit right here. I would do this in a heartbeat. Big money, exclusive firm that does plaintiff-side tort suits? HELL yeah.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575669)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:47 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

"Shareholder derivative suits can be just as sleazy as slip-and-fall, and a lot more socially destructive. Class-action tort work and product liability are also perceived as sleazy ambulance chasing."

All this is rather irrelevant. As another poster notes, it's about the money. Most people think defending against asbestos and tobacco mass torts is what's sleazy.

Not having a check on the people managing companies would probably be pretty socially destructive, too.

"I'd also worry about exit options--are corporations and biglaw firms going to want to hire somebody with that kind of background?"

I guess there's no crossing over between defense lawyers and prosecutors and between government antitrust lawyers and the big-firm lawyers on the other side.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574665)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:51 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

You're assuming that top law school grads only care about money. I disagree--they also care about prestige, and plaintiff's work isn't prestigious.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574677)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:56 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

You're assuming top law school graduates only care about prestige. They also care about money. THe main difference between Biglaw and plaintiff's law firms that matters to graduates is not the subject matter of the work they do, but the fact that big law firms have more resoruces, more job stability, and higher salaries.



(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574689)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 12:58 PM
Author: Racy jet-lagged digit ratio

As he said they care about both, and it takes a helluva lot of money to cover up the stench that comes from being a plaintiff's attorney.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574698)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 1:02 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

My intuition tells me it wouldn't take up more money than it takes to get someone to decertify a class of people with perforated lungs, so that most of them will die without compensation.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574710)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 1:57 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

I think you're wrong. Putting aside which kind of work is more evil, plaintiff's side work has a stigma within the legal community that most people who have other excellent options would rather avoid.

It's not about whether you can sleep at night, it's about whether you can tell people what kind of law you practice without having them think you're a sleazeball.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574926)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 2:06 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

I think you're wrong. Which work is more evil definitely matters.

If public interest paid the way private work does, I assure you the supply of law students wanting to work in private practice would drop tremendously.

Plus, putting aside money, as between whether you can sleep at night and having other people not think you're sleazy, only the really, really, really sleazy people would choose the latter.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574950)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 3:24 PM
Author: Racy jet-lagged digit ratio

Public interest does not have the hours or the brains requirements that biglaw does; no need for high salaries.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575216)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 4:49 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

This is all pretty irrelevant to the fact that, if the salaries were higher, people would choose public interest.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575601)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 6:33 PM
Author: Racy jet-lagged digit ratio

Hours are not relevant? I'm pretty sure I'd be happier with the same amount of money, but working vastly less.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5576020)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 3:35 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

But BIGLAW is *at worst* equally evil to plaintiff side work, in the eyes of the relevant demographic. People aren't picking Susman over Wachtell for moral reasons.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575266)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 4:49 PM
Author: Metal Purple Chad

I don't know where you get the idea that BigLaw is "at worst" equally evil to plaintiff's work. If people could make 144k plus bonus doing legal aid, again, I assure you, people would not be jumping to go to Wachtell.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575599)



Reply

Date: April 14th, 2006 12:22 AM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

Legal aid is not "plaintiff's work" in any sense that's relevant here.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5577327)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 1:15 PM
Author: umber lay keepsake machete

and susman isn't strictly a plaintiff's firm. 40-50% of their practice is defense-side -- honorable shit like defending enron. some of their plaintiff's work is also patent and IP. they were number 2 in amlaw's litigation boutiques after keker.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574766)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 2:02 PM
Author: navy sick mental disorder base

I know. But those fat bonuses come from contingency work, and they do enough plaintiff's side work to be thought of as a plaintiff's firm.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574939)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 2:07 PM
Author: umber lay keepsake machete

i know. they would probably call themselves a plaintiff's firm, although it's more companies than individuals. i'm just saying that they're not exactly lieff cabraser or milberg weiss.

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5574954)



Reply

Date: April 13th, 2006 5:26 PM
Author: Brilliant cuckoldry

"and a lot more socially destructive"

Relevance?

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#5575788)



Reply

Date: September 13th, 2006 7:15 PM
Author: passionate brass spot headpube

Opened: http://www.susmangodfrey.com/news/2006-09-SGOpensNYOffice.htm

(https://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=384270&forum_id=2#6608716)