<p>What are some of the top firms in NYC? Also, what's the base pay approximately for lawyers at these top firms? I know a few figures, but I wanted to see what all of you had to say.Thanks.</p>
<p>The base pay isn't approximate; it is published. Most of the top 20 firms in NY now pay $145k to start. For a list of top firms, see <a href="http://www.vault.com%5B/url%5D">www.vault.com</a>. Wachtell and Cravath are usually considered the top 2.</p>
<p>I agree with Hanna with Wachtell and Cravath being the top two.</p>
<p>I heard that Cravath offers a more well-rounded training but at Wachtell it's easier to make partner. I think the numbers are 500 lawyers at Cravath, 90 partners. 190 lawyers watchtell, 90 partners.</p>
<p>Cravath hires no laterals. This means that if you go to Wachtell you will never have the opportunity to go back to Cravath.</p>
<p>Actually, the top firms in NYC vary depending on who is doing the ranking and what practice areas you are examining. For M&A, there is one set of firms that are generally acknowledged to be the "top" NYC firms, but for white collar litigation, it would be a different set of firms entirely. Firms are ranked in different ways - for example, the American Lawyer publishes a list of the most profitable firms, certain business publications do surveys every year to determine who represents whom in corporate America and league tables are published quarterly and annually, showing who worked on the most deals in a given area and who worked on the most valuable deals in a given area for each period of time. What kinds of measures were you looking for?</p>
<p>I allready knew about Cravath due to the fact that my brother worked there for two years. I'm not looking to find out the most profitable firms, but what I did want to know is the base pay for lawyers in top frims in NYC. Thanks.</p>
<p>Look at <a href="http://www.infirmation.com%5B/url%5D">www.infirmation.com</a>. That website, either in the general information or in the greedy associates threads, will have the information you are looking for.</p>
<p>And in NYC, there is usually a discussion of the top three: Wachtell, Cravath and Sullivan & Cromwell, though Wachtell is in a league by itself in terms of pay and is widely considered to be the most prestigious and most difficult firm with which to get a job. Additionally, Wachtell and Cravath are very different from many large NYC firms in that Wachtell maintains only its NYC office, and Cravath maintains offices in only NYC and more recently, London. S&C, for example, has 11 or 12 offices around the world. People debate the prestige of NYC law firms endlessly on legal websites, and after Wachtell, S&C and Cravath, you will find another 12-14 firms who all claim the right to be top 10 firms (for example, Skadden, Weil Gotshal, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher are usually on that list). Prestige also depends on practice area -- you will likely see a different list of the top 10 M&A firms than the top 10 private equity or project finance or securities firms.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Someone remind me of the name of the firm headed by that Democratic Leadership Council guy. His firm is a major player. Also, Is Cadwallader still around? What about Debvoise?</p>
<p>Yes, both of those firms are still around. I think you might be thinking of Akin Gump.</p>