Headquarters Office versus Regional Office

[OldCraig]

Ok, here's the skinny - I am trying to decide between two firms, in two different cities:

1) Headquarters office of STRONG V40 - however, not too crazy about its location -
2) Strong Regional office of STRONG V50 - in exact location I want to be -

What are the advantages/disadvantages to both of these options? I will have almost the exact same options open to me as far as practice areas in both firms, both pay top notch, and both have excellent associate satisfaction ratings - and both offices are MAD-nice -

Please advise.

[pig floyd]

ffs.  Work where you want to live.

[bitblaster]

V50.

[Lojack]

I can not really believe that any V50 firm would have a bad office, but go where you want, in the end it is about where you will be happy.

[jacy85]

ffs.  Work where you want to live.

Ditto

[themanwithnoname]

the only reason to worry about a regional office is that some regional offices are weaker than the home office. IF you are satisfied that it is a very good regional office though, work where you want to. I don't think a V40 vs a V50 matters all that much - I would want to know what firms specifically before I said whether I thought one was a step down from another, but generically there is no reason to assume one is better. For instance, Willkie, Wilson Sonsini, and Akin Gump really stand out for me among the V40, and Quinn, Munger, Boies, and Irell stand out among the V50.

[thorc954]

I worked at a regional office of a firm this summer and am going to a regional office of another firm next summer (V30). I liked my firm this past summer because it had a completely different outlook on work/life balance than many of the other firms in the city. Also, many of the projects we would get come from other offices.  So, it is not like you really lose any thing from the firm by being in a regional office.  Also, if you are fortunate, you may even gain by finding a regional office in a city with a different feel than the rest of the firm.  For example, look at Quinn.  Its a mad chill cali firm.  There dress code alone sets them apart from every other vault firm. This carries with them to their NY office as well.

Go where you will be happier (considering firm/locale/etc).  If they have the group you want, then why let rankings effect your decisions?  Outside of some of the people in your law school, no one will know whether your 160K paycheck is coming from the number 47 firm or the number 35 firm. 

[ScoobySnacks]

For example, look at Quinn.  Its a mad chill cali firm.  There dress code alone sets them apart from every other vault firm. This carries with them to their NY office as well.

Does anyone have any more thoughts about Quinn? Good things, bad things?

[themanwithnoname]

good litigation, you save money on dry cleaning, and they are kind of nuts.

[ScoobySnacks]

good litigation, you save money on dry cleaning, and they are kind of nuts.

Nuts how?