Sacramento firms

[headed for sac]

Anyone know anything about Sacramento firms? Specifically, Downey Brand, DLA Piper, Bullivant?  Is the lower base salary worth the better quality of life?

[lexvitae]

Anyone know anything about Sacramento firms? Specifically, Downey Brand, DLA Piper, Bullivant?  Is the lower base salary worth the better quality of life?

I interviewed with 4 SAC firms including DB & Bullivant.  DB made huge cuts to their summer program and I got the sense that they are being hit pretty hard by the bad economy.  Very low billables, but that is about all they have going for them.  Biggest in SAC but still a small shop compared to other CA firms.  I liked Bullivant a lot, but their SAC office is mainly corporate so you have to wonder if the small office will survive much less do well in this economy.  Way cheaper to live in SAC, so you will likely have more $ left over even with lower pay.

[westcoaster]

for a regional firm in a laid back city, DB has a reputation of having all the traditional biglaw downsides (very formal, stuffy atmosphere)

[headed for sac]

Thanks for your responses! What about exit options for these firms (within Sac and other CA cities)?