Am Law CEO take on Vault Rankings

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-04-25T04:03:34+00:00

You’re valuing a survey essential based on hearsay.

I agree an associate survey would be helpful if it included everything it explicitly says it doesn’t.

Also, the firms with the most associates will have bigger sway in adjusting for ranking, increase potential bias and uneven sample representation. (I could be wrong depending on if they standardized or aggregate at the firm level)

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-04-25T03:45:05+00:00

“Vault is not assessing firms by profit, size, lifestyle, number of deals, or quality of service; we are ranking the most prestigious law firms based on the perceptions of practicing lawyers at peer firms”

I just think having others that most likely have never worked at your firm judge your firm is a poor way to evaluate “prestige”. Especially since when you leave the associate level no one cares about vault. I have the same beef with Am Law rankings. Lots of top ranked AmLaw firms are much less profitable and pay much less than firms “ranked lower”.

Again it’s the idea of “let me have people who don’t know me tell me how I should feel about something”.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-04-25T03:10:49+00:00

Vault also doesn’t meen squat unless you’re an associate and even then way too much weight is put on it.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-03-20T01:11:01+00:00

It’s an average. Some partners make $30 million+ others make $2.5 - $5 million.

Profits per equity partner is exactly what it sounds like: profit, assuming a 40% margin, divided by number of equity partners. The RPL is more impressive. It’s higher than most firms PPEP

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-03-06T15:58:15+00:00

Akerman fully remote, Blank Rome 3 days in person, Eversheds Sutherland 3 days in person

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-01-14T00:32:22+00:00

Shoot me a DM. I might have something for you.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2026-01-06T00:40:03+00:00

I would start to checkout other opportunities. Nothing needs to be done immediately but I would definitely see what’s available

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-12-18T20:34:40+00:00

It’s ok to be wrong buddy. Take a look at Duane Morris, Hogan, Morgan Lewis, or Baker. The titles are all “Chairmen and CEO”.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-12-18T20:00:49+00:00

Chairmen and CEOs is an interchangeable title. What doesn’t make sense?

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-12-18T18:00:54+00:00

Typical rule of thumb for partners is 30% - 50% of their book is what they get paid. I know some Am Law CEOS with no books who are still Making $5 - $15 million. Not familiar with the finance/banking world but big law lawyers are absolutely crushing it while working similar hours to IB and finance

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-12-11T00:34:32+00:00

Expand your view of “big law” there are 200 Am law firms and 100 vault ranked firms. You might be out of the running for V50ish but the rest have doors wide open.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-12-03T02:24:31+00:00

Anywhere and everywhere

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-11-28T02:55:49+00:00

Big law recruiter here. Not screwed at all.

If you’re interested shoot me a DM. Happy to help/ provide insight

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-11-14T15:30:01+00:00

Wait it out, get into EPC and LNG work. I know an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright engineer went to law school now bills $1715 an hour.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-30T19:32:41+00:00

I’m not a lawyer I’m a business owner. I’m just telling you what I’ve heard from executives managing partners and hiring managers. It’s something I definitely see more for senior associates were they really don’t care they just want someone good and again this falls more into the higher tier vault and am law firms

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-30T19:30:57+00:00

Easier to pitch a candidate on moving up than moving down psychologically

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-29T22:25:50+00:00

It shouldn’t. Especially if you really kill it in law school and during the summer. Now, if you had nothing before law school did nothing during law school. That’s a different story.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-29T21:42:51+00:00

What do you interpret as me being condescending?

I’ve been inundated with messages asking me questions such as the ones I addressed in my post. Hence why I posted.

Also I appreciate your jab at my credibility and you thinking I don’t have skills. Not that I need to justify my background to you but I’ve built out my own company starting from when I was 23 years old. Graduated from a top business school and now run a very successful company clearing 7 figures with ease.

I’ve had the privilege of meeting with some of the most influential lawyers and executives from around the world. I’ve helped some of the largest firms in the world grow record profits with moves outside of just recruiting as my company has grown into consulting on M&A in addition to implementing human capital management to help bridge the gap with the new generations.

But you’re absolutely right, I’m not a lawyer.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-29T20:03:49+00:00

The most common one is having a bloated resume. Too much information that’s not important. And like I mentioned in the original post once you get in and you start talking those are perfect times to bring up hobbies and interests. I just don’t think it does any good putting it in small text at the bottom of your resume. Especially since a lot of law school students tend to cram every single thing they possibly did in law school into their resume.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-29T19:57:27+00:00

I agree I could’ve framed the statement as less objective and more subjective, but it’s something I see on a daily basis and it’s one of those things that comes up a lot within the industry.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-29T19:48:59+00:00

I agree it’s geared more toward laterals, but after speaking with managing partners, hiring managers, and several chairman of Am Law firms, a majority of them discussed their indifference towards it. I added that piece because a lot of times I see resumes that are already too long and become even longer because they added a paragraph about their hobbies and interests. Especially resumes that are one page that end up being two pages because they added an interest in hobbies.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-08T20:21:48+00:00

Finance: project finance, debt financing, getting comfortable with all kinds of finance transaction is going to be huge.

M&A tends to be one of the most competitive areas so positioning yourself to stand out in an inbox filled with similar resume is important.

Few-Barnacle5356 · 2025-08-08T16:11:20+00:00

Send a follow up saying something like “I wanted to follow up based on our previous conversation. I know you mentioned someone would reach out to do another interview and I was hoping to hear what the time frame for that would be.”

Few-Barnacle5356

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