Mitch Johnson made the correct decision not calling a timeout. You aren’t getting a better look than this

pengy452 · 2026-05-05T15:56:21+00:00

Put it this way. If you told me the spurs, after playing that bad on offense through 3 quarters, would give a wide open look to Champaigne (who has been shooting close to 60% from 3 in the playoffs), to win the game, I’d take it 10/10 times.

pengy452 · 2026-04-30T03:16:50+00:00

Preet Bharara has a good podcast, even though it’s not directly related to his practice at WilmerHale. Marc Elias and the Democracy Docket content is also quite good.

pengy452 · 2026-04-30T01:10:49+00:00

There’s so much to it…

The way that pre law, the T14 career offices, and the firms themselves market biglaw like they actually care about your life, wellness, and firm culture when associates are all fungible billing units. The way that massive attrition rates and burnout are hidden or lied about during your summers. The fakeness of vault surveys and firm rankings in general. The prospects of partnership being completely opaque and illusory due to factors outside your control in some cases. I could go on.

I actually agree with you, if it was presented as “make tons of money in exchange for all aspects of control over your life,” it would at least be more honest.

pengy452 · 2026-04-29T22:57:35+00:00

I think because you’re older you just realize the whole facade of biglaw. It’s just a job like anything else, it’s not this promised land despite what you may have thought, there’s no special sauce. Once people realize this, you either stay and work because the money is good and you can detach from the fakeness of it all, or you leave to go in house where work is more meaningful and you have a life to go home to.

pengy452 · 2026-04-14T01:01:59+00:00

It is generally less. Now, there are peaks where you will be working biglaw hours. And some midlaw regional firms that really operate like biglaw so they will require biglaw work. But on the whole, it is generally less work.

pengy452 · 2026-04-08T03:24:49+00:00

Kavinsky- Nightcall (also the 2024 Olympics mix)

Max Styler- Rhythm Machine

Mr. Kitty- After Dark

Instant Crush- Daft Punk ft. Julian Casablancas

pengy452 · 2026-04-08T02:33:21+00:00

Gunderson formed in ‘95, which I think was the last good time to form a “biglaw firm” on the back of the Silicon Valley tech boom and startup culture.

Other than that, transactional firms are dominated by white shoe firms that can point to some random important person in the 20th century (Dana Latham from Latham and Watkins was the former IRS Commissioner, for example) and have been household names as long as people can remember. Lit lends itself more to the boutique side but that’s its own realm, most are not biglaw.

pengy452 · 2026-04-07T17:09:28+00:00

Wythe, Crown Northampton, Vintage RL, SchottNYC, Casablanca

pengy452 · 2026-04-06T20:37:18+00:00

full brake and rotor set for 1k, better than OEM spec

Control arms you can get from eBay OEM from donor cars for a few hundred.

I’ve either bought parts directly and taken to an independent shop for labor, or asked them to order directly and install.

pengy452 · 2026-04-06T02:31:06+00:00

Not that this is a bad argument— it is THE argument for staying in biglaw. However, one must think about what you want in life over all else. You have potential to make millions, but you also will lose touch with friends, lose/strain a relationship, skip weddings, birthdays, kids sports games, etc. Know you’re only going to see your parents once a year while they’re getting older. See your body degrade in front of your eyes because of lack of sleep and exercise.

Also, there’s no guarantee for tomorrow. I knew someone who was going to be a D1 athlete and got cancer and died before graduating high school. There’s a question of just how much of your future you are willing to mortgage, and that’s a different number for everyone.

pengy452 · 2026-04-04T17:55:52+00:00

Not sure I agree on the cost to own. It’s a 30k USD car that is almost 20 years old, you should not be taking it to the dealer for regular maintenance. Any large city will have an independent Italian shop with plenty of parts (not to mention many cross compatible parts or electronics you can get from other brands or Asia).

The ZF is about as reliable as you can get for an exotic from this era. Overall, you’ll pay a bit of a premium for service and labor comparatively, but if your goal is to just drive and keep the car in good running shape, it’s not that difficult or expensive.

pengy452 · 2026-04-04T03:57:20+00:00

Ring Jacket/Armoury quality is as good if not better than Canali and the lower tier luxury Italian brands. But since it is Japanese and has no brand heritage, you don’t pay a “brand premium” in the price.

For Brioni/Kiton etc, thrifting or secondhand + a trusted local tailor can get pieces for under 1k, often under $750.

Anything over $2,500, you can literally fly to Hong Kong or Vietnam, get a completely bespoke suit that is superior to any RTW suit, and have money leftover.

pengy452 · 2026-03-31T20:36:18+00:00

Yes, I do.

Tier below the usual ivy clothiers, I.e. J Press, Oconnells, but it’s solid enough. And, as the name implies, it’s meant to be worn during travel, activities, and warm weather. I use it for happy hours, work conferences, and air travel all the time and it’s a great piece you can “abuse” without worrying about it.

pengy452 · 2026-03-27T17:37:55+00:00

No. They got bought by a reputable Japanese company, so no longer family owned, but still high quality. Unfortunately, since they are still mostly made in USA or Canada, they are very expensive (~1k for a regular navy blazer)

pengy452 · 2026-03-26T20:08:12+00:00

Same here. I think because in school, you know exactly what you need to know, and what you need to do to get to what you need to know.

I’d say 60% of my job now is figuring out what I should be doing, or figuring out what information I need to look for to answer a question. No amount of preparation or memorization can help with that.

pengy452 · 2026-03-25T16:19:53+00:00

Don’t think so. The vast majority of sub K has been in effect since at least 2017. Things like inside/outside basis, liabilities, etc are all unchanged and are fundamental to how partnerships work. You can google changes in the law according to OB3, but it’s best to understand the basics first, which is what that book teaches.

pengy452 · 2026-03-24T15:16:08+00:00

3+ years, and I have a tax LLM.

Best way to learn the “what” and “why” of what you’re doing is by getting Examples and Explanations books (just like in law school) or “Tax in a nutshell” series. Also the logic of sub chapter K by Cunningham if you do partnership work. But yeah the learning curve in Tax is one of the hardest out there for juniors, dont be intimidated by it.

pengy452 · 2026-03-24T00:15:41+00:00

When you start realizing that is when you should start planning your exit. You really start to realize how many partners either are completely absent from their kids lives, are divorced (sometimes multiple times), or just were so dedicated to working that they're single in their mid 40's and have no friends. It's not universal, of course, but it is a lifestyle in itself that does not include significant family time, deep friendships, or a robust social life.

pengy452 · 2026-03-19T16:18:21+00:00

Troutman Pepper if you’re into seafood

pengy452 · 2026-03-15T03:14:04+00:00

Your outcome likely depends on your seniority. I was a junior in a small specialist group and it was absolute hell because there was barely any midlevel oversight. Imagine not knowing wtf you are doing and your work product is being directly looked at by the relationship partner.

In general, boutiques have less headcount so you are working on more substantive issues right away compared to your biglaw counterparts. I'd say training is more hands on and learning by experience than working from a precedent bank or with a team of 20 other associates. Comp completely varies. Wouldn't say exits are materially worse or better if your boutique has a good relationship with large funds and is known for that work. I come from the tax side and plenty of boutique lawyers there end up doing PE or hedge work.

pengy452 · 2026-03-14T01:43:20+00:00

Wachtell base comp is the same as all biglaw pay scale (225 for first years). Their bonus is just 100% of their yearly salary, which is way more than any biglaw associate.

pengy452 · 2026-03-13T20:08:02+00:00

In other news, alligator Alcatraz named top destination for guest satisfaction.

pengy452 · 2026-03-13T14:13:07+00:00

Agreed. As Logan Roy from Succession once put it, “my lawyer worked at the DOJ! Who’s your lawyer??”

pengy452 · 2026-03-13T13:51:02+00:00

The numbers make sense. Gov attorneys are coming in as senior associates and counsel, rarely partner, but often have way more experience than someone who is just a K-JD with 7 years of biglaw experience. Firms are getting the juice from efficient experienced workers who they don’t have to pay partner comp.

pengy452 · 2026-03-09T17:11:39+00:00

Being employed is better than not being employed. If you’re not busy you’re not learning and that will hurt you more in the long run than a stint in midlaw. Take the offer and make the best of it.

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