In competition law almost all the law firms do the same set of work. So from that perspective there is no difference. Quantum wise, SAM has a significantly larger chunk of work compared to any other firm in the market. However, to my understanding, SAM sub divides teams based on work stream. Therefore, your exposure can be limited despite the wide array of work the team has.
CAM has considerably lesser work. As such, AZB has the most work after SAM, and then I would imagine KCO closely followed by CAM. Comparing to the other tier ones, CAM do lack enforcement mandates. But their strong M&A and PE practice guarantees a good volume of combination work.
With regards to seniors, the SAM team being large and having a large number of named partners - sees a lot of politics. So that is a bummer. CAM (while in no way devoid of politics) is better that way. Unfortunately, CAM has quite a bit of dead weight. Some of the seniors are quite terrible (the same is true for SAM too). The practice head in CAM is also strict and may seem too demanding for some set of people. She is really good at what she does though. These things can cause difficulty for a new kid.
Please note that the CAM team being small, there are fewer seniors and therefore, the poor ones there hurt you a lot more than a few poor seniors in a large SAM set up. On the bright side, Anshuman Sakle in CAM is a great mentor. He is genuine, has a good sense of humour, humanity and truly takes the time and effort to train people. I would chose CAM for Sakle. Kaustav Kundu in CAM is a great senior too.
In SAM you also have loads of great seniors like Yaman, Rohan and Harman. Further, you get to see people like Shweta work from close quarters. That exposure itself gives a good insight into how to develop business relationships, handle clients, etc. Any team where you have the ability to see a named / quality family partner in work is a master class in professional development. The SAM team also has significant inroads in the foreign market and people like Naval have strong global relationships. Being in that team can help you build global relationships - if you are into that kind of thing. It may be helpful for future lateral movements - I am not sure on this point.
Separately, when it comes to pay, the SAM competition team is head and shoulders above CAM and everyone else (may be not Trilegal). With regards to growth, the SAM team is quite top heavy - so growth opportunities at a partner level are low unless there is signifiant market movement in the next few years. Thankfully, their profitability ensures that you can continue to progress without hindrance till PA level - if you are a quality resource. While the CAM team is less top heavy, given the quantum of work they handle, and existing level of people in the top and mid-management level, it also presents low opportunities at a partnership level unless there is significant movements. Please note that loads of things and circumstances change in 3 - 4 years - so take the growth advice for both firms with tonnes of salt and pepper and other condiments that floats your boat.
PS: The reason I wrote such a long response is to highlight that there are no inherent hierarchy between the different competition practices as loads of threads tend to suggest here. In the end, all are "unnis-bees".
Nice, though, based on my direct exposure to both teams, I would not rate SAM as better than CAm on all parameters, not worse too. First, both firms are big on M&A, so their merger control work is at par and, in fact, CAM has been making more filing than CAM year after year, including in the last 3-4 years. The second biggest merger control practice is AZB and then SAM and Trilegal, KCO, in that order. Twist: SAM have been part of more number of Phase II matters, but CAM has also been involved in some of them and a few interesting ones. Both firms are involved in by and large similar amount of enforcement matters. On the enforcement side, most of the big firms are part of most of the big matters. Whereas SAM may have represented FB, CAM is representing Google, I am told. SAM may have upper hand though in this side of the practice only from international clients perspective as damaad ji lives out of the country for marketing all the time.
Where CAM is considered better is partner-driven work culture. All three partners are known to be good people to work with and for their consistent quality. Their head is a little temperamental, but nice person to work as well as hang out with. Anshuman is a nice guy to work with and their recent hire in Delhi -ex Platinum / Touchstone, remains low key, but people (both from juniors as well as peers) have nice things to say about him.
Also, a smaller team is likely to provide more opportunity to grow to upcoming talent at CAM and and simply because it is not top heavy and not shroff family led, it has less politics. I am told that CAM competition people are less snob compared to SAM, AZB and Trilegal. Not to mention that unlike SAM where the mother, daughter and damaad ji are competiton partners and lead, CAM competition team is run by 3 self made non-family partners and in the short run, it makes a difference, but equally they should get credit to even give competition to SAM without any family name.
So, while SAM may have bigger team, and some more noteworthy matters than CAM, others, all the other team 1 firms are on the top of their game and it is the matter of who is able to get hold of a particular matter than who is better.
Which ongoing matter is CAM doing? And if C&M is also doing Google work, and AZB and ELP also, then can we say that it is a badge of honour for CAM to be doing? Seems like Google gives work to everyone?
Ya that's right, G gives work to everyone, they are too large to put all their eggs in one basket. AZB and ELP are not doing anymore G's comp matters - how about that! And you may be a junior and may be naive enough to not know that firms collaborate on big matters and that no-one will reveal which matter here. Kuch bhi.
If CAM was representing Google there will surely be some big PR article of how CAM is the leader law firm representing ...something ...something...probably ending with how CAM is the epitome of greatness for everything and every firm and ever sector.....blah blah.....and how probably Google chose CAM because it is greatest at everything....etc etc.Somewhere some such PR article would be there if CAMs representing Google.Such an advertising opportunity would not be missed by the firm with truly stellar marketing skills. Anyone catches that article or PR send the link
JSA has a team of four. The exposure you get in terms of quantity of work is incomparable to any other firm. Their SA appears before the CCI. Great exposure, Nice people, Decent (but not competitive) pay.
SAM's competition team is one of its biggest along with its disputes practice. CAM's competition team is a small team of 3 partners in total across all offices combined.
That said, from my experience, I've often seen that you get to learn less in larger teams - too much work, your part in it is too small for you to understand the bigger pictures or take ownership of work.
Also, CAM's competition team does have better hours because of comparatively lesser work and reasonable partners.
Though not fully relevant to the question, I just wanted to know about JSA's competition team. Most of the comments on this thread, as well as other comp law threads, mention only the other five t1 teams, and not JSA. I know that they have a small team with only a couple of partners, but overall is their team good?
Good people, great work.
CAM has considerably lesser work. As such, AZB has the most work after SAM, and then I would imagine KCO closely followed by CAM. Comparing to the other tier ones, CAM do lack enforcement mandates. But their strong M&A and PE practice guarantees a good volume of combination work.
With regards to seniors, the SAM team being large and having a large number of named partners - sees a lot of politics. So that is a bummer. CAM (while in no way devoid of politics) is better that way. Unfortunately, CAM has quite a bit of dead weight. Some of the seniors are quite terrible (the same is true for SAM too). The practice head in CAM is also strict and may seem too demanding for some set of people. She is really good at what she does though. These things can cause difficulty for a new kid.
Please note that the CAM team being small, there are fewer seniors and therefore, the poor ones there hurt you a lot more than a few poor seniors in a large SAM set up. On the bright side, Anshuman Sakle in CAM is a great mentor. He is genuine, has a good sense of humour, humanity and truly takes the time and effort to train people. I would chose CAM for Sakle. Kaustav Kundu in CAM is a great senior too.
In SAM you also have loads of great seniors like Yaman, Rohan and Harman. Further, you get to see people like Shweta work from close quarters. That exposure itself gives a good insight into how to develop business relationships, handle clients, etc. Any team where you have the ability to see a named / quality family partner in work is a master class in professional development. The SAM team also has significant inroads in the foreign market and people like Naval have strong global relationships. Being in that team can help you build global relationships - if you are into that kind of thing. It may be helpful for future lateral movements - I am not sure on this point.
Separately, when it comes to pay, the SAM competition team is head and shoulders above CAM and everyone else (may be not Trilegal). With regards to growth, the SAM team is quite top heavy - so growth opportunities at a partner level are low unless there is signifiant market movement in the next few years. Thankfully, their profitability ensures that you can continue to progress without hindrance till PA level - if you are a quality resource. While the CAM team is less top heavy, given the quantum of work they handle, and existing level of people in the top and mid-management level, it also presents low opportunities at a partnership level unless there is significant movements. Please note that loads of things and circumstances change in 3 - 4 years - so take the growth advice for both firms with tonnes of salt and pepper and other condiments that floats your boat.
PS: The reason I wrote such a long response is to highlight that there are no inherent hierarchy between the different competition practices as loads of threads tend to suggest here. In the end, all are "unnis-bees".
On the enforcement side, most of the big firms are part of most of the big matters. Whereas SAM may have represented FB, CAM is representing Google, I am told. SAM may have upper hand though in this side of the practice only from international clients perspective as damaad ji lives out of the country for marketing all the time.
Where CAM is considered better is partner-driven work culture. All three partners are known to be good people to work with and for their consistent quality. Their head is a little temperamental, but nice person to work as well as hang out with. Anshuman is a nice guy to work with and their recent hire in Delhi -ex Platinum / Touchstone, remains low key, but people (both from juniors as well as peers) have nice things to say about him.
Also, a smaller team is likely to provide more opportunity to grow to upcoming talent at CAM and and simply because it is not top heavy and not shroff family led, it has less politics. I am told that CAM competition people are less snob compared to SAM, AZB and Trilegal. Not to mention that unlike SAM where the mother, daughter and damaad ji are competiton partners and lead, CAM competition team is run by 3 self made non-family partners and in the short run, it makes a difference, but equally they should get credit to even give competition to SAM without any family name.
So, while SAM may have bigger team, and some more noteworthy matters than CAM, others, all the other team 1 firms are on the top of their game and it is the matter of who is able to get hold of a particular matter than who is better.
CAM has a very limited enforcement practice, completely uncomparable to SAM.
And if C&M is also doing Google work, and AZB and ELP also, then can we say that it is a badge of honour for CAM to be doing? Seems like Google gives work to everyone?
That said, from my experience, I've often seen that you get to learn less in larger teams - too much work, your part in it is too small for you to understand the bigger pictures or take ownership of work.
Also, CAM's competition team does have better hours because of comparatively lesser work and reasonable partners.