Avantages
Very smart high-quality people with solid technical skills. A "democratic" environment where you can organically grow and nurture original ideas by identifying and working with a network of advocates. Good work life balance. Good benefits.
Inconvénients
Perhaps due to transitioning from a small to a large firm in a short-span of time, there is intense inter-office politics. Too many people in mid/upper management holding those positions solely due to longevity and not due to competence. One can easily see that the smarter younger talent is stifled by incompetent older people who just "hang around" year after year. Now with the cuts and layoffs, it is as if the merry-go-round has "frozen" and everyone is hanging tight to their seats. Even if one isn't being laid off, it isn't hard to feel that one's career is going nowhere here. There is no opportunity for growth and therefore no excitement to work here anymore.