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Bit of a quandary guys and need the wisdom of TLS. Disclaimer: very much a first world problem though.

I've been fortunate enough to receive multiple offers and all at my top choices. In fact, I worked at one of my top choices this past summer as a 1L (Firm A), and only need to return for a few weeks. My problem is this: my other top choice (Firm B) has a mandatory start date that begins later than my 1L firm, and because of this, after I finish the min 6 weeks at Firm B and begin my stint at Firm A, all the Firm A's summer associates next year will either have already left (if splitting) or be wrapping up (it is shorter than a 10 week program). I would effectively not get to know any of next summer's summer associates at my 1L firm.

I had originally hoped to start the summer at Firm A (starts earlier, I only need a few weeks), get to meet and stick around the summers there longer, and then begin my time at Firm B a few weeks later and finish Firm B's summer program out (so I would be there for more than the min 6, just be starting later) and meet the summers there too. Better overlap, but as it is a mandatory start date, my plan was shot.

So after the above convoluted setup, my question for TLS is this: would it hurt me at Firm B to email them and ask for an exception to the mandatory start date? Obviously how I word the email (carefully) would matter, but would people advise against doing this? Other alternatives/suggestions I've overlooked? Thanks for any insight/help.

It seems that you've already accepted offers from Firms A and B. In that case, how have you not already raised the fact with Firm B that you plan to split the summer with Firm A? And during that discussion, how did the issue of which firm you'd spend the first half of the summer with not arise?

Anonymous User wrote:Bit of a quandary guys and need the wisdom of TLS. Disclaimer: very much a first world problem though.

I've been fortunate enough to receive multiple offers and all at my top choices. In fact, I worked at one of my top choices this past summer as a 1L (Firm A), and only need to return for a few weeks. My problem is this: my other top choice (Firm B) has a mandatory start date that begins later than my 1L firm, and because of this, after I finish the min 6 weeks at Firm B and begin my stint at Firm A, all the Firm A's summer associates next year will either have already left (if splitting) or be wrapping up (it is shorter than a 10 week program). I would effectively not get to know any of next summer's summer associates at my 1L firm.

I had originally hoped to start the summer at Firm A (starts earlier, I only need a few weeks), get to meet and stick around the summers there longer, and then begin my time at Firm B a few weeks later and finish Firm B's summer program out (so I would be there for more than the min 6, just be starting later) and meet the summers there too. Better overlap, but as it is a mandatory start date, my plan was shot.

So after the above convoluted setup, my question for TLS is this: would it hurt me at Firm B to email them and ask for an exception to the mandatory start date? Obviously how I word the email (carefully) would matter, but would people advise against doing this? Other alternatives/suggestions I've overlooked? Thanks for any insight/help.

I don't understand why you're so concerned about meeting your 1L firm's summer class. The typical thing to do here is to do Firm B's summer program and ask Firm A if you can come back for two or three weeks to say hi to everybody and do a project or two.

I thought this thread was going to be about asking the firm if you could avoid having an office by the window of a high-rise because you were afraid of heights. I'd honestly probably ask that if I was in NYC - no way I could be up that high and right on the edge of the clouds.

nycdweller wrote:It seems that you've already accepted offers from Firms A and B. In that case, how have you not already raised the fact with Firm B that you plan to split the summer with Firm A? And during that discussion, how did the issue of which firm you'd spend the first half of the summer with not arise?

While I have accepted an offer from my 1L firm (returning), I have not for the second firm. They do know I am splitting, but not on the details, outside that my 1L firm only requires a few weeks.

Anonymous User wrote: I don't understand why you're so concerned about meeting your 1L firm's summer class. The typical thing to do here is to do Firm B's summer program and ask Firm A if you can come back for two or three weeks to say hi to everybody and do a project or two.

Because that may very well be the summer class I start with post-grad. I don't want to not know the colleagues that I will supposedly be closest with.

Anonymous User wrote:

nycdweller wrote:It seems that you've already accepted offers from Firms A and B. In that case, how have you not already raised the fact with Firm B that you plan to split the summer with Firm A? And during that discussion, how did the issue of which firm you'd spend the first half of the summer with not arise?

While I have accepted an offer from my 1L firm (returning), I have not for the second firm. They do know I am splitting, but not on the details, outside that my 1L firm only requires a few weeks.

Anonymous User wrote: I don't understand why you're so concerned about meeting your 1L firm's summer class. The typical thing to do here is to do Firm B's summer program and ask Firm A if you can come back for two or three weeks to say hi to everybody and do a project or two.

Because that may very well be the summer class I start with post-grad. I don't want to not know the colleagues that I will supposedly be closest with.

Are they in the same city? Find out the summer event schedule for your 1L firm and see if you can come to a happy hour or whatever else. That's probably a better time to meet them anyway.

Anonymous User wrote: Are they in the same city? Find out the summer event schedule for your 1L firm and see if you can come to a happy hour or whatever else. That's probably a better time to meet them anyway.

Huh, that's not a bad idea. Thanks. Yes they are in the same city.

I'm horribly confused here. Do I understand OP's situation? He's cutting his 2L SAship short to spend some time with his 1L SA office? Is that common?

mrloblaw wrote:I'm horribly confused here. Do I understand OP's situation? He's cutting his 2L SAship short to spend some time with his 1L SA office? Is that common?

I guess I am trying to have my cake and eat it too. If I spend the first 6 weeks at Firm B, I will essentially not meet any of next summer's summer associates at Firm A (who could very well be my future colleagues). If I could start at Firm A for the min few weeks and then a bit later at Firm B, I would be able to have approximately equal exposure to the summer classes at both firms.

I think you are overthinking this. You may not get to spend a lot of time with the summer class at your 1L firm, but you have already met both the more senior people you'd be working with there and presumably many of the people in the class ahead of you (i.e., 2Ls summering there while you were a 1L).

IMO, I would not rock the boat with firm B. Asking them to make an exception for you because you want to meet more people at the firm where you already spent an entire summer may make you come off like a prima donna. Also, I don't know if you're in a city where splitting is common, but if not, then by letting you split your summer they are already accommodating your situation.