ITT: Summer Associates Post About Their Anxiety (2012) Forum

[fatduck]

someone at his firm told him "you know, we no-offered a guy last year for expressing interest in a different practice group" ??

i'm gonna go ahead and say that didn't happen

[Anonymous User]

Even if you have been offered, I would stay true to your location. NYC firm jobs are too important to screw with. I receive lots of advice from the career center and I am prone to trust them, even when their suggestions seem counterintuitive ―if I am applying in a market like Boston, and they ask if I am applying to any NYC firms, the only answer is NO. Doesn’t seem right on several levels, but I “get it.” Unless Hawaii is on their location list, best play it super safe.

[Anonymous User]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

[TTH]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

Doubt it. If you're really twitchy about it, e-mail the partner who extended the offer and say something to the effect of, "Just wanted to thank you once again for the good news and convey once more how excited I am to join Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe next fall. I made some inquiries at other firms about first-year associate hiring before we spoke last week. No one has called to schedule any interviews yet, but I will of course decline any interview offers I may receive once I have your offer letter. Please don't read this as me rushing you or anything, I just wanted to let you know I had made some inquiries in case anyone from another firm should happen to contact you about me and let you know I remain committed to Dewey."

Alter the tone as appropriate depending on your relationship with the partner.

[Anonymous User]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

Doubtful as it can always be explained away as covering your bases until you get an official offer letter. Having said that, get that letter.

[Anonymous User]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

Doubt it. If you're really twitchy about it, e-mail the partner who extended the offer and say something to the effect of, "Just wanted to thank you once again for the good news and convey once more how excited I am to join Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe next fall. I made some inquiries at other firms about first-year associate hiring before we spoke last week. No one has called to schedule any interviews yet, but I will of course decline any interview offers I may receive once I have your offer letter. Please don't read this as me rushing you or anything, I just wanted to let you know I had made some inquiries in case anyone from another firm should happen to contact you about me and let you know I remain committed to Dewey."

Alter the tone as appropriate depending on your relationship with the partner.

The thing is, I will probably still do 3L OCI interviews even after getting a hard copy of an offer letter. I sent those inquiries out to other firms after getting the verbal offer from the partner.

[TTH]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

Doubt it. If you're really twitchy about it, e-mail the partner who extended the offer and say something to the effect of, "Just wanted to thank you once again for the good news and convey once more how excited I am to join Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe next fall. I made some inquiries at other firms about first-year associate hiring before we spoke last week. No one has called to schedule any interviews yet, but I will of course decline any interview offers I may receive once I have your offer letter. Please don't read this as me rushing you or anything, I just wanted to let you know I had made some inquiries in case anyone from another firm should happen to contact you about me and let you know I remain committed to Dewey."

Alter the tone as appropriate depending on your relationship with the partner.

The thing is, I will probably still do 3L OCI interviews even after getting a hard copy of an offer letter. I sent those inquiries out to other firms after getting the verbal offer from the partner.

Assuming your firm is a NALP firm, I think you've got some coverage in the rules as far as them holding an offer open. I assume you'd need a written offer for that to apply. I've never bothered to check. If it's not a NALP firm, then yeah, you're exposed to some risk.

[Anonymous User]

Partner extended offer during my last week at firm. Still have not received hard copy of anything confirming offer. Have emailed firms inquiring into them interviewing 3Ls at OCI. Could I potentially be very screwed if somebody at my summer firm finds out about my inquiries elsewhere?

Doubt it. If you're really twitchy about it, e-mail the partner who extended the offer and say something to the effect of, "Just wanted to thank you once again for the good news and convey once more how excited I am to join Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe next fall. I made some inquiries at other firms about first-year associate hiring before we spoke last week. No one has called to schedule any interviews yet, but I will of course decline any interview offers I may receive once I have your offer letter. Please don't read this as me rushing you or anything, I just wanted to let you know I had made some inquiries in case anyone from another firm should happen to contact you about me and let you know I remain committed to Dewey."

Alter the tone as appropriate depending on your relationship with the partner.

The thing is, I will probably still do 3L OCI interviews even after getting a hard copy of an offer letter. I sent those inquiries out to other firms after getting the verbal offer from the partner.

Assuming your firm is a NALP firm, I think you've got some coverage in the rules as far as them holding an offer open. I assume you'd need a written offer for that to apply. I've never bothered to check. If it's not a NALP firm, then yeah, you're exposed to some risk.

It's a NALP firm, but the rules seem to apply to written, official offers.

[Anonymous User]

Am I the only one who basically used this summer as an opportunity to confirm that I don't want to work in a big firm when I graduate? My summer program and the people I've worked with have been great, and money is nice, but overall...meh. Not for me.

[rad lulz]

Am I the only one who basically used this summer as an opportunity to confirm that I don't want to work in a big firm when I graduate? My summer program and the people I've worked with have been great, and money is nice, but overall...meh. Not for me.

$5 says that you take the offer due to fear of being employed upon graduation.

[desertlaw]

Am I the only one who basically used this summer as an opportunity to confirm that I don't want to work in a big firm when I graduate? My summer program and the people I've worked with have been great, and money is nice, but overall...meh. Not for me.

I'm not sure many people have a huge desire to work in BigLaw. But for a lot of us, there's not really another option that allows us to pay of the debt and give us a good start to our legal career. I think the amount of people who went into this summer just to "check out" firm-life is probably a pretty small amount.

[Anonymous User]

Am I the only one who basically used this summer as an opportunity to confirm that I don't want to work in a big firm when I graduate? My summer program and the people I've worked with have been great, and money is nice, but overall...meh. Not for me.

I feel the same and am indifferent now about working at a big firm. But I need to work for a firm for at least a year, since I have a $70K loan to payoff (thank god for my half-scholly). After that, we will see.

[soccerfreak]

Am I the only one who basically used this summer as an opportunity to confirm that I don't want to work in a big firm when I graduate? My summer program and the people I've worked with have been great, and money is nice, but overall...meh. Not for me.

The problem is, what other options are there? To work in house or nonprofit you need to work at a firm (or govt) first. And in this job market, getting an offer from firms before 3L is a lot safer than waiting to pass the bar when big law isn't even an offer anymore if other stuff doesn't work out.

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

If they haven't made all calls how do you know they gave 85% offers?

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

If they haven't made all calls how do you know they gave 85% offers?

I heard that number from someone at the firm. I think they did make all the calls ...

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

Which large firm? V&E is calling...I got mine earlier tonight. However, we were told they would call regardless of whether you got an offer and not all hiring partners called tonight...some will wait until the AM. It was pretty late.

[jawsthegreat]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

If they haven't made all calls how do you know they gave 85% offers?

I heard that number from someone at the firm. I think they did make all the calls ...

Did you get any indication that you had any problems throughout the summer? With 85% offers your call could just be coming tomorrow, especially since you didn't hear.

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

Which large firm? V&E is calling...I got mine earlier tonight. However, we were told they would call regardless of whether you got an offer and not all hiring partners called tonight...some will wait until the AM. It was pretty late.

Thanks I guess I will hope a call comes tomorrow! (and isnt bad news).

I basically received no feedback all summer.

[Anonymous User]

I'm sure you're fine if you received no feedback. All of the no-offer stories I heard from previous years were pretty ridiculous.

[Anonymous User]

this shit is absolutely scaring me now if this is any indication of the texas markets. still at my second half in houston and won't find out about offers till mid august.

[Anonymous User]

I just wish they would be straight with us. They said that because all the offices release offers at the same time, we wouldn't hear for a few weeks after the end of the program, around the beginning of September. Then I read on ATL yesterday 100% offers at another office. They said that the deferrals were over and we shouldn't worry, then I read about deferrals at an international office. This is one case where assurances don't help if other news contradicts them.

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

Which large firm? V&E is calling...I got mine earlier tonight. However, we were told they would call regardless of whether you got an offer and not all hiring partners called tonight...some will wait until the AM. It was pretty late.

Which office(s)?

[Anonymous User]

Just confirmed my large Texas firm only gave around 85% offers ... haven't received a call ... nervous

Which large firm? V&E is calling...I got mine earlier tonight. However, we were told they would call regardless of whether you got an offer and not all hiring partners called tonight...some will wait until the AM. It was pretty late.

Which office(s)?

The offices have all had their individual meetings last week. They met firm-wide last night to approve their lists. Hiring partners should be calling last night/today to notify everyone. It seems like the smaller offices called last night while the larger offices probably wait until today. I don't think they even wrapped up the meeting until 8 or 9 pm.

[Anonymous User]

Missed a call that was presumably my offer/no-offer. The caller left no message. Oh, the suspense!