same firm, different cities? Forum

[englawyer]

would not do this.

[Anonymous User]

For those of you who advise against bidding multiple offices of the same firm, would you say this holds even when the firm has indicated on Symplicity that they will allow interviews with multiple offices? I'm pretty much exclusively interested in Chicago and DC, and the top Chicago firms (Kirkland, Sidley, Mayer, Jenner) have really strong DC offices. All but Mayer allow interviews with multiple offices. Would bidding multiple offices for the other ones still be unadvisable?

[rad lulz]

For those of you who advise against bidding multiple offices of the same firm, would you say this holds even when the firm has indicated on Symplicity that they will allow interviews with multiple offices? I'm pretty much exclusively interested in Chicago and DC, and the top Chicago firms (Kirkland, Sidley, Mayer, Jenner) have really strong DC offices. All but Mayer allow interviews with multiple offices. Would bidding multiple offices for the other ones still be unadvisable?

They could be srs about that, or it could be a trap.

itsatrap.jpg

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on doing this with NYC and Philly? They're like 2 hours apart and I have ties to both.

[target]

does the general advice in this thread apply to us office and international office as well? I certainly want to start out in the us office, but would consider move overseas later. Would telling firms that I join them for the possibility of transferring to an overseas office be frown upon?

[HeavenWood]

Thoughts on doing this with NYC and Philly? They're like 2 hours apart and I have ties to both.

Probably a bad idea, given that Philly firms have historically been shafted by people using them as a stepping stone to NYC.

[piccolittle]

What about mass mailing a different office pre-OCI? I'm planning on mass mailing the CA offices (even if they are coming to OCI) and bidding straight NY and some London at school. Bad idea? Partners I've asked have agreed with me, since it ultimately saves firms money on flying me out to CA if I'm going to be bidding on that office anyway. Thoughts?

[Lincoln]

I had ties to both SF and NYC. For one firm I interviewed only for the SF office but was open about not being sure about preference, and because they liked me they got me a screener with the NYC office as well. Only got a CB (and eventually offer) with SF, but I doubt that was because I was interested in both cities.

[Anonymous User]

Thoughts on doing this with NYC and Philly? They're like 2 hours apart and I have ties to both.

Probably a bad idea, given that Philly firms have historically been shafted by people using them as a stepping stone to NYC.

Hmm. Even a bad idea if I say "Well Philly is my clear first choice because of XYZ reasons, but I am also interested in NY." ?

[HeavenWood]

Thoughts on doing this with NYC and Philly? They're like 2 hours apart and I have ties to both.

Probably a bad idea, given that Philly firms have historically been shafted by people using them as a stepping stone to NYC.

Hmm. Even a bad idea if I say "Well Philly is my clear first choice because of XYZ reasons, but I am also interested in NY." ?

They'll take that as Philly actually being your backup.

[Anonymous User]

I mass mailed some firms in the region I'm interning in right now (and have strong ties to). I put in all of my cover letters that though that region is my first choice, I am also open to consideration for the NYC offices as I understand how small the SA classes are in my region. Half of the firms have scheduled interviews with me, none of which made any reference to my office preference, so we'll see what happens at the interviews. I'm hoping they won't think I've wasted their lunch moneys.

[Anonymous User]

I bid on the same firm in three cities. If I get preselected for all of them, I plan to decline all but one. What is wrong with this? If they preselect me, they are interested in interviewing me, and by selecting all three, I have a better chance of getting an interview at at least one.

Is the advise on this thread applicable only to lottery bids?

[Anonymous User]

I'm shocked that someone would decline an interview with another office. I have PLIP with a firm's Austin and Houston offices, and ITE there's no way I'm turning one of them down.

I am, however, interested in tips for showing true interest in both. I would really like to end up in Texas, but unfortunately have no ties whatsoever.

[rad lulz]

I am, however, interested in tips for showing true interest in both. I would really like to end up in Texas, but unfortunately have no ties whatsoever.

Since none of us know anything about you, no one can answer this.

[AreJay711]

I'll be doing it for Austin and Dallas, but that's b/c I do have ties to both and most of the Austin firms are just satellites of Dallas offices. I don't think it will be a problem, but we'll see. Don't really have a choice since all of the Austin firms are also in Dallas

I think you're fine as long as it's between/among Texas cities. Expressing interest in TX + NYC/other major market is almost always viewed negatively. When an interviewer asks "are you looking at other places?" they're looking for ways to ding you.

Idk the lawyers in Houston firms -- including people on recruiting committees -- I've talked to didn't say or seem to insinuate this at all. They want to know that you are genuinely interested in being there, not that it is the only place you could imagine yourself. Actually, TX + NYC makes a lot of sense if you are interested in corp / finance / projects or TX or TX + DC if you are interested in energy / energy regulatory. What might be viewed negatively and could hurt you is TX + NYC for litigation or something else where the decision seems based mostly on locations.

[englawyer]

I interviewed with Firm X for SF through Loyola PLIP and got a callback. I then interviewed with Firm X through OCI for NY. I brought up the callback thinking it would be a positive, but the NY interviewers were pissed off and questioned me for not bidding Firm X NY in PLIP.

That is why I think this strat is a bad idea. Perhaps its ok if its all at the same job fair, or perhaps only certain firms would care. Who knows? But anyway, I would at least not bring up multiple interviews at the same firm unless asked.

[de5igual]

I'll be doing it for Austin and Dallas, but that's b/c I do have ties to both and most of the Austin firms are just satellites of Dallas offices. I don't think it will be a problem, but we'll see. Don't really have a choice since all of the Austin firms are also in Dallas

I think you're fine as long as it's between/among Texas cities. Expressing interest in TX + NYC/other major market is almost always viewed negatively. When an interviewer asks "are you looking at other places?" they're looking for ways to ding you.

Idk the lawyers in Houston firms -- including people on recruiting committees -- I've talked to didn't say or seem to insinuate this at all. They want to know that you are genuinely interested in being there, not that it is the only place you could imagine yourself. Actually, TX + NYC makes a lot of sense if you are interested in corp / finance / projects or TX or TX + DC if you are interested in energy / energy regulatory. What might be viewed negatively and could hurt you is TX + NYC for litigation or something else where the decision seems based mostly on locations.

Idk dude...I've had talks with people on recruiting committees in unofficial settings (where we were drinking and shooting the shit), and they explicitly mentioned the "are you looking at other places" as a way to weed people out.

[AreJay711]

Idk dude...I've had talks with people on recruiting committees in unofficial settings (where we were drinking and shooting the shit), and they explicitly mentioned the "are you looking at other places" as a way to weed people out.

This might be more true than the people I talked to let on. there are only like 8 TX (headquartered) firms that come to Michigan and the rest just resume collect so their perspective as Michigan grads might be different than someone from a Texas school. It's obviously best not to give anyone on the recruiting committee doubts.

[PennBull]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I don't think my particular question has been answered.

I want to bid a firm in their NYC and DC offices--the two cities where ties mean the least (if at all). It seems like a lot of the problems in this thread come from the fact that a particular city doesn't see you as committed to the city/region.

I have zero ties to NYC, I am living in DC this summer (with otherwise zero ties), I am one of those stray cats that has no "home market" where I belong, and I go to Penn. I would be extremely happy working in either the DC or NY office. Am I running into problems here?

[Anonymous User]

I have zero ties to NYC, I am living in DC this summer (with otherwise zero ties), I am one of those stray cats that has no "home market" where I belong, and I go to Penn. I would be extremely happy working in either the DC or NY office. Am I running into problems here?

This is a firm specific issue. But, also something that depends on whether you have the grades/resume to make the firm salivate sufficient to accommodate your interest in multiple cities.

Ropes for one is very flexible with splitting: BOS/NYC, CHI/SF, DC/BOS, SF/Silicon Valley, BOS/TOKYO - they'll let you do it all as long as you are a kick ass candidate.

[Perseus_I]

If the OCI is preselect (or majority preselect), does it make sense to bid on multiple offices (i.e. Dallas, Houston, NYC) to increase the chances of getting at least one interview?

I mean one can always decline an interview if granted multiple interviews. But does it hurt that the candidate even applied to multiple offices?

[20121109]

I did this for two firms, one of which I'm summering at right now.

One didn't even ask if I bid on other offices, and still offered me a job. I'm pretty sure the offices knew each other very, very well. The other simply asked me to rank the offices I wanted and my callback was at my preferred location.

I honestly thought this wasn't such a big deal when I interviewed last year lol. Surprised by some of the responses.

[PennBull]

I did this for two firms, one of which I'm summering at right now.

One didn't even ask if I bid on other offices, and still offered me a job. I'm pretty sure the offices knew each other very, very well. The other simply asked me to rank the offices I wanted and my callback was at my preferred location.

I honestly thought this wasn't such a big deal when I interviewed last year lol. Surprised by some of the responses.

Did you interview with both offices, or just bid them?

[20121109]

I did this for two firms, one of which I'm summering at right now.

One didn't even ask if I bid on other offices, and still offered me a job. I'm pretty sure the offices knew each other very, very well. The other simply asked me to rank the offices I wanted and my callback was at my preferred location.

I honestly thought this wasn't such a big deal when I interviewed last year lol. Surprised by some of the responses.

Did you interview with both offices, or just bid them?

My firm = interviewed at both, different women. Called back and offered at one location but not the other.

Second firm = interviewed with one guy for both offices. Called back at my first choice, cancelled cb after offer at first firm.

[r6_philly]

I also requested multiple offices. But the office I am working at requested me and I went with that. It all depends on the firm. Some offices may be protective of their office and staff, so you may raise a red flag by bidding multiple offices with some people. However, if it is a national name, no one would probably blame you to bid several offices just to ensure an interview/chance. I don't think it's the fact that you bid other offices that might hurt you as much as no good answer for why other offices would.