Top Law Schools

I accepted an offer, but now it looks like I need to move to another city because of my wife's work. The firm has an office in the other city, but I'm not sure they want/need a new employee that never summered there. Planning on asking if I can transfer, but should I also be actively looking for jobs in that market? Don't want the firm to get wind of this and get upset, but I need to protect myself.

anyone have any experience with this situation? did they let you transfer offices before even starting work?

Wow - this is a really tough situation. I really don't know what to tell you. It might be a good idea to tell them about transferring to another office, but I'd be worried that telling them this will make them no-offer you if it turns out that they don't need you in the other office (why would they extend an offer to you for that city if they know you won't take it). I might not mention any of this until AFTER you've received the permanent offer, so at least you can be in the position to 1) have an offer under your belt (just in case you get nothing else), 2) interview with other firms in your wife's city with the added bonus of being able to say you got an offer already, and 3) have had a whole summer to get to know the firm, the attorneys, etc. and hopefully have someone who can go to bat for you to put you in the office you want to transfer to.

Not sure if any of this is good advice. Good luck and keep us posted.

i should specify in the body, this is for full time employment. I summered in the city expecting to stay, but things change. Its a big firm w/ lots of offices, but i'm sure they all have different needs, etc. I've done well enough in school and could probably get another job in the new city - but i'd like to start right away.

IzziesGal wrote:Wow - this is a really tough situation. I really don't know what to tell you. It might be a good idea to tell them about transferring to another office, but I'd be worried that telling them this will make them no-offer you if it turns out that they don't need you in the other office (why would they extend an offer to you for that city if they know you won't take it). I might not mention any of this until AFTER you've received the permanent offer, so at least you can be in the position to 1) have an offer under your belt (just in case you get nothing else), 2) interview with other firms in your wife's city with the added bonus of being able to say you got an offer already, and 3) have had a whole summer to get to know the firm, the attorneys, etc. and hopefully have someone who can go to bat for you to put you in the office you want to transfer to.

Not sure if any of this is good advice. Good luck and keep us posted.

^^^^ Well-intentioned but completely disconnected.

OP, I'd sit down with the hiring partner and explain your situation. If they turn you down, you could then initiate your job search in your new city.

Good luck!

War Cardinal wrote:

IzziesGal wrote:Wow - this is a really tough situation. I really don't know what to tell you. It might be a good idea to tell them about transferring to another office, but I'd be worried that telling them this will make them no-offer you if it turns out that they don't need you in the other office (why would they extend an offer to you for that city if they know you won't take it). I might not mention any of this until AFTER you've received the permanent offer, so at least you can be in the position to 1) have an offer under your belt (just in case you get nothing else), 2) interview with other firms in your wife's city with the added bonus of being able to say you got an offer already, and 3) have had a whole summer to get to know the firm, the attorneys, etc. and hopefully have someone who can go to bat for you to put you in the office you want to transfer to.

Not sure if any of this is good advice. Good luck and keep us posted.

^^^^ Well-intentioned but completely disconnected.

OP, I'd sit down with the hiring partner and explain your situation. If they turn you down, you could then initiate your job search in your new city.

Good luck!

Ha! I tried. Thx for not tearing me to shreds.

Definitely a game changer since he's already accepted perm offer. I have much to learn about this whole process.

Sit down and talk to a partner. From what I've heard, most firms are understanding about family situations changing requiring you to switch offices.

Anonymous Abuser wrote:Sit down and talk to a partner. From what I've heard, most firms are understanding about family situations changing requiring you to switch offices.

This. Life happens.

Other tips: Check and see if the firm you are going to has your practice area in the office you need to move to. Seems like at a lot of firms cases are cross-office-staffed anyways, so it might not even be a big deal. But it would depend on the firm - you should have a good sense of this from summering there.

Side note: I understand your frustration. This type of situation broke up my almost 5 year relationship because I am unable to practice the field of law I am interested in where my now ex lives and he cannot move without giving up too much. Avoid this, it sucks.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous Abuser wrote:Sit down and talk to a partner. From what I've heard, most firms are understanding about family situations changing requiring you to switch offices.

This. Life happens.

Other tips: Check and see if the firm you are going to has your practice area in the office you need to move to. Seems like at a lot of firms cases are cross-office-staffed anyways, so it might not even be a big deal. But it would depend on the firm - you should have a good sense of this from summering there.

Side note: I understand your frustration. This type of situation broke up my almost 5 year relationship because I am unable to practice the field of law I am interested in where my now ex lives and he cannot move without giving up too much. Avoid this, it sucks.

Not to pry or derail the thread, but why couldn't you do the type of law you want to do anywhere in the country? Sure, practicing securities litigation might not be as awesome in Atlanta as in New York, but I'm sure you could find something anywhere.

Anonymous Abuser wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous Abuser wrote:Sit down and talk to a partner. From what I've heard, most firms are understanding about family situations changing requiring you to switch offices.

This. Life happens.

Other tips: Check and see if the firm you are going to has your practice area in the office you need to move to. Seems like at a lot of firms cases are cross-office-staffed anyways, so it might not even be a big deal. But it would depend on the firm - you should have a good sense of this from summering there.

Side note: I understand your frustration. This type of situation broke up my almost 5 year relationship because I am unable to practice the field of law I am interested in where my now ex lives and he cannot move without giving up too much. Avoid this, it sucks.

Not to pry or derail the thread, but why couldn't you do the type of law you want to do anywhere in the country? Sure, practicing securities litigation might not be as awesome in Atlanta as in New York, but I'm sure you could find something anywhere.

No, no that is fine, and sorry to take the thread on a tangent. See bold - he moved out of the country. I tried to network in that foreign country, but to really no avail - it's not that people were completely unwilling to talk to me, but the prospects I faced were bleak. I wouldn't be able to do litigation (meh, but OK maybe), would have to supplement my preferred practice area (IP) with general corporate transactions (bleh) at a firm or go in-house and do patent prosecution (/killself), would have taken a massive pay-cut from even the starting salary (divide 160k by 3 or 4), and had little to no chance at making partner/advancement. The country is also almost legendary for not being friendly to women in the workplace/in life. I couldn't see living that life.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous Abuser wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous Abuser wrote:Sit down and talk to a partner. From what I've heard, most firms are understanding about family situations changing requiring you to switch offices.

This. Life happens.

Other tips: Check and see if the firm you are going to has your practice area in the office you need to move to. Seems like at a lot of firms cases are cross-office-staffed anyways, so it might not even be a big deal. But it would depend on the firm - you should have a good sense of this from summering there.

Side note: I understand your frustration. This type of situation broke up my almost 5 year relationship because I am unable to practice the field of law I am interested in where my now ex lives and he cannot move without giving up too much. Avoid this, it sucks.

Not to pry or derail the thread, but why couldn't you do the type of law you want to do anywhere in the country? Sure, practicing securities litigation might not be as awesome in Atlanta as in New York, but I'm sure you could find something anywhere.

No, no that is fine, and sorry to take the thread on a tangent. See bold - he moved out of the country. I tried to network in that foreign country, but to really no avail - it's not that people were completely unwilling to talk to me, but the prospects I faced were bleak. I wouldn't be able to do litigation (meh, but OK maybe), would have to supplement my preferred practice area (IP) with general corporate transactions (bleh) at a firm or go in-house and do patent prosecution (/killself), would have taken a massive pay-cut from even the starting salary (divide 160k by 3 or 4), and had little to no chance at making partner/advancement. The country is also almost legendary for not being friendly to women in the workplace/in life. I couldn't see living that life.

Oh, that's legitimate then. I had ass-u-med that it was somewhere within the country. Sorry to hear all that!

thank you for your suggestions.

my biggest concern is the new city is one known for working harder / longer hours than what i'd prefer. I know its the same firm, but my understanding upon accepting the summer (and talking to people who worked in both offices) is that the place i'm moving is 'more intense'. If I knew I was moving a year ago I wouldn't have chosen this firm for the new city. (long confusing rambling - sorry). I guess I should just feel lucky I have any job, regardless of what I would prefer.

escalate_the_kino wrote:thank you for your suggestions.

my biggest concern is the new city is one known for working harder / longer hours than what i'd prefer. I know its the same firm, but my understanding upon accepting the summer (and talking to people who worked in both offices) is that the place i'm moving is 'more intense'. If I knew I was moving a year ago I wouldn't have chosen this firm for the new city. (long confusing rambling - sorry). I guess I should just feel lucky I have any job, regardless of what I would prefer.

Seems like it's a sacrifice you'll have to make. Perhaps lateral out to a more regional firm after a couple years.

I am in a similar situation and am wondering if the OP can explain how his situation turned out. I do not want to disclose the name of the firm, but are there any firms that you have heard to be good about these kinds of situations?

Anonymous User wrote:I am in a similar situation and am wondering if the OP can explain how his situation turned out. I do not want to disclose the name of the firm, but are there any firms that you have heard to be good about these kinds of situations?

+1 as another person interested in how this kind of thing works out.

At the firm I'm summering at, associates have mentioned that as recently as two years ago, firm policy was that an offer from the firm is an offer for basically any office. More than one associate summered in a different office than where they are now. My impression is that the firm was up front about this intra-firm transfer option at the time.

Now, post-ITE, summer class sizes are 25% of their former size, and I have not heard a peep about this kind of policy from the firm. My reasons for wanting to move offices are not bulletproof, either. I'd want to move because of a LTR (not married) and second thoughts about where I want to settle long-term. Both markets are generally selective (DC, SF). I want to find out more about what current firm policy is, but not to appear to be a flight risk, since I'd stay put if it were the only way to keep the job offer. I'll ask about it if/when I receive a permanent offer, I suppose.