Top Law Schools

I'm a 1L who had three callbacks for a summer job. I just took a job with Firm A today, because they only gave me 48 hours to decide. However, I really liked Firm B & C, and I think I had great connections with the attorneys during my CB. Is it ok if I don't withdraw yet, though, because:

1. I'm not really the best interviewer in the world, and I can't really read people that well. Sometimes I feel a connection, but then it turns out to be unilateral. I just want to see if they felt the same way - because, if not, I can try harder to fix my interview style before August OCI. And if so, I can go into OCI more confident that I'm not a terrible interviewer. (I had Firm A's CB via teleconference, so it was different and doesn't provide the same info)

2. I'm probably going to be rejected anyway. Firms B & C are a little more competitive than Firm A.

However, considering the fact that I may want to apply to Firms B & C again for my 2L summer, would they look more favorably upon a withdrawal before they make a decision or being turned down after they give me a spot?

Thanks for the advice in advance!

I think the answer here is pretty straightforward. You accepted a job, so you should withdraw.

I understand your concern re: withdrawing before you even hear back from the other firms. However, if you explain the reason you took the other job (and express that you really want to apply again this fall), then they'll understand.

Did you tell these other firms about the offer before you accepted? Often that's the best leverage out there -- "Hi, I got an offer and I just want you to know I have to respond within 48 hours." In my experience, that generated immediate offers from other places.

Tangerine Gleam wrote:I think the answer here is pretty straightforward. You accepted a job, so you should withdraw.

I understand your concern re: withdrawing before you even hear back from the other firms. However, if you explain the reason you took the other job (and express that you really want to apply again this fall), then they'll understand.

Did you tell these other firms about the offer before you accepted? Often that's the best leverage out there -- "Hi, I got an offer and I just want you to know I have to respond within 48 hours." In my experience, that generated immediate offers from other places.

Yeah, I should've done that. I just didn't want them to feel like I was trying to pressure them because they'd explicitly told me that they were still doing interviews through this week. Oh well. Too late now. I guess I'll just have to withdraw.

Anonymous User wrote:I just didn't want them to feel like I was trying to pressure them[.]

I understand the feeling, but you've got to be assertive. This whole damn job search process -- like applying to law schools -- is a big game. You've got to do what's best for you, and if a firm was interested enough to give you a callback, they would want to know if you had offers elsewhere....so don't forget to use offers as leverage next year. If you had this many 1L CB's, then I'm sure you'll have a lot of options next summer too. Just make the best of the situation and make it clear to the other firms that you really want to apply again but you had a tight time frame imposed on you for this year.