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I'm an idiot. I'm a 3L and I accepted an offer from a firm at 3LOL OCI (Firm A). I had been working as a law clerk over the summer and through the fall semester at a different firm (Firm B) that almost never hires its law clerks for post-grad. Because of that, I had no qualms about accepting at Firm A. Now Firm B offered me a job as an associate on considerably better terms, which I quickly accepted because I was so excited. Firm B pays over 1/3 more, has more interesting practices, is in a more convenient location (5 minute commute vs. 40), and I already know the people there.

How can I best manage this situation? I feel like I should call them and just lay out the pro's and con's I just mentioned, and try to sound genuinely apologetic. Any advice?

This is tough. But, obviously you can't take both. How long has it been since you accepted each offer? Was Firm A's offer considerably earlier than Firm B's?

Why did you not push Firm B over the summer to let you know ASAP whether they would be extending offers? If you did, did they just decide to drag their feet?

Regardless, you must pick one, and the sooner the better. The more time that you wait, the more damage there will be.

Dude, you know that you have to take the better offer, and you know that Firm A will be pissed and you'll burn your bridge there. I wouldn't drag it out, just say that you are sorry, but that you unexpectedly received an offer for your services that you can't refuse.

But prior poster is right-you have to do this as quick as possible so that the firm you're blowing off can try and find someone else.

Are you SURE you can't just make this work somehow? Night shift at Firm A? I mean, it's two salaries!

dumb response is dumb. Please disregard my unhelpful post.

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:

c3pO4 wrote:Are you SURE you can't just make this work somehow? Night shift at Firm A? I mean, it's two salaries!

Night shit?? If he wanted to try for both, he would try to split between the two. If he can finish finals early and work a week or two into the school year, it may be possible (but depends on if firms would allow it, which seems unlikely under the current circumstances). If this is a southern firm and the summer is only a 6 week minimum, then he may have a chance to split, but I'm guessing he would have included that info in the OP.

hes a 3L.. hes talking accepted two full time offers.. not two summer SAs..i think

BlueDiamond wrote:

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:

c3pO4 wrote:Are you SURE you can't just make this work somehow? Night shift at Firm A? I mean, it's two salaries!

Night shit?? If he wanted to try for both, he would try to split between the two. If he can finish finals early and work a week or two into the school year, it may be possible (but depends on if firms would allow it, which seems unlikely under the current circumstances). If this is a southern firm and the summer is only a 6 week minimum, then he may have a chance to split, but I'm guessing he would have included that info in the OP.

hes a 3L.. hes talking accepted two full time offers.. not two summer SAs..i think

Yeah, I'm dumb. Not enough sleep and too much time spent on a paper.

Hope it's a big market, or else a decent chunk of its attorneys are going to think you're a scumbag.

Time turner!

alternative response:

Quantum superposition!

alternative response:

Ask the internet for advice, the internet surely knows!

alternative response:

Use craigslist to purchase an identical twin; take steps to make sure said identical twin is not an evil identical twin

Just be honest with both firms. Tell Firm B first & ask for guidance. This happens. Your explanation is reasonable.

Tell firm A to screw off. That's what they would do to you if they ran into budget problems.

ggocat wrote:Tell firm A to screw off. That's what they would do to you if they ran into budget problems.

+1. You don't owe anything to any firm. Cut Firm A without any regrets.

^ Seriously stupid shit. The one above this and the one above that.

ggocat wrote:Tell firm A to screw off. That's what they would do to you if they ran into budget problems.

What firms can get by with doing to associates has nothing to do with what associates can get by with doing to firms. Tell Firm A asap, apologize profusely, and pray you're never looking for a job in that market again (assuming it's small enough that people will find out)

Work for Firm B and collect checks from Firm A until Firm A fires you.

I'm surprised you kept working for Firm B after you got the Firm A offer. Worked out for you though I guess.

MrKappus wrote:^ Seriously stupid shit. The one above this and the one above that.

Tread lightly 1L. You have been in law school for approximately 4 months and based on your "substantive" legal experience taking a Property midterm and creating flowcharts for Contracts, you know nothing about law or the professional world.

Even if you did have prior work experience, your comment is about as on-point as Scalia in one of his judicial la-la-land opinions.

monkey85 wrote:

MrKappus wrote:^ Seriously stupid shit. The one above this and the one above that.

Tread lightly 1L. You have been in law school for approximately 4 months and based on your "substantive" legal experience taking a Property midterm and creating flowcharts for Contracts, you know nothing about law or the professional world.

Even if you did have prior work experience, your comment is about as on-point as Scalia in one of his judicial la-la-land opinions.

Sr. Bd. L. Rev. + Biglaw job. STFU.

MrKappus wrote:

monkey85 wrote:

MrKappus wrote:^ Seriously stupid shit. The one above this and the one above that.

Tread lightly 1L. You have been in law school for approximately 4 months and based on your "substantive" legal experience taking a Property midterm and creating flowcharts for Contracts, you know nothing about law or the professional world.

Even if you did have prior work experience, your comment is about as on-point as Scalia in one of his judicial la-la-land opinions.

Sr. Bd. L. Rev. + Biglaw job. STFU.

Look bro, lawyers are expendable, while it may make their life difficult if he renigs on their offer. OH FUCKING WELL, they can just find a million kids with good grades from good schools to hire. Such is life.

Take the money and run.

Anonymous User wrote:Look bro, lawyers are expendable, while it may make their life difficult if he renigs on their offer. OH FUCKING WELL, they can just find a million kids with good grades from good schools to hire. Such is life.

Take the money and run.

I think you're missing my point. "Taking the money and running" can really [mess with you] in small-medium legal mkts.

MrKappus wrote:

monkey85 wrote:

MrKappus wrote:^ Seriously stupid shit. The one above this and the one above that.

Tread lightly 1L. You have been in law school for approximately 4 months and based on your "substantive" legal experience taking a Property midterm and creating flowcharts for Contracts, you know nothing about law or the professional world.

Even if you did have prior work experience, your comment is about as on-point as Scalia in one of his judicial la-la-land opinions.

Sr. Bd. L. Rev. + Biglaw job. STFU.

This seems relevant to the exchange at hand

IAFG wrote:This seems relevant to the exchange at hand

I'm not a 1L. Seemed relevant.

MrKappus wrote:

IAFG wrote:This seems relevant to the exchange at hand

I'm not a 1L. Seemed relevant.

MrKappus wrote: I'm a 2L/3L

Hmm seems like that woulda worked.

I like both MrKappus and IAFG, please don't fight this is like watching your parents fight. On the internet. About law school.

Edit: thesealocust has added more to this board than I could in 11.5 lifetimes. POST DELETED.