Negotiating a split summer Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone with experience negotiating a split summer between two firms (2L summer)? How do you go about doing this? Who do you ask first? Who do you ask? Any advice appreciated.

[Anonymous User]

I worry about getting no offered because of this. They may agree to let you split but what if they hold it against you and dont give you a permanent offer because of it. You just wasted your time summering there. Smoozers im sure will be able to pull this off though.

[Anonymous User]

If this is something that the firm does on a somewhat regular basis, they have no reason to no-offer you because of it. That would be a huge waste of money for the firm. If you are splitting (and they are ok with it) it will make them recruit you harder.

[Anonymous User]

If this is something that the firm does on a somewhat regular basis, they have no reason to no-offer you because of it. That would be a huge waste of money for the firm. If you are splitting (and they are ok with it) it will make them recruit you harder.

It depends. Some people are just go getters and will schmooze everything and will have the firm on their doorstep begging for them even though they split. Other people will say good things about the firm every day, tell them this is where they want to be, work hard for the whole summer and still be one of those who are no offered.

The above situation could go either way. When/if the firm needs to make a hard decision you could be the first to go. Or you might not. I never understand how people become one or the other.

[Anonymous User]

What about doing this with a NY V10 that hardly ever no-offers anyone? Thinking about splitting b/w them and another firm in a secondary market...bad idea?

[Anonymous User]

Ok but anyone actually have advice about how and who to ask?

[Anonymous User]

Ok but anyone actually have advice about how and who to ask?

Just talk to the recruiting coordinator.

[Anonymous User]

I wanted to bring this back.

Any advice out there?

[Anonymous User]

Just wanted to throw my two cents in.

I got offers from two firms in a major market. Both of the firms had big offices in a good secondary market I was potentially interested in. I asked each firm separately if they would let me split my summer with their office in the other market. One said yes, and one said no. I'm not going to either! Ha!

[Anonymous User]

Also looking for advice on this. My situation: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=253780

Firm A is in Houston. Firm B is in Chicago. I have offers from both. Firm A runs a single, six-week summer program, which permits its SAs to split summers. Firm B runs a full-summer program and allows splits on a case-by-case basis. Firm B has a Houston office that, much like Firm A, runs a shortened summer program that allows for splits. I did not interview with Firm B's Houston office, but I told my Chicago-screeners I was interested in both their Chicago and Houston offices.

I've accepted Firm A's offer in Houston and I have no interest in backing out. So, the goal now is to convince Firm B to let me split. What's the best angle here? Better to ask for a split summer in Chicago, or attempt to transfer my offer to the Houston office?

[Anonymous User]

What about splitting between two different firms in the same major market? Is that ill-advised/do people run the risk of being no-offered by doing so?

[Anonymous User]

bump

[Anonymous User]

When splitting do you accept two offers and then ask the firms about splitting or do you accept only one offer and then discuss splitting before accepting the second?

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

What about doing this with a NY V10 that hardly ever no-offers anyone? Thinking about splitting b/w them and another firm in a secondary market...bad idea?

I thought about doing this too, but decided against it. I figured that the nyc firm would get the message it was unclear whether I was committed to nyc or ny. I'm not sure if this is true but I decided not to risk it.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any advice on the above? trying to figure out how to navigate this process at the moment

[runinthefront]

Splitting between two biglaw firms in the same market rarely happens. The only exceptions are typically for people who have summered at a place their 1L year. In that case, you'd typically spend the first 6-8 at the new firm, and then the remaining part of the summer at the old one. Most firms are amenable to this.

Almost all firms (except if you've summered there before + Texas firms) require you to spend the first 7-9 weeks at their firm--which is why it's almost impossible to split your summer between two major biglaw firms without having worked at one of them before.

Certain firms (e.g., Cravath) generally only allow you to split if (1) you do the first 6-8 weeks with them, and (2) the second firm is not in the same market.

Hope this helps

[beepboopbeep]

What about doing this with a NY V10 that hardly ever no-offers anyone? Thinking about splitting b/w them and another firm in a secondary market...bad idea?

I thought about doing this too, but decided against it. I figured that the nyc firm would get the message it was unclear whether I was committed to nyc or ny. I'm not sure if this is true but I decided not to risk it.

Man y'all overthink stuff. I split between a V10 and a smaller firm in a different major market. It required a decent amount of negotiating because each required a certain # of weeks, which if I'd done would've had me working through mid-September. Pretty straightforward process. I asked for the split. They said ok. I said I'd have to do x-y dates because of the split. They said ok if you can get this concession from the other firm too. I said ok, asked the other firm, and the other firm said ok. It's not the big fucking deal y'all are making it out to be.

Just talk to recruiting, or in some cases the person who made you your offer. Y'all are acting like firms are going to recoil in terror that a law student deign to ask for a split. Newsflash: they look at a ton of law students every year. The firms have seen everything you could think of.

I was the only one splitting at the V10 (non-NY major market office). Got an offer. The same dynamics that keep firms from no-offering people are present for splitters, too - the bad publicity is a real concern. Awaiting offer from the smaller firm, but was one of about 10-12 people splitting.

Runinthefront is correct on all points as well.

[banjo]

What about doing this with a NY V10 that hardly ever no-offers anyone? Thinking about splitting b/w them and another firm in a secondary market...bad idea?

I thought about doing this too, but decided against it. I figured that the nyc firm would get the message it was unclear whether I was committed to nyc or ny. I'm not sure if this is true but I decided not to risk it.

Man y'all overthink stuff. I split between a V10 and a smaller firm in a different major market. It required a decent amount of negotiating because each required a certain # of weeks, which if I'd done would've had me working through mid-September. Pretty straightforward process. I asked for the split. They said ok. I said I'd have to do x-y dates because of the split. They said ok if you can get this concession from the other firm too. I said ok, asked the other firm, and the other firm said ok. It's not the big fucking deal y'all are making it out to be.

This.

And seriously, you can get those "first x weeks" requirements waived. Get on the phone with recruiting and figure it out.

[jbagelboy]

It's not the big fucking deal y'all are making it out to be.