Decline offer- say where you're going (gov/firm)? Forum

[Anonymous User]

2L here. Got two offers recently, one for a government internship, one for one of those unicorn mid-law firms in my home state. I accepted the firm and declined the government internship. I really hit it off with the gov interviewer and I did have a genuine interest in the organization (I worked in a gov internship during 1L), but ultimately, I wanted to at least try a firm once/want to get paid/am more comfortable with a solid chance of a full-time offer rather than dealing with hiring freezes. The gov contact responded with a really nice email and asked what I'll be doing this summer. Is it ok to say my reasons above? For some reason I feel like a jerk about it because I was all gov/serving people a few weeks ago and now I'm headed to a firm. Am I overanalyzing again?

[patrickd139]

2L here. Got two offers recently, one for a government internship, one for one of those unicorn mid-law firms in my home state. I accepted the firm and declined the government internship. I really hit it off with the gov interviewer and I did have a genuine interest in the organization (I worked in a gov internship during 1L), but ultimately, I wanted to at least try a firm once/want to get paid/am more comfortable with a solid chance of a full-time offer rather than dealing with hiring freezes. The gov contact responded with a really nice email and asked what I'll be doing this summer. Is it ok to say my reasons above? For some reason I feel like a jerk about it because I was all gov/serving people a few weeks ago and now I'm headed to a firm. Am I overanalyzing again?

Can you not split?

[Anonymous User]

2L here. Got two offers recently, one for a government internship, one for one of those unicorn mid-law firms in my home state. I accepted the firm and declined the government internship. I really hit it off with the gov interviewer and I did have a genuine interest in the organization (I worked in a gov internship during 1L), but ultimately, I wanted to at least try a firm once/want to get paid/am more comfortable with a solid chance of a full-time offer rather than dealing with hiring freezes. The gov contact responded with a really nice email and asked what I'll be doing this summer. Is it ok to say my reasons above? For some reason I feel like a jerk about it because I was all gov/serving people a few weeks ago and now I'm headed to a firm. Am I overanalyzing again?

Can you not split?

OP here- firm wants me there for 12 weeks. And I already turned down the gov offer anyway.

[thesealocust]

Completely OK to say that, and probably a good way to keep in touch going forward! In my experience attorneys were very understanding of such decisions, especially when $$$ was on the line (shakespeare got to get paid, son).