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I'm an international 2L at a regional school and I want to stay in the US.
PLEASE TRY TO KEEP IN MIND THE FACT THAT I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO MY COUNTRY.

I just got a SA offer at a big law firm in NY. With my grades and coming from my school, I shouldn't even get an interview at this firm, but ended up getting the offer mainly because of my language skills.

I spent my first summer at a Fortune 500 company that hires people straight out of law school. Told them about the NY offer and was offered a position for next summer. The problem is that because of headcounts, they don't know if they will be able to hire me once I graduate.

I would love to work in-house and am not a big fan of NY. If I had the offer from the company today, I would probably choose the company over the firm.

Rumors at the company are that they offered positions to all interns that spent their second summer there.

Downside, I'm an international currently on a student visa. If I choose the company, graduate and don't get an offer, I'll have 60 days to leave the country. I think it would be almost impossible to try to find an employer in those 60 days that would be willing to hire me and sponsor my visa.

The firm already knows about my visa situation and is willing to sponsor me. They don't over hire, so unless I screw up, I would get an offer.

I'm really torn and appreciate any advice!

Choice A: take a (more or less) guaranteed prestigious job that pays $$$
Choice B: take an uncertain position with virtually no prestige and presumably half the salary?

Even without the visa issue, firm all the way. 100% offers >>> not 100% offers.

Could you split your summer and leave both options open?

Dude, the firm.

hooma wrote:Could you split your summer and leave both options open?

OP here.
I tried to talk to the company about splitting the summer. Was told, "If you leave, you're gone."

Thanks for all the answers so far!

This should be a choice you think about for 10 seconds. Firm all the way.

ImNoScar wrote:

rad lulz wrote:

goldeneye wrote:This should be a choice you think about for 10 seconds. Firm all the way.

In-house; it's the end game.

Anonymous User wrote:In-house; it's the end game.

If the in-house gig were guaranteed, maybe. The fact that they might not have room for a full time offer means run, do not walk, to the firm.

thesealocust wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:In-house; it's the end game.

If the in-house gig were guaranteed, maybe. The fact that they might not have room for a full time offer means run, do not walk, to the firm.

True. It depends on the company.