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BuckinghamB

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by BuckinghamB » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:09 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
BuckinghamB wrote:Couldn't you just tell your top choice that you have an exploding offer but make it clear you'd rather work for them? That way you wouldn't risk pissing off your bottom choice by saying you're waiting to hear from your top choice. Or is that not a good approach?
Well, I'm on hold essentially. They'd just reject me. Although, I have sort of indicated to them that this is the case.
Oh I see. In that case, I'd agree with most of the other posters.

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hichvichwoh

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by hichvichwoh » Sat Oct 05, 2013 12:39 am

Anonymous User wrote:Anyone experiencing pressure (not necessarily anything threatening but they have indicated that they would like to know asap) from firms before the 28 day deadline has passed? My CSO is really skittish that I'm sitting on my only offer while waiting to hear from another firm. (I should say its making me skittish too...) Lots of fears of firms revoking offers floating about, I guess. Thoughts?
Kasowitz has already revoked offers

enibs

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by enibs » Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:38 am

Anonymous User wrote:
BuckinghamB wrote:Couldn't you just tell your top choice that you have an exploding offer but make it clear you'd rather work for them? That way you wouldn't risk pissing off your bottom choice by saying you're waiting to hear from your top choice. Or is that not a good approach?
Well, I'm on hold essentially. They'd just reject me. Although, I have sort of indicated to them that this is the case.
I'm just curious. What are you going to tell Firm A if they ask you what happened to your exploding offer from Firm B? That you turned down Firm B? That you got an extension? That you accepted the offer at Firm B but you'd much prefer to work at Firm A and will renege on your acceptance at Firm B if Firm A gives you an offer?

Recognize that the first two answers are flat out lies if, in fact, you've accepted Firm B's offer. If Firm A is my firm and we find out you've flat out lied to us, we will not give you an offer and, if we've given you an offer, we'll revoke it. There's nothing worse than a flat out lie. But recognize also that if Firm A is my firm and you tell us you've accepted an offer at another firm, we will remove you from consideration for an offer. And yes, we would consider it unethical for you to accept an offer from another firm, and still leave yourself in the running for an offer from our firm. (Note that not all firms follow this latter policy, but pretty much all firms will ding/revoke if they catch you in a flat out lie, so honesty is still the best policy.)

At the end of the day, you're going to do what you feel you need to do. But let's not rationalize into persuading ourselves that what you're proposing is not unethical. And the fact that law firms on occasion behave unethically (certainly I think what Kasowitz did is unethical) does not mean that what you're proposing to do is ethical. Clearly the NALP rules would consider it unethical. Most law firms, in fact, do behave ethically, and most law students, in fact, do behave ethically, and collectively we're better off for it.

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 05, 2013 2:36 am

enibs wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
BuckinghamB wrote:Couldn't you just tell your top choice that you have an exploding offer but make it clear you'd rather work for them? That way you wouldn't risk pissing off your bottom choice by saying you're waiting to hear from your top choice. Or is that not a good approach?
Well, I'm on hold essentially. They'd just reject me. Although, I have sort of indicated to them that this is the case.
I'm just curious. What are you going to tell Firm A if they ask you what happened to your exploding offer from Firm B? That you turned down Firm B? That you got an extension? That you accepted the offer at Firm B but you'd much prefer to work at Firm A and will renege on your acceptance at Firm B if Firm A gives you an offer?

Recognize that the first two answers are flat out lies if, in fact, you've accepted Firm B's offer. If Firm A is my firm and we find out you've flat out lied to us, we will not give you an offer and, if we've given you an offer, we'll revoke it. There's nothing worse than a flat out lie. But recognize also that if Firm A is my firm and you tell us you've accepted an offer at another firm, we will remove you from consideration for an offer. And yes, we would consider it unethical for you to accept an offer from another firm, and still leave yourself in the running for an offer from our firm. (Note that not all firms follow this latter policy, but pretty much all firms will ding/revoke if they catch you in a flat out lie, so honesty is still the best policy.)

At the end of the day, you're going to do what you feel you need to do. But let's not rationalize into persuading ourselves that what you're proposing is not unethical. And the fact that law firms on occasion behave unethically (certainly I think what Kasowitz did is unethical) does not mean that what you're proposing to do is ethical. Clearly the NALP rules would consider it unethical. Most law firms, in fact, do behave ethically, and most law students, in fact, do behave ethically, and collectively we're better off for it.
See, this is what's been so shocking to me about this thread. Never have I considered reneging an offer because it doesn't seem ethical to me. When I accept, I will really be accepting. Which is why, I suppose, I'm taking this decision so seriously. I'm not sure why you're assuming I was planning on acting unethically.

I'm actually glad you pointed this out because, honestly, the lack of an opinion like this was alarming me.

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:00 pm

enibs wrote:Most law firms, in fact, do behave ethically, and most law students, in fact, do behave ethically, and collectively we're better off for it.
Even accepting your contentions, are you suggesting that OP/those in OP's position should sacrifice individual well-being for the well-being of the legal community collectively?

This strikes me as a poor way to approach one's life trajectory...

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Re: One in the hand vs. two in the bush-Advice?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:21 pm

Iamthelaw27 wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:What about this just in case Firm C or D comes along? Accept both (and every other law firm that gives you an offer) and then next May, show up only for the one you finally decide on. Why put yourself through making a decision now? things can change dramatically before next summer.

No justification needed 'cause look at all the shit the firms put us through (ie. Kasowitz).
That was going to be my follow up. Should I continue searching of I get rejected at firm A? (My gut says I have a 60% shot of getting the position.) Firm B is a rather disappointing, yet not catastrophic result for me. I'd like to keep at it.
I would keep searching, even going to Spring OCI if your school has it. Just 'cause you have an offer now, doesn't mean that you'll have it in May. Look at all those poor slobs who went through Dewey, who knew for sure thatthey were in deep shit back in January, but waited until May to annoice the cancellation of their summer program. And recently, Kasowitz.

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