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Hi all,

1L here with plans to send out applications for a SA position at firms in my hometown. I understand a 1L SA is hard to come by, but I'd still like to try for it. I'm hoping strong hometown ties in connection with my real desire to return to the market after graduation will play in my favor. One firm has an office in my hometown, and several more offices in my home state. But, the law firm's website seems to say that they are only taking applications for the SA program for a different office location that is in a different state entirely.

Is it common for SA programs to take place at only one of a firm's many offices? Since they do have offices in the region I'd like to work in after graduation, may I still make the location argument (even if I apply for the out of state SA program)?

Thanks in advance and GL with finals, everyone.

This is a highly firm-specific question that turns in large degree on what the nature of the offices is. For a firm like Davis Polk that centers most of their domestic work in one or two offices (NYC and Silicon Valley), with a few other satellites (see, e.g., DPW's Washington office), the summer program will be concentrated (or located entirely) at one of the main offices.

If you don't already have the information handy, I would start by looking into whether the single-office SA program is specific to the 1L SA program, or is the firm's general practice. If the former, mentioning an interest in eventually working for one of their regional offices could be a plus factor (assuming the offices aren't independently managed and rivalrous for talent).