2L Paid Legal Aid Internship - I need to renege acceptance Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all, seeing a 1L thread about reneging on a Legal Aid job made me decide to create a similar thread for my situation, which I believe is different enough to merit another thread. I am a 2L dead set on doing public interest. In November, I accepted a named, paid internship at my state's legal aid organization. It was at one of about 20 offices the organization has throughout the state. I was super excited and took the offer. Until just over a week ago, my plan was to take that job. It wasn't my ideal location, but it was in my state and the COL in the other city was low. Plus, it was paid which, for PI, is an added plus.

10 days ago, I was contacted by a much more prestigious organization in DC, my dream city. I applied to this org a while ago. I honestly didn't think I was going to get an interview since I had not heard from them. I got an interview and then was offered a position. There is no way I can turn this position down. It is what I want to do, where I want to do it. Now comes the hard part: I don't know what to tell legal aid. I don't want to burn too many bridges and I have been committed to this position for months. Career Services was no help other than to tell me to "be delicate." Any advice on how to limit the pain of this situation and not burn too many bridges?

Thanks in advance.

[sometimesIwonder]

Hi all, seeing a 1L thread about reneging on a Legal Aid job made me decide to create a similar thread for my situation, which I believe is different enough to merit another thread. I am a 2L dead set on doing public interest. In November, I accepted a named, paid internship at my state's legal aid organization. It was at one of about 20 offices the organization has throughout the state. I was super excited and took the offer. Until just over a week ago, my plan was to take that job. It wasn't my ideal location, but it was in my state and the COL in the other city was low. Plus, it was paid which, for PI, is an added plus.

10 days ago, I was contacted by a much more prestigious organization in DC, my dream city. I applied to this org a while ago. I honestly didn't think I was going to get an interview since I had not heard from them. I got an interview and then was offered a position. There is no way I can turn this position down. It is what I want to do, where I want to do it. Now comes the hard part: I don't know what to tell legal aid. I don't want to burn too many bridges and I have been committed to this position for months. Career Services was no help other than to tell me to "be delicate." Any advice on how to limit the pain of this situation and not burn too many bridges?

Thanks in advance.

Public interest organizations tend to be understanding. I got a position with a very prestigious non-profit during law school, accepted it, reneged it for a law firm summer position, then reneged the law firm position because the non-profit was so darn prestigious, and the non-profit took me back. But of course, i reneged with the non-profit again and went back to the law firm...where I am now 4 years later. So...there is hope of rebuilding bridges. Go with DC.

[Mentally_AFK]

Hi all, seeing a 1L thread about reneging on a Legal Aid job made me decide to create a similar thread for my situation, which I believe is different enough to merit another thread. I am a 2L dead set on doing public interest. In November, I accepted a named, paid internship at my state's legal aid organization. It was at one of about 20 offices the organization has throughout the state. I was super excited and took the offer. Until just over a week ago, my plan was to take that job. It wasn't my ideal location, but it was in my state and the COL in the other city was low. Plus, it was paid which, for PI, is an added plus.

10 days ago, I was contacted by a much more prestigious organization in DC, my dream city. I applied to this org a while ago. I honestly didn't think I was going to get an interview since I had not heard from them. I got an interview and then was offered a position. There is no way I can turn this position down. It is what I want to do, where I want to do it. Now comes the hard part: I don't know what to tell legal aid. I don't want to burn too many bridges and I have been committed to this position for months. Career Services was no help other than to tell me to "be delicate." Any advice on how to limit the pain of this situation and not burn too many bridges?

Thanks in advance.

Public interest organizations tend to be understanding. I got a position with a very prestigious non-profit during law school, accepted it, reneged it for a law firm summer position, then reneged the law firm position because the non-profit was so darn prestigious, and the non-profit took me back. But of course, i reneged with the non-profit again and went back to the law firm...where I am now 4 years later. So...there is hope of rebuilding bridges. Go with DC.

As the author of said other thread, I have to say, this both amazes me and gives me hope.

[sometimesIwonder]

Hi all, seeing a 1L thread about reneging on a Legal Aid job made me decide to create a similar thread for my situation, which I believe is different enough to merit another thread. I am a 2L dead set on doing public interest. In November, I accepted a named, paid internship at my state's legal aid organization. It was at one of about 20 offices the organization has throughout the state. I was super excited and took the offer. Until just over a week ago, my plan was to take that job. It wasn't my ideal location, but it was in my state and the COL in the other city was low. Plus, it was paid which, for PI, is an added plus.

10 days ago, I was contacted by a much more prestigious organization in DC, my dream city. I applied to this org a while ago. I honestly didn't think I was going to get an interview since I had not heard from them. I got an interview and then was offered a position. There is no way I can turn this position down. It is what I want to do, where I want to do it. Now comes the hard part: I don't know what to tell legal aid. I don't want to burn too many bridges and I have been committed to this position for months. Career Services was no help other than to tell me to "be delicate." Any advice on how to limit the pain of this situation and not burn too many bridges?

Thanks in advance.

Public interest organizations tend to be understanding. I got a position with a very prestigious non-profit during law school, accepted it, reneged it for a law firm summer position, then reneged the law firm position because the non-profit was so darn prestigious, and the non-profit took me back. But of course, i reneged with the non-profit again and went back to the law firm...where I am now 4 years later. So...there is hope of rebuilding bridges. Go with DC.

As the author of said other thread, I have to say, this both amazes me and gives me hope.

What's funny is that I reached out to the non-profit around graduation time and asked for a job...shameless.

[Mentally_AFK]

Hi all, seeing a 1L thread about reneging on a Legal Aid job made me decide to create a similar thread for my situation, which I believe is different enough to merit another thread. I am a 2L dead set on doing public interest. In November, I accepted a named, paid internship at my state's legal aid organization. It was at one of about 20 offices the organization has throughout the state. I was super excited and took the offer. Until just over a week ago, my plan was to take that job. It wasn't my ideal location, but it was in my state and the COL in the other city was low. Plus, it was paid which, for PI, is an added plus.

10 days ago, I was contacted by a much more prestigious organization in DC, my dream city. I applied to this org a while ago. I honestly didn't think I was going to get an interview since I had not heard from them. I got an interview and then was offered a position. There is no way I can turn this position down. It is what I want to do, where I want to do it. Now comes the hard part: I don't know what to tell legal aid. I don't want to burn too many bridges and I have been committed to this position for months. Career Services was no help other than to tell me to "be delicate." Any advice on how to limit the pain of this situation and not burn too many bridges?

Thanks in advance.

Public interest organizations tend to be understanding. I got a position with a very prestigious non-profit during law school, accepted it, reneged it for a law firm summer position, then reneged the law firm position because the non-profit was so darn prestigious, and the non-profit took me back. But of course, i reneged with the non-profit again and went back to the law firm...where I am now 4 years later. So...there is hope of rebuilding bridges. Go with DC.

As the author of said other thread, I have to say, this both amazes me and gives me hope.

What's funny is that I reached out to the non-profit around graduation time and asked for a job...shameless.

You have one helluva pair of gonads.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. That gives me hope, too. Definitely going with DC. Any words on HOW to renege? Phone call, email?

[sometimesIwonder]

OP here. That gives me hope, too. Definitely going with DC. Any words on HOW to renege? Phone call, email?

I went with email. Less awkward.

[Pokemon]

Some terrible trolling on this thread.

[Pokemon]

OP here. That gives me hope, too. Definitely going with DC. Any words on HOW to renege? Phone call, email?

Public interest does not take it as well as you think. You will most likely burn a bridge. Always renege by phone call. Email is disrespectful.

[Anonymous User]

Thank you. I will definitely be calling. I talked to my CSO today and they don't seem too concerned and said I am far from the first person to do this. So I feel a bit better.