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I would like to split my summer between the NYC firm I summered at this year and a different firm on the West Coast. I don't have an offer from another firm so this is only a dream at this point. Should I just shoot an e-mail to the hiring partner or the legal recruiter at the NYC firm to let them know I want to do this? Should I wait until I have another offer before asking? What's the typical protocol?

I am in a similar situation, but why would you ask them to split your summer before you have another offer in hand?

jrthor10 wrote: why would you ask them to split your summer before you have another offer in hand?

To discuss their policy on splitting. I'm putting a crazy amount of effort into landing another 2L SA position without knowing if they'll be amenable to it. Their NALP data states that they allow splits on a case-by-case basis.

Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

2014 wrote:Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

I've already received a return offer. Should I shoot an email to the recruiter asking her something along those lines?

Anonymous User wrote:

2014 wrote:Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

I've already received a return offer. Should I shoot an email to the recruiter asking her something along those lines?

No, wait until you have the offer from the place you would like to split with. You will likely have to get their approval as well.

***anon because I am doing the same thing.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

2014 wrote:Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

I've already received a return offer. Should I shoot an email to the recruiter asking her something along those lines?

No, wait until you have the offer from the place you would like to split with. You will likely have to get their approval as well.

***anon because I am doing the same thing.

Thanks for weighing in. Good luck!

Anonymous User wrote:

2014 wrote:Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

I've already received a return offer. Should I shoot an email to the recruiter asking her something along those lines?

Yeah unfortunately this would have been something to ask when you got the offer or upon leaving the firm. If recruiting from your 1L firm contacts you for any reason, I think you are fine to slip it in though.

2014 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

2014 wrote:Yeah I would have another offer in hand first. If/when you get your return offer to the NY firm though if they don't clarify proactively it's a completely valid question to ask something like "do most summers who return for their 2L year come back for the full summer or only a couple of weeks"? That would potentially get you your answer without signalling a lack of commitment.

I've already received a return offer. Should I shoot an email to the recruiter asking her something along those lines?

Yeah unfortunately this would have been something to ask when you got the offer or upon leaving the firm. If recruiting from your 1L firm contacts you for any reason, I think you are fine to slip it in though.

Another poster suggested that I wait until I have another offer before discussing a spilt. How do you feel about that?

If you ask it how I suggested you aren't really asking for a split, you are asking for clarification on whether they are offering you a 2 week victory lap vs a full summer and which most summers end up doing.

If you are going to ask for permission for a split you should have something to split with. To the extent that you aren't confident you can ask in such a way as to preserve the difference, I'd wait.

Why would you ask to split if you don't have an offer from the second firm?

"Hey I would like to split summers with you guys and another firm"
"Which firm"
"I don't know yet, haven't gotten any other offers"