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I'm a 3L at lower T14 in top 5% who wants to switch from LA/TX/Chi to NY because of SO moving for work. Accepted offer from 2L firm to return. I didn't end up with anything in the section I want through 3L OCI. Looking for top transactional practices in NY. I want to apply again to try and move as soon as possible. My impression is that most lateral hiring takes place in January. I was just wondering if anyone had gone through this process and had any comments in general or about these particular points:

Should i apply during the summer after the bar? Wait until I start work? Wait until after I finish my stub year and potentially until the following October/November to leave after (hopefully) the first year bonus?

How do you interview after you've started?

I would likely have to take two bars in short succession, does that raise any issues?

Does this make me look like a flight risk? In my opinion, a switch between markets to NY and based on SO moving should be acceptable.

Just posting this now on the off chance that anyone is going through this process currently and sees it.

Apply now. I switched firms around the end of 3L after starting to look for something in January of 3L. I don't think flight risk is really an issue if you've got a genuine reason, sch as an inability to transfer within your firm while staying in the kind of work you want. I had another classmate who decided to switch markets, and thus firms, in order to stay with someone he met in 3L.

Some firms are reaping the gains from a hot economy, and I've noticed more and more entry-level openings popping up since this summer. I'd go ahead and apply both for 3L positions and for first year associate/jr associate positions--I had some luck with this and had a similar school/rank, though I was applying much closer to my eventual start date. Also check with any professors you have a good relationship with--if they get a request to recommend someone, there's a good chance they'll be happy to pass along someone in the top 5%.

I'm not sure how your interview after starting, particularly in another market. Normally you need to give people some lead-in before taking off. You'd have to schedule Friday interviews and hope nothing came up Thursday evening at work.

Also--bonuses aren't till December at the earliest, and often not till January.