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Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:15 pm
by Anonymous User
Thoughts on splitting 1L summer between two firms? Crazy to turn down an offer in this market, or crazy to overcommit?
Relevant information:
- Summer is 16 weeks long
- One is an IP boutique, the other is a GP
- Both firms are in major cities (not sure which city I'd prefer, but GP is in my hometown, whereas boutique is in a city I've been attracted to for a while)
- Equal pay
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:19 pm
by nothingtosee
Great outcome, definitely split. You'll get to experience two different work environments and hopefully figure out which you prefer. What school has such a long summer? (Disclosure: 1L)
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:42 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here, probably should have mentioned that my primary concerns are missing OCI and burning out from zero vacation.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:55 pm
by nothingtosee
Anonymous User wrote:OP here, probably should have mentioned that my primary concerns are missing OCI and burning out from zero vacation.
Don't miss OCI. Why would you miss OCI?
And it sounds to me like a summer associate position is itself a type of vacation.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:59 pm
by Anonymous User
OCI occurs during our summer.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:15 pm
by North
You're going to need to request that time off or something. Don't miss OCI.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:22 pm
by BigZuck
Do
Not
Miss
OCI
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 2:36 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here, probably not going to split due to conflict with OCI. Tips on how to delicately let down one of the firms without burning bridges?
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 2:41 pm
by BigZuck
Anonymous User wrote:OP here, probably not going to split due to conflict with OCI. Tips on how to delicately let down one of the firms without burning bridges?
Call them up, say thanks for the offer but you will be working some place else. Not a big deal.
Usually firms that let you do second half are either elite and DGAF or they know they are second class citizens/afterthoughts as it relates to your first half firm. The second firm won't let you do 6 or 7 weeks even when you told them it fell during OCI?
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 2:45 pm
by North
Yeah definitely try to cut away the OCI conflict before you outright turn it down. Nothing to lose by doing that, and plenty of $$$ to win.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:19 pm
by Anonymous User
OP here, no dice on working around OCI unfortunately. Is OCI really worth missing out on an extra ~$20k? Shouldn't OCI just be a contingency for me in the event I get no-offered or I hate both firms? Also, aren't there opportunities to find employment independent of OCI, at least for hard-science IP?
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:28 pm
by BVest
Anonymous User wrote:OP here, no dice on working around OCI unfortunately. Is OCI really worth missing out on an extra ~$20k? Shouldn't OCI just be a contingency for me in the event I get no-offered or I hate both firms? Also, aren't there opportunities to find employment independent of OCI, at least for hard-science IP?
(a) Don't miss 2L OCI.
(b) Where are these firms that insist on 8 weeks to split? Typical split summer is 6 and 6.
(c) What do you mean by "a GP?"
(d) DON'T MISS 2L OCI!
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:31 pm
by BVest
Anonymous User wrote:OCI occurs during our summer.
Your summer and everyone else's. Yet other people don't miss OCI for a 1L summer job.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:40 pm
by Anonymous User
BVest wrote:Anonymous User wrote:OP here, no dice on working around OCI unfortunately. Is OCI really worth missing out on an extra ~$20k? Shouldn't OCI just be a contingency for me in the event I get no-offered or I hate both firms? Also, aren't there opportunities to find employment independent of OCI, at least for hard-science IP?
(a) Don't miss 2L OCI.
But why not? Isn't it fairly likely that I'll get an offer from both firms to come back next summer?
(b) Where are these firms that insist on 8 weeks to split? Typical split summer is 6 and 6.
Not sure why they want 8 weeks. Perhaps it's because both offers include a scholarship.
(c) What do you mean by "a GP?"
General practice firm
(d) DON'T MISS 2L OCI!
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:40 pm
by BigZuck
BigZuck wrote:Do
Not
Miss
OCI
+1
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:46 pm
by Anonymous User
BigZuck wrote:BigZuck wrote:Do
Not
Miss
OCI
+1
But why not? Please don't mistake my stubbornness for ingratitude, I'm just trying to understand what the benefit is in the likely scenario that I already have an offer for 2L summer.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:52 pm
by MCFC
First, are you sure they give offers to 1Ls? Some firms don't. Others are at least more stingy.
Second, even if you do get an offer to return, what if you don't like the firm in terms of fit?
As for other ways to get an IP job, sure, and I'm sure someone else can speak to that better, but at least one of them (Loyola) is in late July. If you can't get out of things for OCI, how are you going to do that?
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:06 pm
by BVest
Okay, that's what I figured GP meant. Is it biglaw? Does it pay market? Does it make return offers to 1Ls? Does it make perm offers to 2Ls? What's their offer rate at both points?
As for the IP boutique, how big is it? Is it so big as to be making permanent offers each year? Also all the other questions about offers they make and rates.
It's great if you get a return offer from this summer's firms, especially if you like them. But what if you don't.
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:09 pm
by mvp99
Do NOT work through OCI and preferably have a week available before OCI to prepare
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:30 pm
by Anonymous User
BVest wrote:Okay, that's what I figured GP meant. Is it biglaw? Does it pay market? Does it make return offers to 1Ls? Does it make perm offers to 2Ls? What's their offer rate at both points?
As for the IP boutique, how big is it? Is it so big as to be making permanent offers each year? Also all the other questions about offers they make and rates.
It's great if you get a return offer from this summer's firms, especially if you like them. But what if you don't.
The GP is biglaw (over 1,000 attorneys). The boutique is also fairly large (over 300 attorneys). Both firms pay market. Boutique's bonuses are better. As for offer rates:
GP:
- 90% offer rate for 2Ls
- As for 1Ls, sample size too small
Boutique:
- 100% offer rate for 2Ls (but small sample)
- As for 1Ls, sample size too small
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:35 pm
by BigZuck
90% isn't that good and I wouldn't trust those boutique goofballs. They can be squirrelly.
So:
BigZuck wrote:Do
Not
Miss
OCI
This
Re: Splitting 1L Summer?
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:34 am
by Anonymous User
BigZuck wrote:90% isn't that good and I wouldn't trust those boutique goofballs. They can be squirrelly.
So:
BigZuck wrote:Do
Not
Miss
OCI
This
10-4, thanks all for the input!