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I'm a 1L at a T14 and have been fortunate enough to get several Big Law offers for this coming summer. I'm a EE, and I'm about equally interested in patent prosecution and patent litigation. I'm seriously considering two options:

Option #1: Small satellite office of a V50 (~25 attorneys), ideal market, market pay, and I feel like they are pushing me toward patent litigation but say patent prosecution is also possible. Their intention is that I stay for two summers.

Option #2: Large national IP firm (main office), market I wouldn't mind, very slightly below market pay, and I can do a mix of prosecution and litigation for several years before picking one if I stay at the firm. But they haven't explicitly said that they expect to keep me on for 2L summer, and there is no data for this because they have hired basically no 1Ls in the past.

Option #3: 6 weeks with Option #1, 5 weeks with Option #2 (pending approval by Option #2).

My initial reaction is to split, but I also don't want to look like I'm not committed. What do you guys think?

Anonymous User wrote: Option #3: 6 weeks with Option #1, 5 weeks with Option #2 (pending approval by Option #2).

Why only 5?

BVest wrote:

Anonymous User wrote: Option #3: 6 weeks with Option #1, 5 weeks with Option #2 (pending approval by Option #2).

Why only 5?

Our summer is only 11 weeks long. OCI is at the beginning of August.

So the small satellite has offered to let your split?

I say split your summers. Being able to at least get a flavor of the culture/dynamics at two different firms is definitely worth it. Beats the hell out of what I and my former colleagues. My first firm sucked. They couldn't retain young associates because of the complete douches who ran the satellite office. We all (4 of 6 associates, 1 patent agent (me)) jumped ship in 1-2 years and landed at better fits. Last I checked they lost another set of associates and finally have someone from the main office moving in.

Anonymous User wrote:So the small satellite has offered to let your split?

I say split your summers. Being able to at least get a flavor of the culture/dynamics at two different firms is definitely worth it. Beats the hell out of what I and my former colleagues. My first firm sucked. They couldn't retain young associates because of the complete douches who ran the satellite office. We all (4 of 6 associates, 1 patent agent (me)) jumped ship in 1-2 years and landed at better fits. Last I checked they lost another set of associates and finally have someone from the main office moving in.

That's correct. My offer letter specifically said that while they would like to have me for the whole summer, I could split as long as I spend the first six weeks there.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:So the small satellite has offered to let your split?

I say split your summers. Being able to at least get a flavor of the culture/dynamics at two different firms is definitely worth it. Beats the hell out of what I and my former colleagues. My first firm sucked. They couldn't retain young associates because of the complete douches who ran the satellite office. We all (4 of 6 associates, 1 patent agent (me)) jumped ship in 1-2 years and landed at better fits. Last I checked they lost another set of associates and finally have someone from the main office moving in.

That's correct. My offer letter specifically said that while they would like to have me for the whole summer, I could split as long as I spend the first six weeks there.

Same anon poster. That's good. I'd just ask the second firm if they can let you split. Look at glassdoor reviews for the large firm?