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Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:21 pm
by Anonymous User
Rising 3L. I got an offer from my summer firm and even though I am clerking they want to hear back by the end of this year. This firm is in my second-most desired market. I want to use the year clerking to find a firm in my most desired market. If I am unable to, I would love to come back to this firm. The market I want to move to is rather small, so I cannot bank on finding something there.
Do I accept the offer and then renege in a year or two if I find something in my desired market? Or is this extremely frowned upon?
If I do decline the offer, and strike out in my desired market, I feel semi-confident I can find another firm in the same market I was just in. Do I decline and take the risk? (Note though: I would prefer to come back to this firm if I stay in this city, so I would rather not sour relations).
Or, lastly, do I explain all this to them and hope they say they will keep the offer open if I strike out?
Thanks.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:21 pm
by Good Guy Gaud
A bird in the hand.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:24 pm
by Anonymous User
Good Guy Gaud wrote:A bird in the hand.
Totally. Which is why I would love to accept the offer and if I strike out, never tell them I was looking elsewhere, and if I succeed just renege. This is clearly the best option for me, but I don't want to do it if it reflects extremely poorly on me within the community. If people do this all the freakin' time, then cool I can be one of them. Any experience with this?
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:29 pm
by Good Guy Gaud
Anonymous User wrote:Good Guy Gaud wrote:A bird in the hand.
Totally. Which is why I would love to accept the offer and if I strike out, never tell them I was looking elsewhere, and if I succeed just renege. This is clearly the best option for me, but I don't want to do it if it reflects extremely poorly on me within the community. If people do this all the freakin' time, then cool I can be one of them. Any experience with this?
No experience with it (my offers were near simultaneous). Seriously though, there is no reason to stress about this now. You should take the offer and run with it. If, and I mean if, in the future you get another opportunity you'd rather take, that's when you worry about it (and even then, I would just go with whatever is best for my future).
Relax and be happy with what you've got.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:45 pm
by J9ofDiamonds
Good Guy Gaud wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Good Guy Gaud wrote:A bird in the hand.
Totally. Which is why I would love to accept the offer and if I strike out, never tell them I was looking elsewhere, and if I succeed just renege. This is clearly the best option for me, but I don't want to do it if it reflects extremely poorly on me within the community. If people do this all the freakin' time, then cool I can be one of them. Any experience with this?
No experience with it (my offers were near simultaneous). Seriously though, there is no reason to stress about this now. You should take the offer and run with it. If, and I mean if, in the future you get another opportunity you'd rather take, that's when you worry about it (and even then, I would just go with whatever is best for my future).
Relax and be happy with what you've got.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:52 pm
by Anonymous User
Good Guy Gaud wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Good Guy Gaud wrote:A bird in the hand.
Totally. Which is why I would love to accept the offer and if I strike out, never tell them I was looking elsewhere, and if I succeed just renege. This is clearly the best option for me, but I don't want to do it if it reflects extremely poorly on me within the community. If people do this all the freakin' time, then cool I can be one of them. Any experience with this?
No experience with it (my offers were near simultaneous). Seriously though, there is no reason to stress about this now. You should take the offer and run with it. If, and I mean if, in the future you get another opportunity you'd rather take, that's when you worry about it (and even then, I would just go with whatever is best for my future).
Relax and be happy with what you've got.
OP here:
Yeah, I'm definitely relaxed about it. And super happy.
The situation you described is exactly what I am wondering about. Instead of worrying about it then, I would rather think a little ahead now. The way you described it makes it seem like it is normal to renege on accepting an offer from your summer firm. So questions: Is that true? Do people renege on accepting the offer all the time? Is it generally totally cool and no one really cares?
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:08 pm
by Lacepiece23
Anonymous User wrote:Good Guy Gaud wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Good Guy Gaud wrote:A bird in the hand.
Totally. Which is why I would love to accept the offer and if I strike out, never tell them I was looking elsewhere, and if I succeed just renege. This is clearly the best option for me, but I don't want to do it if it reflects extremely poorly on me within the community. If people do this all the freakin' time, then cool I can be one of them. Any experience with this?
No experience with it (my offers were near simultaneous). Seriously though, there is no reason to stress about this now. You should take the offer and run with it. If, and I mean if, in the future you get another opportunity you'd rather take, that's when you worry about it (and even then, I would just go with whatever is best for my future).
Relax and be happy with what you've got.
OP here:
Yeah, I'm definitely relaxed about it. And super happy.
The situation you described is exactly what I am wondering about. Instead of worrying about it then, I would rather think a little ahead now. The way you described it makes it seem like it is normal to renege on accepting an offer from your summer firm. So questions: Is that true? Do people renege on accepting the offer all the time? Is it generally totally cool and no one really cares?
I don't really know from experience, but it would seem like you would probably burn a bridge with that firm. It is a little unfair because they would totally renege your offer if the economy was bad, but I think that you would probably not get hired from that firm again. Probably wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things so that is why you will hear the advice of doing what is best for you. I would have no loyalty to them because if the situation was reversed they would have no loyalty to you.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:31 pm
by thesealocust
Accept -> clerk -> reneg -> go to a different firm is super common. Nothing to worry about, seen it happen to lots of my friends, nothing even slightly negative transpired. Do it and don't worry about it for a second now or later.
The only concern you should have is that the firm you reneg on will probably send you a bill for bar expenses and any salary advances you accepted, but that's actually fairly reasonable.
Re: Accepting offer and reneging later
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:32 pm
by Anonymous User
thesealocust wrote:Accept -> clerk -> reneg -> go to a different firm is super common. Nothing to worry about, seen it happen to lots of my friends, nothing even slightly negative transpired. Do it and don't worry about it for a second now or later.
The only concern you should have is that the firm you reneg on will probably send you a bill for bar expenses and any salary advances you accepted, but that's actually fairly reasonable.
Op here:
Thank you. Exactly the response I was looking for, and hoping for. /thread.