Accepting offer after already accepted at other firm Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello, I accepted my permanent offer at the end of my 2L SA in August, and just received an offer to interview another firm in the same (small) market. Both are v10 (don't want to out myself).

1. How bad would it be to take the interview after saying I've already accepted with firm A?

2. Would I look like a mercenary?

FWIW while I have no idea if Firm B is a good fit, I have serious doubts as to Firm A. CSO told me not to interview bc it would look bad for me and the firm, and in addition, I might end up losing Firm A if they find out I interviewed (small world).

[joeycxxxx09]

Feel like you answered this question with that last sentence

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't tell the firms I interviewed with that I had already accepted, just that I had an outstanding offer that I was considering (obviously you shouldn't lie if at all possible). You will most likely be fine though because plenty of V10s seem to relish poaching 3Ls. Even if the firm you are interviewing with happened to reach out, anyone they talked to would almost certainly keep it quiet unless they wanted to screw you. At most they would confirm the offer, and it seems like most firms you interviewed with would take you at your word rather than contact your summer firm. The caveat is of course that it is risky, as you said. I think I worried about this too much as a 3L though, and I would probably take the risk if I was reluctant to start at the firm with which I had accepted.

[enibs]

I wouldn't tell the firms I interviewed with that I had already accepted, just that I had an outstanding offer that I was considering (obviously you shouldn't lie if at all possible).

This is terrible advice, not to mention internally inconsistent ("you should lie about having accepted another offer but you shouldn't lie if at all possible"). You shouldn't lie period. If you want to interview at Firm B, tell them that you've accepted another offer but you're very interested in them and would like to have the opportunity to interview with them. Some firms will still interview you under these circumstances, some won't. But if you lie and they find out (which they will if you get an offer with them and accept it, as they'll call your summer firm for a confirmatory check), you'll end up with both offers rescinded and no job. (And I'll also note that it's a little sad that the prospect of such an outcome has to be the motivating factor in not lying. You shouldn't lie because you shouldn't lie, not just because lying will produce an adverse outcome for you.)

[Anonymous User]

^^^ Can anyone speak to the likelihood of Firm B doing a confirmatory check with Firm A as the poster above said they would?

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't tell the firms I interviewed with that I had already accepted, just that I had an outstanding offer that I was considering (obviously you shouldn't lie if at all possible).

This is terrible advice, not to mention internally inconsistent ("you should lie about having accepted another offer but you shouldn't lie if at all possible"). You shouldn't lie period. If you want to interview at Firm B, tell them that you've accepted another offer but you're very interested in them and would like to have the opportunity to interview with them. Some firms will still interview you under these circumstances, some won't. But if you lie and they find out (which they will if you get an offer with them and accept it, as they'll call your summer firm for a confirmatory check), you'll end up with both offers rescinded and no job. (And I'll also note that it's a little sad that the prospect of such an outcome has to be the motivating factor in not lying. You shouldn't lie because you shouldn't lie, not just because lying will produce an adverse outcome for you.)

Does anyone else have a view of the likelihood of the bolded happening?

[RaceJudicata]

I dont know if anyone can precisely predict the outcome of this happening. Some firms categorically will make that call, others categorically will not make the call.

Really comes down to whether you are willing to take the chance.

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't tell the firms I interviewed with that I had already accepted, just that I had an outstanding offer that I was considering (obviously you shouldn't lie if at all possible).

This is terrible advice, not to mention internally inconsistent ("you should lie about having accepted another offer but you shouldn't lie if at all possible"). You shouldn't lie period. If you want to interview at Firm B, tell them that you've accepted another offer but you're very interested in them and would like to have the opportunity to interview with them. Some firms will still interview you under these circumstances, some won't. But if you lie and they find out (which they will if you get an offer with them and accept it, as they'll call your summer firm for a confirmatory check), you'll end up with both offers rescinded and no job. (And I'll also note that it's a little sad that the prospect of such an outcome has to be the motivating factor in not lying. You shouldn't lie because you shouldn't lie, not just because lying will produce an adverse outcome for you.)

You don't have to lie to not bring it up. I interviewed at 5-10 firms and not one asked me whether I had received or accepted an offer prior to the interview. During the actual interviews, I felt that they actually went out of their way to avoid asking me if I had already accepted. Fine. OP Should not Lie (and I personally wouldn't lie because as you said, you shouldn't do it regardless and it isn't worth the risk. But that isn't the same thing as advising OP to not volunteer the fact that they've already accepted a different offer. You seem like you're saying to specifically contact recruiting unprompted to tell them that you've already accepted somewhere else. I don't think that is necessary. But you may have specific experience in this situation and I don't know enough to say otherwise. That's certainly a safe way to play it. I would still worry about it getting back to my SA firm.

ETA: I probably wouldn't mess with this at all since they're peer firms in the same small market.