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Hey all,

So I have a bit of a dilemma. I recently interviewed and accepted a position with a circuit judge (non-feeder) for the 2016 term. I also recently started at a v100 firm in NYC. Despite being offered a position after my summer to join the litigation department, I ended up being placed (at basically the last second) in the corporate group--lit is slow, corp is hot, and it's a business so I can't fault the firm. With that said, my preference is to practice lit long-term and probably in a different market than ny. Any ideas as to when I should tell my firm about the clerkship in order to not burn any bridges and keep the option open of returning to the firm (although I'd really really prefer not to) in the event I can't secure a different job after the clerkship. I doubt the firm will be too happy with the clerkship since I'm now in corporate.

I personally think the answer is always "now." The sooner the better IMO. You might get some competing theories on this forum but I generally don't think you can go wrong disclosing earlier.

As soon as possible? Some people might be mad at you leaving for a clerkship admittedly, although I don't know who really would be. They placed you in lit, you didn't choose it, so look out for yourself. Clerkships are always good for the firm overall too. However, a lot of people will get mad at you if you tell them last minute. They need to know so they can prepare to fill your spot in a few months.

I'd say 6 months before you start the clerkship. If you tell them very early, good chance you will get assigned scut work so they can develop other associates they know will stick around.

OP here. Wanted to bump with an update. Told my firm in the middle of November and they got back to me informing me they couldn't hold my spot post clerkship. Is this to be expected given I'm in transactional or am I getting a raw deal? Any chance they let me go before I leave for the clerkship?