After offer: Re-visiting the firm? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all - I received an offer from a biglaw firm in DC and I wanted to revisit the firm before I head back to school in a couple of weeks. Is there a term for this?

Should I just reach out to recruiting and ask if they can arrange for me to meet with some other people at the firm or get a tour of the firm?

Thanks!

ETA: Is it considered impolite at all to ask about salary/bonuses at this stage? The firm's headquartered in NY and I wanted to make sure that the 180k has been applied to the DC office too.

[What the f.supp?]

I'm sure you have a genuine interest in wanting to re-visit the firm and that you're really excited about the offer (as you should be), but I personally wouldn't do this.

A candidate did this at my firm a while ago and, while it wasn't a big deal, several people found it annoying and off-putting. We spend a ridiculous amount of time interviewing students and devote whole days to callbacks, and asking for another meeting or a "tour" might be perceived as asking a little much and being needy. You're already in their good graces -- keep it that way.

As for the salary and bonuses, you should be receiving an offer letter (usually conditioned on background check) that has those particulars. If the firm is decent size, I would check the Above the Law $180K coverage to see whether you can find an answer there.

[Anonymous User]

I'm sure you have a genuine interest in wanting to re-visit the firm and that you're really excited about the offer (as you should be), but I personally wouldn't do this.

A candidate did this at my firm a while ago and, while it wasn't a big deal, several people found it annoying and off-putting. We spend a ridiculous amount of time interviewing students and devote whole days to callbacks, and asking for another meeting or a "tour" might be perceived as asking a little much and being needy. You're already in their good graces -- keep it that way.

As for the salary and bonuses, you should be receiving an offer letter (usually conditioned on background check) that has those particulars. If the firm is decent size, I would check the Above the Law $180K coverage to see whether you can find an answer there.

Thanks for the tip! I don't want to come off as too needy lol. I did receive an offer letter, but it didn't include anything about salary/bonuses. I'll check Above the Law about the $180k. Do you think it's okay to ask an associate I interviewed with about bonuses? She was actually the one who brought it up during interviews as a benefit of working at the firm

Edit: Above the Law had the answer for the $180k coverage. yay!

[reasonable_man]

I'm sure you have a genuine interest in wanting to re-visit the firm and that you're really excited about the offer (as you should be), but I personally wouldn't do this.

A candidate did this at my firm a while ago and, while it wasn't a big deal, several people found it annoying and off-putting. We spend a ridiculous amount of time interviewing students and devote whole days to callbacks, and asking for another meeting or a "tour" might be perceived as asking a little much and being needy. You're already in their good graces -- keep it that way.

As for the salary and bonuses, you should be receiving an offer letter (usually conditioned on background check) that has those particulars. If the firm is decent size, I would check the Above the Law $180K coverage to see whether you can find an answer there.

TITCR. On all points.

[IsThisForReal]

Ive had associates at a firm recommend that you visit again after an offer.

[Anonymous User]

I did "second looks" at two biglaw firms when I wanted more of a look into them before choosing which offer to accept. They were both in DC as well. This was encouraged by pretty much everyone I talked with, including attorneys. I made an effort to not waste anyone's time by making sure I had plenty of questions that I genuinely wanted answers to from the attorneys with whom I chatted during the second looks.

At the end, I thought I got some good information, though I did end up accepting the offer that I would have probably taken anyway if I didn't go back, so maybe they aren't as helpful as I thought. But I didn't once think that an attorney was put off by me seeking out some more information in that setting, especially after the recruiting offices at the firms had encouraged another visit.

[Bluem_11]

Depends why you're going back. If you want to poke in and say hi to people you befriended or grab lunch with, I think that's fine. If you want to check if they have good chairs or decent food break options probably not as much. My firm routinely tells former SA's to come on by during the semester if they're in the area to say hi.

You should be receiving an offer letter detailing the terms of your employment by now. If you have questions about bonus structure, in my opinion that's a reasonable thing to ask about at this stage.

[Anonymous User]

Okay, so judging by people's responses I definitely jumped the gun Sorry, I meant an offer for an SA position (I figured the 100% offer rate was reliable enough that I should look ahead to whether I would want to work for the firm as an associate)

I guess I was getting ahead of myself...it's just that a couple of associates recommended that before I choose the firm I want to summer at, I should come back for a "second look"

[fxb3]

IMO it used to be that re-visits were seen as annoying and needy, but now so many people do them that I don't think we hold them against anyone. I would only suggest that you make sure that you have some specific questions you want answered at the re-visit, some specific issues or concerns that are on your mind. (Of course, don't express them to the interviewers as "concerns.") It will get annoying real quick for your re-visit interviewers to have you just say, "so, tell me about a typical day as a junior associate," and don't have anything specific you want answered. And because it's a re-visit, they aren't going to ask you as many questions, so you need to be prepared to lead the conversations.

As for salary and bonus, if it's not available on ATL/etc., you could ask Recruiting about associate salaries, but I wouldn't ask about bonuses. Your only job offer at this point is for the SA position, which doesn't have a bonus. Asking about associate bonuses would be like asking about partnership draws when you're given an offer to join as an associate; i.e., it's understandable that you're curious, but bad form and seems presumptuous at this stage.

[Anonymous User]

IMO it used to be that re-visits were seen as annoying and needy, but now so many people do them that I don't think we hold them against anyone. I would only suggest that you make sure that you have some specific questions you want answered at the re-visit, some specific issues or concerns that are on your mind. (Of course, don't express them to the interviewers as "concerns.") It will get annoying real quick for your re-visit interviewers to have you just say, "so, tell me about a typical day as a junior associate," and don't have anything specific you want answered. And because it's a re-visit, they aren't going to ask you as many questions, so you need to be prepared to lead the conversations.

As for salary and bonus, if it's not available on ATL/etc., you could ask Recruiting about associate salaries, but I wouldn't ask about bonuses. Your only job offer at this point is for the SA position, which doesn't have a bonus. Asking about associate bonuses would be like asking about partnership draws when you're given an offer to join as an associate; i.e., it's understandable that you're curious, but bad form and seems presumptuous at this stage.

Got it. Thanks! And thank you to everyone else who responded - really helpful advice

[Anonymous User]

I'm not sure why he would not just check NALP if it's a NALP to see his salary coverage?