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Anon because I'm at a very small firm in an insular market. I am a 2L clerking at a small firm (the attorney was a solo when I started in the fall, and hired an associate around the first of the year). This is not an area of the law I'm particularly interested, but it's good experience and I like having some extra cash. When I took this position I didn't have anything for 2L summer lined up, and we briefly discussed the possibility of me staying through the summer during my interview if everything was going well. Since then, I've accepted a position for the summer in the area of law I am interested in.

My question is when I should give her notice I'll be leaving around the beginning of finals? I had planned on letting her know a month or so ahead of time, because I do some legal research and administrative stuff, and want to give her plenty of time to replace me. However, a couple weeks ago, the associate she recently gave her two weeks notice, and my boss told her to pack up and she was gone by the time I got in around 10:00. This has me worried that she'll want me to do the same thing as soon as I give notice, and I'm rethinking my original plan. What do you guys think?

Two weeks is standard; you don't really owe anyone more notice than that.

Only time I'd maybe give more notice is if you plan to take a vacation/be in and out of the office to the point where you have to give a month's notice just to ensure you'll be in the office for two weeks if they want you to wrap up your stuff. Or if you're reneging on an offer with a judge/solo practitioner/etc. and you want to give them some time to find another candidate. Neither of which applies to you, since it sounds like you're trying to leave before you'd take time off for exams, and it doesn't sound like you actually have a firm offer to be there in the summer yet/that you accepted any offers to work there over the summer.

Two weeks is more than enough. But honestly, professional courtesy aside (and the fact that employer will need to confirm your employment for C&F), you are not obligated to give any notice whatsoever.

How many employers give their associates a 2 week notice of impending shitcanning?

elendinel wrote:Two weeks is standard; you don't really owe anyone more notice than that.

Only time I'd maybe give more notice is if you plan to take a vacation/be in and out of the office to the point where you have to give a month's notice just to ensure you'll be in the office for two weeks if they want you to wrap up your stuff. Or if you're reneging on an offer with a judge/solo practitioner/etc. and you want to give them some time to find another candidate. Neither of which applies to you, since it sounds like you're trying to leave before you'd take time off for exams, and it doesn't sound like you actually have a firm offer to be there in the summer yet/that you accepted any offers to work there over the summer.

OP here - my boss has indicated that I'm welcome to stay through the summer if I choose to, but you're right that I don't have an official, firm offer. But yeah, I see the point you and others are making. 2 weeks it is unless she straight up asks.