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Got an offer at my dream firm which is a V10. Accepted an offer at firm that pays market but is not ranked. How bad would it be to rescind the acceptance and take the other offer, and what kind of consequences am I looking at?

There is a slight risk that V10 could find out and rescind offer. That said, it is probably rare. The firm you have accepted an offer at would shit can you in a heartbeat if necessary, so I say go for it.

Technically it's against NALP rules. And your school's career office will tell you that you are going to burn in hell for doing it.

Really you're burning bridges at the firm that you are rescinding and charring bridges with people at the career office. It looks bad-ish for your school, which will piss off your CDO and make them tell you that it is worse than it actually is. But they are looking more so out for their interests than yours in this scenario.

In other words, it's not a great thing to rescind, but it happens often enough. Do it. Congrats.

I know a guy who did this with a clerkship (huge no-no). Career office went apeshit on him for a couple days but otherwise his life has been A-OK and he got everything he wanted. If doing this to a federal judge works out, hard to imagine it being the end of the world to do to a firm.

If the V10 is your dream job OP, take it and don't look back. This is a no-brainer in my opinion.

On career service note - i wouldn't tell them where u are going when they ask. Also, come up with some viable reason just to shut them up (e.g., different market, different practice group, etc.).

If it somehow got back to the firm, could they withdraw the offer? , or do these types of firms get business and will they care

Edit-mistake response

I am in a similar boat, only switching from an accepted offer in a midsize firm to a big law one. The offers are in different cities but in similar practice areas. Any tips on how to soften the blow? I understand that I'm burning the bridge no matter what, I'm just trying to do it in the most respectful way.

I will call my supervising partner personally and explain myself before formally rescinding the acceptance with the HR. And I'm wondering what reasons should I give to the partner. Obviously, the money was the main decisive factor but I cannot say that. But I also have a number of secondary reasons to pick from. So I'm just trying to see what are the reasons that may look not offensive to the other firm. Any ideas?

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:31 pm

I am in a similar boat, only switching from an accepted offer in a midsize firm to a big law one. The offers are in different cities but in similar practice areas. Any tips on how to soften the blow? I understand that I'm burning the bridge no matter what, I'm just trying to do it in the most respectful way.

I will call my supervising partner personally and explain myself before formally rescinding the acceptance with the HR. And I'm wondering what reasons should I give to the partner. Obviously, the money was the main decisive factor but I cannot say that. But I also have a number of secondary reasons to pick from. So I'm just trying to see what are the reasons that may look not offensive to the other firm. Any ideas?

Why can't you be honest & tell the first firm that you are accepting another offer because of the money ?

I've rescinded three times. I jumped from my summer firm (strong ties and relationships) to a V100 to a V10. My best friend did the exact same move except for: Unranked - V20 - V5. This happens a lot, but you don't hear about it because people are savvy enough to know that nothing is gained from sharing this information.

Don't tell CDO and don't tell the old firm where you are going. Be vague if you rescind. Have good reasons. Most of the CDO punishment clauses can only work if they know you operated in bad faith (accepting multiple job offers at once which I know people have done).

At-will employment cuts both ways. Too many students are scared to use their bargaining power. It's a good economy for law students and firms would cut us in a heartbeat (and do) during a down economy. Until I start seeing employment contracts with guaranteed salaries and benefits, I am not going to act like the offer letter is more than a hope-and-dream.

Height of idiocy to pass up an opportunity to work at a clearly established top law firm, especially your "dream" firm, because changing course may upset your school and a firm most people never heard of.

If you were a law firm partner, or even a recruiting assistant, ask yourself if you would make it your mission to fuck over a student because they went to an objectively better firm than yours. They won't care half as much as you think.

And are you really going to choose a worse career outcome just because you don't want to upset a segment of your school which will only be in your life for the next year or two? I-di-o-tic.

Take it. The feelings of your school career office is completely irrelevant, you don't have to tell them anything. The unranked firm won't care (nor could they/would they do anything if they did).

jsnow212 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 4:30 pm

Take it. The feelings of your school career office is completely irrelevant, you don't have to tell them anything. The unranked firm won't care (nor could they/would they do anything if they did).

Oh, the firm will absolutely call your career service office to tell them. And this could affect students from your school applying to the unranked firm in the future. It hurts your school's reputation, and career services is going to be pissed. You're doing what's best for you, and I get that, but don't think your career services office won't find out.

Confidently false information. You don’t know that and I can speak from lived experience here that it didn’t occur for me or 3 people I know that rescinded.

It’s at-will employment.

pkeller wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:50 pm

jsnow212 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 4:30 pm

Take it. The feelings of your school career office is completely irrelevant, you don't have to tell them anything. The unranked firm won't care (nor could they/would they do anything if they did).

Oh, the firm will absolutely call your career service office to tell them. And this could affect students from your school applying to the unranked firm in the future. It hurts your school's reputation, and career services is going to be pissed. You're doing what's best for you, and I get that, but don't think your career services office won't find out.

Law school career offices are not always looking out for your best interest - take the v10 offer and run

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 9:21 pm

pkeller wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:50 pm

jsnow212 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 4:30 pm

Take it. The feelings of your school career office is completely irrelevant, you don't have to tell them anything. The unranked firm won't care (nor could they/would they do anything if they did).

Oh, the firm will absolutely call your career service office to tell them. And this could affect students from your school applying to the unranked firm in the future. It hurts your school's reputation, and career services is going to be pissed. You're doing what's best for you, and I get that, but don't think your career services office won't find out.

Law school career offices are not always looking out for your best interest - take the v10 offer and run

I'm just saying, you should know that they will find out. I totally understand but they probably will say something to you, so just brace yourself for that.