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I'm doing a position next summer at a biglaw firm that I'm really excited about. Unfortunately, it's not in the market I want to be in. I would love to move from this location to another one of their locations (neither are headquarters), or I would be willing to move firms to be in the market closer to my family. When should I start applying to other places if I don't want to work in this market after graduation? Is it even possible, worth it? Thanks!

Why don't you check with your firm to inquire about switching offices, either for the summer or down the road? If possible, that'd be by far the easiest solution for you.

If you want to switch firms, you can apply at 3L OCI and through mass mailing next summer. Still do your best to get a permanent offer from your SA firm - that's a really critical thing to have when applying as a 3L.

QContinuum wrote:Why don't you check with your firm to inquire about switching offices, either for the summer or down the road? If possible, that'd be by far the easiest solution for you.

If you want to switch firms, you can apply at 3L OCI and through mass mailing next summer. Still do your best to get a permanent offer from your SA firm - that's a really critical thing to have when applying as a 3L.

I disagree with this advice. I'd try to get an offer first before I brought this up with my SA firm. Once you have the offer, maybe see if they'd transfer it. Generally, the bigger the office you're trying to transfer to/from, the easier it will be because the bigger offices have more cushion room to lose or add a junior associate.

JohnnieSockran wrote:

QContinuum wrote:Why don't you check with your firm to inquire about switching offices, either for the summer or down the road? If possible, that'd be by far the easiest solution for you.

If you want to switch firms, you can apply at 3L OCI and through mass mailing next summer. Still do your best to get a permanent offer from your SA firm - that's a really critical thing to have when applying as a 3L.

I disagree with this advice. I'd try to get an offer first before I brought this up with my SA firm. Once you have the offer, maybe see if they'd transfer it. Generally, the bigger the office you're trying to transfer to/from, the easier it will be because the bigger offices have more cushion room to lose or add a junior associate.

I'd agree with the "get an offer first" advice if OP was currently summering, or just about to start their SA. But it's still very early now - it may be easier for the firm to accommodate an office change request now than next year. And OP can frame their question more in the lines of a generic question about firm policy re switching offices - I certainly think OP shouldn't go in there saying, "either you let me go to this other city, or I'll head to a different firm!"

I had a fairly significant number of friends who did this and no one got no-offered as a result. Most had their requests approved, and ended up spending the summer at the new office, or at least split with the new office.