When to know about summer associate start date/other info? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I haven't gotten any info from my big firm (west coast, small SA class though in our office) since early october when i accepted their offer to summer and they sent me a small gift bag. Is this typical or is it ok to feel weird about this? Should I ask? I feel like most of my friends have heard at least starting date info and maybe signed a confidentiality form or something.

[Anonymous User]

It's not unusual to not hear much by now.

I know my New York law firm doesn't feed any information until after gathering the incoming summers in New York for a weekend. If you're very curious, though, you can always email someone in your firm's Recruiting department. I can't see them telling you the potential start dates being a big deal at all. Worst-case scenario, they just tell you they'll be able to provide more information soon.

[Anonymous User]

Accepted my offer in September and radio silence until March. Not hearing anything is normal.

[Anonymous User]

You should just email the recruiting contact and ask. Especially if you have a good pretext for the question, e.g. you are moving to LA or SF for the summer and need to know when to start a lease. But even if you don't, just email and say you were curious/you are planning ahead/just want to confirm you didn't miss anything.

I was in this boat when I was a summer and I found out the reason that information was delayed was because the firm was deciding whether to start summers the day after Memorial Day or the week before it. So maybe they haven't even decided yet. Just ask.

Edit: by recruiting contact I mean the recruiting office or whatever this firm has, not an attorney who interviewed you or something. Don't ask a lawyer about this.