2L SA offer to be “delayed”...should I be worried? Forum

[Anonymous User]

2L SA at a relatively new satellite office for a big firm. Was just told that the decision on my full time offer will be delayed until at least the end of August. I’ve gotten reasonably strong feedback on all my assignments and have been fairly social (I was dealing with the fallout of an ACl tear this Spring, so I had to miss some events for rehab). Throughout these last weeks partners who have been either leaving for vacation or trial (aka partners I won’t see anymore) have said things like “hope to have you back here after you graduate”, etc. So, I just assumed I would get an offer (fwiw this office has had a 100% offer rate for 4 years in a row). The other 2L SA was told the same thing. But all three 1Ls were already given a return offer.

None of my friends/classmates were told this, even the ones in small satellite offices. Should I be worried? For practice group reasons, I was already planning to go through the dreaded 3L OCI process, but I was really praying that I would have an offer in my back pocket. Really confused now and I don’t know what to make of what I was just told. Thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

2L SA at a relatively new satellite office for a big firm. Was just told that the decision on my full time offer will be delayed until at least the end of August. I’ve gotten reasonably strong feedback on all my assignments and have been fairly social (I was dealing with the fallout of an ACl tear this Spring, so I had to miss some events for rehab). Throughout these last weeks partners who have been either leaving for vacation or trial (aka partners I won’t see anymore) have said things like “hope to have you back here after you graduate”, etc. So, I just assumed I would get an offer (fwiw this office has had a 100% offer rate for 4 years in a row). The other 2L SA was told the same thing. But all three 1Ls were already given a return offer.

None of my friends/classmates were told this, even the ones in small satellite offices. Should I be worried? For practice group reasons, I was already planning to go through the dreaded 3L OCI process, but I was really praying that I would have an offer in my back pocket. Really confused now and I don’t know what to make of what I was just told. Thoughts?

I was in a similar boat as a 2L summer associate - the office I summered at was not expecting to extend a formal offer, if at all, until September. I elected to go through the 3L OCI process and got an offer from a much better firm in the practice group I wanted. When asked if I already had an offer during interviews I honestly responded that my firm had not given out offers yet but that I had no reason to suspect I would not get one. Ultimately got an offer from my summer firm as well but, obviously, turned it down.

I would take advantage of this limbo time to try to secure something else. No decision yet is much better than a no offer when going through 3L OCI.

[objctnyrhnr]

It is conceivable that this is more a function of the firm anticipating a recession and maybe doing a bit of belt tightening than anything having to do with you.

You said there’s one other 2L SA at the office who got the same news. Is that correct?

[Anonymous User]

Yes. The other 2L was told this as well.

Just curious about how to handle in 3L interviews (assuming I get lucky enough to get some!)

[QContinuum]

When asked if I already had an offer during interviews I honestly responded that my firm had not given out offers yet but that I had no reason to suspect I would not get one. ...

I would take advantage of this limbo time to try to secure something else. No decision yet is much better than a no offer when going through 3L OCI.

OP: Can't imagine a better response than the above. It's completely accurate, it's succinct, and it puts a positive spin on the news ("no reason to suspect" a no-offer).

[shock259]

Sorry, OP. That's a stressful situation. I don't think there's a great way to know whether it's a routine thing or a sign of something being amiss. I do know that it's a lot more common for satellite offices to give offers out later than their big city counterparts.

In terms of next steps, I'd definitely recommend 3L OCI. More options are always better than fewer. I think the line above is perfect to use when asked about your summer firm.

[Anonymous User]

Something like this happened to me a few years ago. My old firm where I summered doesn’t usually give out offers until late August across the board. I made clear in my exit interview and my last few weeks with partners I trusted that I would participate in 3l oci and start looking out for another opportunity if I didn’t get an offer before I left because I would not wait until the end of August.

I may have overplayed my hand in retrospect, but it worked. Got an offer on my last day and was told explicitly that it was a one off (just me and the other 2l summer in my class in the office). No other summer at any other office got an offer until the end of August.

I may suggest just dropping hints that you are going to have to do oci again, go on interviews, etc. If they like you, they may just need motivation. Or this is a sign your firm isn’t gonna hire you, especially because this is a new behavior. Either way, I would start dropping hints with partners you trust and that like you.

I would note this is a v100 in a major market with small summer classes. Also mods please don’t out me cause this is already fairly identifying information.

[QContinuum]

Something like this happened to me a few years ago. My old firm where I summered doesn’t usually give out offers until late August across the board. I made clear in my exit interview and my last few weeks with partners I trusted that I would participate in 3l oci and start looking out for another opportunity if I didn’t get an offer before I left because I would not wait until the end of August.

I may have overplayed my hand in retrospect, but it worked. Got an offer on my last day and was told explicitly that it was a one off (just me and the other 2l summer in my class in the office). No other summer at any other office got an offer until the end of August.

Yea, I feel like this would be kinda risky. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend doing this. The "I will do 3L OCI" and "I will not wait until the end of August" lines could very easily backfire with the wrong partner.

[Anonymous User]

Something like this happened to me a few years ago. My old firm where I summered doesn’t usually give out offers until late August across the board. I made clear in my exit interview and my last few weeks with partners I trusted that I would participate in 3l oci and start looking out for another opportunity if I didn’t get an offer before I left because I would not wait until the end of August.

I may have overplayed my hand in retrospect, but it worked. Got an offer on my last day and was told explicitly that it was a one off (just me and the other 2l summer in my class in the office). No other summer at any other office got an offer until the end of August.

Yea, I feel like this would be kinda risky. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend doing this. The "I will do 3L OCI" and "I will not wait until the end of August" lines could very easily backfire with the wrong partner.

I completely agree, especially in retrospect. I kinda cringe thinking about it. But it was worth it. Just pointing out that option. Needs to be tactfully, but it legitimately worked for me.

[Elston Gunn]

Something like this happened to me a few years ago. My old firm where I summered doesn’t usually give out offers until late August across the board. I made clear in my exit interview and my last few weeks with partners I trusted that I would participate in 3l oci and start looking out for another opportunity if I didn’t get an offer before I left because I would not wait until the end of August.

I may have overplayed my hand in retrospect, but it worked. Got an offer on my last day and was told explicitly that it was a one off (just me and the other 2l summer in my class in the office). No other summer at any other office got an offer until the end of August.

Yea, I feel like this would be kinda risky. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend doing this. The "I will do 3L OCI" and "I will not wait until the end of August" lines could very easily backfire with the wrong partner.

I completely agree, especially in retrospect. I kinda cringe thinking about it. But it was worth it. Just pointing out that option. Needs to be tactfully, but it legitimately worked for me.

But what did it really get you other than a little less anxiety and the aggravation of 3L OCI? You were presumably going to get the offer anyway. Upside doesn’t seem worth it.

[Anonymous User]

Something like this happened to me a few years ago. My old firm where I summered doesn’t usually give out offers until late August across the board. I made clear in my exit interview and my last few weeks with partners I trusted that I would participate in 3l oci and start looking out for another opportunity if I didn’t get an offer before I left because I would not wait until the end of August.

I may have overplayed my hand in retrospect, but it worked. Got an offer on my last day and was told explicitly that it was a one off (just me and the other 2l summer in my class in the office). No other summer at any other office got an offer until the end of August.

Yea, I feel like this would be kinda risky. I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend doing this. The "I will do 3L OCI" and "I will not wait until the end of August" lines could very easily backfire with the wrong partner.

I completely agree, especially in retrospect. I kinda cringe thinking about it. But it was worth it. Just pointing out that option. Needs to be tactfully, but it legitimately worked for me.

But what did it really get you other than a little less anxiety and the aggravation of 3L OCI? You were presumably going to get the offer anyway. Upside doesn’t seem worth it.

Like most biglaw firms, my firm had a history of cold-offering summers. Even though nalp or vault might say 10/10 offers or whatever, cold offers happen. So, I was concerned that I would not have gotten an offer or a cold offer in late August, when 3l oci had already passed. What I wanted, which worked, was certainty as to whether I needed to do 3l oci and all that. To me, that certainty was worth the gamble.