Can I accept an internship offer while having a permanent offer from another firm? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi, I am a 3L who recently received a permanent offer from a biglaw firm and accepted it. I just got a summer associate/internship offer at another firm in a different market (my home state), which will run in May for 3-4 weeks (before bar study). They are saying they may extend a permanent offer to a summer associate who performed well, so a full time position is not guaranteed. But considering that I will start working at the firm that gave me the permanent offer from September/October and this summer internship program will run in May, do you think it's fine to accept this summer offer as well? I would not like to renege the permanent offer unless I end up really loving the summer firm, but I want to still look around since it is the firm I would like to join later anyway.

[Anon-non-anon]

Hi, I am a 3L who recently received a permanent offer from a biglaw firm and accepted it. I just got a summer associate/internship offer at another firm in a different market (my home state), which will run in May for 3-4 weeks (before bar study). They are saying they may extend a permanent offer to a summer associate who performed well, so a full time position is not guaranteed. But considering that I will start working at the firm that gave me the permanent offer from September/October and this summer internship program will run in May, do you think it's fine to accept this summer offer as well? I would not like to renege the permanent offer unless I end up really loving the summer firm, but I want to still look around since it is the firm I would like to join later anyway.

I would reach out to the firm you already accepted with and ask if it's alright. You could say you want to earn some money while working at home and think it would be good to get the experience, blah blah blah. I just wouldn't want to risk pissing off your firm before you start and then not receive an offer from the new one, then have some weird conflicts issue become a problem.

[Best]

Personally, I think you can do this without getting permission. You do you. I don't think anybody can blame you for wanting to make more money, your resume, and potentially increase your job security with all the doom and gloom of a recession. It doesn't interfere with your existing offer so there's no harm.

[nixy]

I think the potential for conflicts means it makes sense to reach out to the firm that’s offered you. 99% chance they won’t care in the slightest but if there is a potential conflict they might prefer knowing ahead of time rather than dealing with it later.

[FND]

Personally, I think you can do this without getting permission. You do you. I don't think anybody can blame you for wanting to make more money, your resume, and potentially increase your job security with all the doom and gloom of a recession. It doesn't interfere with your existing offer so there's no harm.

Until you get staffed on a file where the firms are opposing counsel

[Best]

Personally, I think you can do this without getting permission. You do you. I don't think anybody can blame you for wanting to make more money, your resume, and potentially increase your job security with all the doom and gloom of a recession. It doesn't interfere with your existing offer so there's no harm.

Until you get staffed on a file where the firms are opposing counsel

How is this any different than splitting a summer or taking a job during the school year? You don't have to ask for that, you tell.

[nixy]

Personally, I think you can do this without getting permission. You do you. I don't think anybody can blame you for wanting to make more money, your resume, and potentially increase your job security with all the doom and gloom of a recession. It doesn't interfere with your existing offer so there's no harm.

Until you get staffed on a file where the firms are opposing counsel

How is this any different than splitting a summer or taking a job during the school year? You don't have to ask for that, you tell.

Presumably you haven't accepted a permanent offer from your firm yet.