First Year Starting Early Forum

[Anonymous User]

I’ll graduate in December then sit for the February bar. If I tell my v30 firm I could start earlier in the year, do you’ll think the firm will let me do that?

[2013]

No. First years have all of that training and crap planned out, so they can learn the basics of working at a law firm. The firm will not want to expend additional time/effort/energy just so you can start early.

[Anonymous User]

Same thing happened to me. I graduated early and took the February bar. I let my V50 know I was open to starting early if they wanted and because my practice group was busy, they asked me to start shortly after the bar.

[Fireworks2016]

No. First years have all of that training and crap planned out, so they can learn the basics of working at a law firm. The firm will not want to expend additional time/effort/energy just so you can start early.

I don't agree that it's an open-and-shut case that OP's firm will stunt his/her development for ~6 months by not letting them start. It's not like stub-years need that much training to draft signature pages or certificates of service lol.

[CPA-->JD]

Certainly worth asking and perhaps even finding a firm that will let you. March vs Oct/Nov(or later?) start is a lot of money.

[nixy]

No. First years have all of that training and crap planned out, so they can learn the basics of working at a law firm. The firm will not want to expend additional time/effort/energy just so you can start early.

I don't agree that it's an open-and-shut case that OP's firm will stunt his/her development for ~6 months by not letting them start. It's not like stub-years need that much training to draft signature pages or certificates of service lol.

I agree it’s definitely worth asking and the firm may well go for it, but “stunting development” seems a little much.

[Mullens]

My firm has 1-2 early starters every year that graduated in December. Totally normal to ask.

[Anonymous User]

When would it be appropriate to ask? For example, I haven't even summered yet. Getting ready to in May.

[nixy]

I’d imagine you should wait until you have a permanent offer.

[Anonymous User]

Anon from above who successfully started early.

Over the course of the summer, it came up during various conversations that I was graduating early, so people were aware. As the summer was wrapping up and it was clear that the whole class was getting a return offer, I mentioned to a few of the partners I had worked for that I would be happy to start early if they had a spot for me. The group was seriously busy, so they took me up on it. But just be ready to hit the group running with very little guidance when you start.

[Anonymous User]

Anon from above who successfully started early.

Over the course of the summer, it came up during various conversations that I was graduating early, so people were aware. As the summer was wrapping up and it was clear that the whole class was getting a return offer, I mentioned to a few of the partners I had worked for that I would be happy to start early if they had a spot for me. The group was seriously busy, so they took me up on it. But just be ready to hit the group running with very little guidance when you start.

I asked after graduation, they said yes, I started a little over 2 months early.