How to change offices/firms ASAP as a first year? Forum

[Anonymous User]

3L here. Accepted an offer to an NYC V10 that initially said it would be easy to transfer to one of their California offices if I didn't like NYC. Gave me the runaround for a bit after the summer, then stated that the relevant office was full, but that I could try again once I actually started in NYC. I don't particularly trust that due to their caginess.

I'm currently applying to clerkships in California for next year/the year after, but assuming that doesn't work out what's the fastest you can make the move? I really didn't enjoy summering in NYC/my firm and want to go back to California ASAP.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. Accepted an offer to an NYC V10 that initially said it would be easy to transfer to one of their California offices if I didn't like NYC. Gave me the runaround for a bit after the summer, then stated that the relevant office was full, but that I could try again once I actually started in NYC. I don't particularly trust that due to their caginess.

I'm currently applying to clerkships in California for next year/the year after, but assuming that doesn't work out what's the fastest you can make the move? I really didn't enjoy summering in NYC/my firm and want to go back to California ASAP.

I have a friend who did it late in his first year in the mid-2010s. He had incredibly strong CA ties and was a transactional lawyer, for what it's worth.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. Accepted an offer to an NYC V10 that initially said it would be easy to transfer to one of their California offices if I didn't like NYC. Gave me the runaround for a bit after the summer, then stated that the relevant office was full, but that I could try again once I actually started in NYC. I don't particularly trust that due to their caginess.

I'm currently applying to clerkships in California for next year/the year after, but assuming that doesn't work out what's the fastest you can make the move? I really didn't enjoy summering in NYC/my firm and want to go back to California ASAP.

Are you from California or there for school? If so, might be a good idea to expand your clerkship search with a focus on getting a federal clerkship in any decent jurisdiction, California or no. If you’re moving back with ties, coming off a clerkship even elsewhere will seem like a natural transition point.

The other thing to consider would be to sit the California bar when it would make sense to do so (eg before clerking). My understanding is that a lot of California firms are hesitant to make out-of-state offers to attorneys who aren’t CA-barred yet, and you could also signal additional commitment that way.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. Accepted an offer to an NYC V10 that initially said it would be easy to transfer to one of their California offices if I didn't like NYC. Gave me the runaround for a bit after the summer, then stated that the relevant office was full, but that I could try again once I actually started in NYC. I don't particularly trust that due to their caginess.

I'm currently applying to clerkships in California for next year/the year after, but assuming that doesn't work out what's the fastest you can make the move? I really didn't enjoy summering in NYC/my firm and want to go back to California ASAP.

Are you from California or there for school? If so, might be a good idea to expand your clerkship search with a focus on getting a federal clerkship in any decent jurisdiction, California or no. If you’re moving back with ties, coming off a clerkship even elsewhere will seem like a natural transition point.

The other thing to consider would be to sit the California bar when it would make sense to do so (eg before clerking). My understanding is that a lot of California firms are hesitant to make out-of-state offers to attorneys who aren’t CA-barred yet, and you could also signal additional commitment that way.

Here for school; no particularly strong ties otherwise. I'm also looking at basically any district court within the 9th and 10th circuits, but I'm late to the application game so I'll take what I can get and am applying pretty broadly.

I'll note that re bar. Fucking California making it hard to work here, classic.

He had incredibly strong CA ties and was a transactional lawyer, for what it's worth.

RIP. I've only got ties from school and am tryna litigate.