When to Reach Out to Returning Firm After Clerkship Forum

[Anonymous User]

I was a summer associate at a firm and deferred my offer to take a clerkship. The firm was pretty vague and was like great we hope you have fun at the clerkship and we look forward to being in touch in 2024. Have not heard from them since. I admit maybe I'm being slightly neurotic, but I was wondering when, if ever, should I follow up with the firm to check in on returning? Maybe around Juneish or is that too late?

[soft blue]

Shoot them an email in January. You're expected to reach out first. June is definitely too late.

[CanadianWolf]

Send out as many resumes as you can.

Based on your post, you do not have a firm offer to return to the law firm.

[Anonymous User]

Send out as many resumes as you can.

Based on your post, you do not have a firm offer to return to the law firm.

To add more clarification, the way it went down was like this. Partner told me to reach out to recruiting to confirm acceptance. I reached out and emailed I would like to accept but would like to defer to clear for a year. Recruiting responded and said great we hope you have fun at the clerkship and look forward to being in touch in 2024. My interpretation was something like this is a way for them to reserve the ability to withdraw the offer should things go south, but it certainly seems like a reasonable expectation that i will be returning.

This is also DPW/S&C/CSM so I assume that they're not financially hurting that much, but who knows.

I guess worst comes to worst I'll reach out in January and see what happens like the other poster suggested and then just send out resumes if I have to.

[CanadianWolf]

The clarification helps.

I think that your (OP's) interpretation is correct.

Follow the first poster's advice.

[soft blue]

I don't think there's much to read into. I think it's very unlikely (but not, I guess, impossible) that the firm would reconsider your offer. Much more likely the firm wants to make sure you're coming back; it's not uncommon for people to summer at a firm, clerk, and then go somewhere else (public interest / government work, e.g.).