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Currently at a north east school in lower T2 range. I just locked in semi big law/midlaw in school's region for a 1L SA position. I say semi because it is out of the V100 but within NLJ 250. It is in a secondary market. My grades were top around 15% at currently school. I got the job through a combo of: partner is alum, I'm a pretty strong interviewer and my WE is directly related to that firm's line of work.
I am originally from the south and would like to return to that region mainly Texas (have ties). Would it be wise to give up ties to 1L firm and transfer? Schools I'm looking at are SMU, and Houston seems like a lock. Then depending on a strong spring semester I'd throw out apps to Texas Vandy, and GULC just for kicks. Upper t14 is probably out of the question. Any other instance it would seem to be a no-brainer and transfer but the SA position changes things dramatically.
Assuming I don't totally screw up a 1L Summer Position will lead to 2L summer and I can avoid all that OCI nonsense. Do i take the risk of transferring and giving up my 1L SA ties to go for a more prestigious school and some of the bigger firms in the south? Or do I stay put ITE and just be thankful I'll have a job out of school. I love the school that I'm at and I can tolerate the market that I'm in now. It's just I'm partial to the Dallas area where my family is from and prefer larger cities NYC,CHI,BOS,DC markets in general. Advice???

I'd take the job and if you want to get back to the south then try to lateral. Chances of biglaw, especially as a transfer, are laughable at SMU or Houston. They're slightly better at Texas and Vandy, but there's still a good chance that you'll miss the law firm boat altogether.

thanks that's my gut feeling..... anyone know how long an associate works until another firm will pick him up for a lateral?? I'm just having a bit of a reality check that I'll probably be in a smaller town than I'm accustomed to for the next few years. Then again I'm used to living in huge cities that aren't the norm.

If you want Dallas, Texas, then Texas, SMU & Vanderbilt should be considered, in my opinion.

hmm 1 vote each.

I am in a similar boat (without the offer -- though I am going on a callback soon and we are still going through OCI).

If I get an offer, I will stay. I don't see a reason for you to leave unless you think you'll fuck up so bad this summer that they won't invite you back.

I may be missing something, but why not take the job and transfer? Many people get jobs in cities other than the one their school is in.

handsonthewheel wrote:I may be missing something, but why not take the job and transfer? Many people get jobs in cities other than the one their school is in.

Because some markets are small and dislike students who transfer out of state. If this was NY or something, it wouldn't matter. Firms in small market states can get pissy if you leave that state.

handsonthewheel: great question. The firm is in the north. 1L SA usually don't go to people in the top 15% at a lower TT school. I'd like to think that I'm special, but it's obvious I was only hired because partners were alums and they hire 1L with hopes they'll stay in the market. We have a couple of major markets near us. If I transfer doubt I'll get a 2L offer because they'll see me as a HUGE flight risk if i got an offer from a Southern Firm. (Which would be true). With a successful transfer to SMU, TX, or Vandy I'd probably choose a Dallas mid-size firm over the NLG 250 firm I'm at now. I don't know it just seems like in this economy it's better to hit a solid double, rather than going to bat at OCI and looking to hit a HR.

TTRansfer wrote:

handsonthewheel wrote:I may be missing something, but why not take the job and transfer? Many people get jobs in cities other than the one their school is in.

Because some markets are small and dislike students who transfer out of state. If this was NY or something, it wouldn't matter. Firms in small market states can get pissy if you leave that state.

exactly.

r2099 wrote:handsonthewheel: great question. The firm is in the north. 1L SA usually don't go to people in the top 15% at a lower TT school. I'd like to think that I'm special, but it's obvious I was only hired because partners were alums and they hire 1L with hopes they'll stay in the market. We have a couple of major markets near us. If I transfer doubt I'll get a 2L offer because they'll see me as a HUGE flight risk if i got an offer from a Southern Firm. (Which would be true). With a successful transfer to SMU, TX, or Vandy I'd probably choose a Dallas mid-size firm over the NLG 250 firm I'm at now. I don't know it just seems like in this economy it's better to hit a solid double, rather than going to bat at OCI and looking to hit a HR.

You can just talk to them. They do gain a benefit of having a better school on your resume as an associate, assuming they eventually want to hire you. If you mention you were thinking about it, but that you want to stay with them, it might even show more commitment to the firm.

Just a thought.

However, I'd have to feel pretty confident that this firm has a future for me to base a transfer decision on it. What happens if their business declines? If someone from another school that grew up there applies and they give them a shot? To me, it just seems like quite the commitment to cut off other potential options for an employer.