NYU 0L needs info on Biglaw associate mobility Forum

[Piner]

Up until now, I've had my heart set on working in New York at a big firm; however, my fiance may wind up needing to go to grad school in California. While I like New York, I can see the appeal of life on the West Coast too, and I would of course like to make sure we're located in the same area. The firm I'd most like to work at has a NY office and multiple locations in CA, but I'm not sure how to plan things with regards to OCI. With summer associate jobs so much harder to come by, I don't want to undercut my chances of getting an offer by looking hesitant about committing to a location.While she doesn't have anything set in stone regarding where she'll be located, I really don't want to ask my fiance to compromise her career for me, but with $200k in debt hanging over my head I feel like I'm basically tied to the location in which I get an offer.

So, given that there's one particular firm that I'd really like to join, would it be advisable to pursue a split summer between two locations at the same firm? If I have to commit to one location or the other before my 2L summer, on the assumption that I get a job offer, how much leeway do associates have in the current market for moving among different locations within the same firm? I just don't know how stuck I really am with the office I spend my summer in, or what I can do to make my career fit my geographic needs.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[rad lulz]

You realize that your chances of working at any one particular firm, especially without knowing your grades, are abysmal, right? So abysmal they aren't worth even discussing?

Also firms don't generally split summers between locations.

[drbarry987]

Just do top 3.4+ --> DPW Split SA between NYC and Palo Alto office, bro.

[Piner]

Yeah, I realize that things are highly speculative at this point, to put it mildly. Still, I like to make a point of getting out ahead of things as best I can.

Right now, I'm working at a regional firm that shuttles its summers around among offices on a weekly basis. I realize that Biglaw summer associate jobs don't quite work that way, but I've heard of people splitting summers even at large firms. I've also heard that in today's market, that's a one-way ticket to getting the thin envelope, so I just thought I'd check on my options.

[drbarry987]

Serious answer is that coming from NYU with STRONG TIES to SF/LA (grew up their, did UG there, etc.) and provided recruiting demand stays the same (i.e. no Euromess --> EIW 2009 repeat) you will probably need ~top 1/3 to be competitive for SF/SV firms and ~Median to be competitive at LA offices. Better rank, WE, interview ability, Allen Edmonds, all affect this calculus of course. Also, you get 50 bids and 10 have to be in CA, so you could always bid heavy NYC (with firms that have a big west coast presence) and bid some in CA + mass mail. Good luck brostafa!

[drbarry987]

Serious answer is that coming from NYU with STRONG TIES to SF/LA (grew up their, did UG there, etc.) and provided recruiting demand stays the same (i.e. no Euromess --> EIW 2009 repeat) you will probably need ~top 1/3+ to be competitive for SF/SV firms and ~Median+ to be competitive at LA offices. These are soft floors-- not locks by any means. Better rank, WE, interview ability, Allen Edmonds, all affect this calculus of course. Also, you get 50 bids and 10 have to be in CA, so you could always bid heavy NYC (with firms that have a big west coast presence) and bid some in CA + mass mail. Good luck brostafa!

[Kikero]

Is self-quote a way to place more emphasis on something?

[drbarry987]

lol. No. User error double post, mang.

[kalvano]

I thought splitting summers was mainly a Southern thing.

[rad lulz]

I thought splitting summers was mainly a Southern thing.

It is.