Hiring processes Forum

[Anonymous User]

With OCI (for big firms), you kinda need to know where you want to work after law school at the beginning of your second year. I am someone who cannot know for sure (i can make an educated guess, but that's all) at that point in time. So, what are the options if you realize you need to move after you summered at a firm, or even after you started working? Are some firms more willing to allow you to transfer (given there is an office in the other location)?

If anyone has any experience with this, or has talked to people in the know, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Georgiana]

With OCI (for big firms), you kinda need to know where you want to work after law school at the beginning of your second year. I am someone who cannot know for sure (i can make an educated guess, but that's all) at that point in time. So, what are the options if you realize you need to move after you summered at a firm, or even after you started working? Are some firms more willing to allow you to transfer (given there is an office in the other location)?

If anyone has any experience with this, or has talked to people in the know, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

I talked to a few interviewers about this during my OCI process since I am looking at two very different markets for summer and it seemed that the answer depended greatly on the firm. Some firms will ask associates to move and then will foot the bill for all expences etc. It seems that if you request the move it is less likely to happen (because the other office needs to have an opening) and the firm would probably not foot the bill at that point (but if you're making biglaw salary does it really matter? not so much). The other thing to think about is taking the bar in another state, another thing you would have to pay for and prepare for.

[Anonymous User]

With OCI (for big firms), you kinda need to know where you want to work after law school at the beginning of your second year. I am someone who cannot know for sure (i can make an educated guess, but that's all) at that point in time. So, what are the options if you realize you need to move after you summered at a firm, or even after you started working? Are some firms more willing to allow you to transfer (given there is an office in the other location)?

If anyone has any experience with this, or has talked to people in the know, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

I talked to a few interviewers about this during my OCI process since I am looking at two very different markets for summer and it seemed that the answer depended greatly on the firm. Some firms will ask associates to move and then will foot the bill for all expences etc. It seems that if you request the move it is less likely to happen (because the other office needs to have an opening) and the firm would probably not foot the bill at that point (but if you're making biglaw salary does it really matter? not so much). The other thing to think about is taking the bar in another state, another thing you would have to pay for and prepare for.

Thanks. I would be moving in state, so the bar wouldn't be an issue. Seems like one of these things that I'll just have to roll with, and if I can't transfer, find another job hopefully related to my area of law. Sigh. I was thinking of quitting school, but have already decided against this after talking to some 2Ls at my school.

Have you or anyone else gained a sense of how long you need to work at a large firm to be able to move to a small firm/in house?