When to tell firm? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about clerkship applications and clerkship hiring. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 9:58 am
Re: When to tell firm?
I have had to navigate this situation recently myself. I spoke with my school's career services and was told: (1) there is no "right" way to handle this; (2) the risk of telling now is obviously getting canned, but if you wait, there's a real risk the firm could find out from someone else first and even if they don't you'd look bad for waiting; and (3) big firms don't want to hurt their reputations with judges or with your school (if you graduated from a fancy school), which obviously isn't dispositive, but isn't something I had thought about. Her message was essentially that big firms are unpredictable so you have to go with your gut. For me, I graduated from a fancy school; am clerking locally; have a good relationship with my contacts at the firm; and get stressed out by trying to hide things (and also have a big mouth), so I went ahead and told my contact at the firm. She seemed to think it would be fine, in large part because I gave them plenty of notice (showing that I was serious about staying on good terms with the firm), but I've not heard back for sure yet. I'll keep you posted.
- KD35
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:30 am
Re: When to tell firm?
So the appropriate response for a 2015 SA for a 2016-17 clerkship is wait until summer?
-
- Posts: 407
- Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:57 am
Re: When to tell firm?
I'm in the same position and that seems to be the correct answer. I asked around and 3L friends said many of their firms either asked about it in the orientation period or it came up organically during the summer.KD35 wrote:So the appropriate response for a 2015 SA for a 2016-17 clerkship is wait until summer?
- LA Spring
- Posts: 194
- Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:52 pm
Re: When to tell firm?
Just be prepared to answer (with something other than a deer in the headlights expression) “when did you learn about this?”
-
- Posts: 428520
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: When to tell firm?
I think it's clear that as with everything here it's very idiosyncratic. However, when I was going through it, I was already a year into practice so used a partner or two as a recommender. When I got the gig they both explicitly told me to wait on telling the firm. They didn't say why or explain the consequences of not. Worth noting though. As far as ethical obligations to tell the firm, I personally find that absurd.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 9:58 am
Re: When to tell firm?
Quick update. I heard back from my firm that they support my second clerkship. This all seems very idiosyncratic and I feel fortunate to have received good news.niveacreme wrote:I have had to navigate this situation recently myself. I spoke with my school's career services and was told: (1) there is no "right" way to handle this; (2) the risk of telling now is obviously getting canned, but if you wait, there's a real risk the firm could find out from someone else first and even if they don't you'd look bad for waiting; and (3) big firms don't want to hurt their reputations with judges or with your school (if you graduated from a fancy school), which obviously isn't dispositive, but isn't something I had thought about. Her message was essentially that big firms are unpredictable so you have to go with your gut. For me, I graduated from a fancy school; am clerking locally; have a good relationship with my contacts at the firm; and get stressed out by trying to hide things (and also have a big mouth), so I went ahead and told my contact at the firm. She seemed to think it would be fine, in large part because I gave them plenty of notice (showing that I was serious about staying on good terms with the firm), but I've not heard back for sure yet. I'll keep you posted.
-
- Posts: 428520
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: When to tell firm?
Sorry for the necro, but I figure it's better to use an on-topic thread than start a new one.
I'll be starting in a major market biglaw firm this fall. I have also accepted a clerkship that begins next summer, meaning I'll be at the firm for a little under a year before leaving. I'm at a loss for whether I should tell the firm now, wait until I've started, or even wait until early next year. I'm fairly confident they'll be cool letting me come back after I clerk, but I also want to be savvy about this.
This is a bit different from the cases described in this thread. Any thoughts or advice?
I'll be starting in a major market biglaw firm this fall. I have also accepted a clerkship that begins next summer, meaning I'll be at the firm for a little under a year before leaving. I'm at a loss for whether I should tell the firm now, wait until I've started, or even wait until early next year. I'm fairly confident they'll be cool letting me come back after I clerk, but I also want to be savvy about this.
This is a bit different from the cases described in this thread. Any thoughts or advice?
-
- Posts: 428520
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: When to tell firm?
Posted this in the "Clerks Taking Questions" thread, but worth doubling-down:
What's the best way to let my v100 firm know about leaving for a clerkship in the coming fall? '17 grad and been at the firm since the fall. In the last couple weeks I secured a D.Ct. clerkship in a flyover state that my firm doesn't have an office in. Ideally, I'd like to leave on good terms and come back. But, since our office hasn't had a junior associate in the last few years who have taken a clerkship, I don't really have any data points to gauge how the firm will react.
What's the best way to let my v100 firm know about leaving for a clerkship in the coming fall? '17 grad and been at the firm since the fall. In the last couple weeks I secured a D.Ct. clerkship in a flyover state that my firm doesn't have an office in. Ideally, I'd like to leave on good terms and come back. But, since our office hasn't had a junior associate in the last few years who have taken a clerkship, I don't really have any data points to gauge how the firm will react.