Job Searches, Summer Associates

Accept Your Offers: Weekend Update

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So far we have received letters from the following law schools urging students to accept their offers prior to the NALP deadline: Northwestern, NYU, Columbia, UPenn, UT, Michigan, and even Hofstra. The message from career services departments all across the nation is that firms are oversubscribed, and that some firms are rescinding offers. Sit on multiple offers at your own risk.

Late Friday evening, Harvard Law School — which just completed their extremely late fly-out week process — decided to enter the fray. From an email sent out to all interviewing students:

Important Information about Responding to Offers

You may have heard reports that some firms have rescinded offers to students because their summer programs were full. While some firms have rescinded offers, the vast majority of firms have not engaged in that practice and have no intention to do so. Use good judgment and take the time you need to make an informed decision. Keep in mind that some firms’ summer programs are filling up more quickly than others. If you have any concerns about whether an offer will be held open or any other issues, we suggest that you call the hiring partner or recruiting director so that you are making decisions based on fact.

If you are able to make your decision before the expiration of the 45-day period, we encourage you to do so. Law firms will appreciate your prompt response and so will your classmates who may be in a position to receive an offer from an employer that you have turned down.

Comparing HLS to everybody else after the jump.


Most of the information we’ve received suggests that HLS students should be the most concerned about oversubscribed summer programs due to their late starting interviewing process. But this letter doesn’t put students’ feet to the fire like other OCS departments have suggested.

The tenor of other OCS letters (and our coverage) has been “Accept. Now. You Idiots!” But HLS is suggesting a very restrained approach. They are telling people to take all the time they need and to make their decision before the 45-day NALP guideline if possible.

What are they thinking? In comparison to how other schools are handling fall recruiting, HLS OCS seems to falling back on the legendary HLS hubris that makes students and alumni reviled around the world.

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“You believe that you are special. That somehow the rules do not apply to you.”

We’ll see if HLS is right. We’ll see if firms will hold spots open long enough for HLS students to take their sweet time.

How many Harvard students does it take to screw in a light-bulb? Just one. He holds the bulb up and the world revolves around him.

We’ll see.

Earlier: Accept Your Offers: Part the Fourth

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Fall Recruiting Follow-Up: Part II

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