Biglaw, Start Dates

Nationwide Start Date Watch: Who's Late To The Party?

Which Biglaw firm's incoming associates aren't starting until 2014?

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It has been a while since we covered the subject of associate start dates at major law firms — mainly because there hasn’t been much news on this front. When we looked into the topic last year, we learned that about 90 percent of firms were starting their associate classes in the fall, a fairly standard timeline.

Are things different this year? We recently heard a report of one firm starting its associates in January. Is it 2010 all over again?

As is often the case with rumors, it’s partially true and partially not. The firm in question is Arnold & Porter, which issued the following response to a query from us:

We stagger associate start dates to appropriately match the associates, practice groups and office assignments. We have had associates start at different times throughout the year. In April 2013, we asked our Fall associates to select their top choices for practice areas and their preference of two start dates, November 4 and January 6. Their preferences, coupled with the anticipated practice group needs, determined their start dates. Associates were then notified of their practice group assignment and start date in early July; those associates starting in January received a stipend.

So only some of the A&P associates are starting in January, and they’re getting stipends. What’s not to like? Hopefully some of them have planned extra-long post-bar-exam trips. They’ll have years to toil in Biglaw; they might as well enjoy those last few months of freedom. (When I joined a law firm, I chose a December start date, which allowed me to visit both Europe and Asia in my post-clerkship travels. It’s called funemployment for a reason.)

Are other firms welcoming their associates on the late side? If you know of any, feel free to email us or text us (646-820-8477). If we receive enough info, we might do a round-up of Biglaw start dates. Thanks.

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