If you are a diligent law blog reader like I am, you should already know that starting next fall the NALP will require second-year law students to accept a law firm's offer of summer employment within 45 days.
For those of you not in the know, here’s a rundown of the changes:
- The previous guidelines enabled students to hold onto five offers until Oct. 15, four until Nov. 1, and three until Dec. 1st.
- The old guidelines effectively gave some students months to ponder an offer because summer associate recruiting season begins so early at many schools (as early as August).
- The new guidelines are designed to free up the supply of summer associates and help the recruiting efforts of firms with smaller summer programs.
- The new guidelines have a 45-day rolling offer provision that begins on the date in the law firm’s offer letter.
- All decisions must be made by Dec. 30, regardless of when the offer is made.
- This change is approved for one year, at which time the NALP will consider making the changes permanent after receiving feedback from participants in the upcoming recruiting season.
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