1. Every firm has more headcount than they need right now. It is only a question of degree.

2. With the stigma of delaying/deferring start dates (or even rescinding offers altogether) gone, even V10 firms have very little reason to maintain early start dates for incoming associates.

3. Firms could push back start dates for various reasons:

a. Easy way to save $$ with no cost now that stigma is gone. Even firms that have enough work to keep their entire incoming class somewhat busy have no reason not to push start dates back because the work can be done by the 2nd and 3rd year associates in the interim, and there's no stigma associated with delaying anymore.

b. Concern about too many bodies diluting opportunities for valuable experience, thus preventing every incoming associate from learning what they need to know and cutting off the future supply of adequately trained mid-year associates.

c. Expectation that the economy will or already has started to rebound, and that business will pick up in X months.

d. Expectation that a certain % of deferred associates will give up and leave (i.e, passive aggressive way of rescinding offers).

e. Utter uncertainty about business X months into the future (i.e., "If our business picks up dramatically by your deferred start date then we'll hire you, but if not we'll push it back again or rescind your offer outright.")

So what should you do if your start date is pushed back? How can you tell what's motivating your firm? At what point does the push back become alarming enough that you give up any hope of the job being there - January? February? March? October 2010?

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=957299&forum_id=2#11207778)

-If it's a pushback to Jan. or earlier (more or less "market"), then you backpack across Europe for a few months and enjoy your last taste of freedom. (This assumes that other indicators show your firm is doing okay.) If it's later, you move back in with your parents and start looking for jobs.

How can you tell what's motivating your firm?

-Look at what other measures they've taken since the economic downtown. If they've done one round of modest layoffs, that may just be making up for the lack of normal attrition. Two rounds indicate a more substantial problem, as does massive cutting. I would actually be more concerned about multiple rounds, though, because it shows they aren't doing a very good job of estimating their future needs.

At what point does the push back become alarming enough that you give up any hope of the job being there - January? February? March? October 2010?

The "market" seems to believe that Nov-Jan. is the acceptable push-back range. Anything longer than that and you should be looking for a job.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=957299&forum_id=2#11211218)

lol at nearly baseless assumption. it is just as plausible to say that those firms that are outliers of 'the market' are simply more realistic, and that 'market' firms will push back start dates to march once we get closer to january. there's not a substantial basis for this assumption either, but that's exactly the point.

who knows what the significance of a few extra months of deferrals is? is it really that significant, enough to determine the difference b/w no offers and being safe? and how does latham fit into this equation? by this logic, everyone who takes the year off is fucked.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=957299&forum_id=2#11233632)

Find another BIGLAW offer or take it like a man.

How can you tell what's motivating your firm?

Who cares?

At what point does the push back become alarming enough that you give up any hope of the job being there - January? February? March? October 2010?

When it's too late.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=957299&forum_id=2#11233647)