picking firms after offers

[notgoingtols]

my boyfriend is at a t-20 school (good grades, LR)... right now he has 2 offers for next summer, one from a V5, one from a V10... a bunch of callbacks take place in the next few weeks, ranging between V5 and V60+.  between the 2 offers, he got better vibes from the "less prestigious" one, and probably the best vibe from a callback in below the V50.  ultimately, is there a big difference between V5, V10, V20, V50?  is it really best to pick off prestige, or to choose based on where you see yourself fitting in best (and making additional visits to the firm).

also, with the NALP 45 day policy, if you haven't heard from a firm at the tail-end of callbacks right before you need to let another firm know, is it okay to mention your exploding offer?

[deedeeleigh]

Question to the OP--did your boyfriend get these offers because he summered at the firms 1L summer? Or had he already gone through the callback process? I'm just curious if people are already getting offers.

I'd also like to know the answer to one of your questions--can you mention to a firm you've had a callback with, but no response (offer or ding) that you have an offer at another firm that you have to accept or withdraw from soon? In my prior career I would have, but I'm not sure the etiquette here.

Personally I'd go with the firm that gave off a better vibe. What is the point of lateraling into a firm you genuinely like 3 years down the road, if you can go straight there now?

[deedeeleigh]

YBR, I actually meant if you interview and get an offer early from one firm (i.e. now) and don't have a callback with another firm till end of September and haven't heard back from the second firm by fairly close to the 45 day deadline, can you mention this to the 2nd firm to at least find out when they will be making decisions? Obviously not if your interview was the day before, but if your interview with the second firm was 2 weeks prior?

[notgoingtols]

hi dee dee -

he didn't do a firm job last summer... like most other 1Ls he did the whole unpaid internship gig.  their oci was in mid-august and then he started callbacks this past week... both firms he got offered with notified him within about 3 days (one does friday hiring comm meetings, the other let him know mid-week). 

i'm glad to hear that prestige doesn't mean everything.  his #1 priority is getting the best training, so while he's said a laid back atmosphere would be awesome, he'd prefer more high-pressure if the training opportunities are better. 

with regard to the 45 day policy... if anyone has advice that would be great.  he'll have callbacks going on for another 3 weeks, so there won't be that much time to make an informed decision (given, it's still more time than i had for a non-law job... can't other industries have nalp guidelines? )