NALP General Standards for the Timing of Offers and Decisions

To promote fair and ethical practices for the interviewing and decision-making process, NALP offers the following standards for the timing of offers and decisions:

A. General Provisions

1. All offers to law students should remain open for at least two weeks after the date made unless the offers are made pursuant to Paragraphs B and C below, in which case the later response date should apply.

2. Law students should reaffirm offers governed by Paragraphs B and C below within thirty days from the date of the offer letter. Employers may retract any offer that is not reaffirmed by the student.

3. Students are expected to accept or release offers or negotiate an extension of the response date by the applicable deadline.

4. After October 15, a student should not hold open more than four offers of employment simultaneously, and after November 1, a student should not hold open more than three offers simultaneously, including offers received as a result of previous summer employment. For each offer received that places a student over the offer limit, the student should, within one week of receipt of the excess offer, release an offer.

5. Second and third year students may, with the consent of the employer, extend one offer beyond December 1.

6. Employers having a total of 40 attorneys or fewer in all offices may be exempted from Paragraphs B and C below but should leave offers open for a minimum of three weeks.

7. Employers offering part-time or temporary positions for the school term may be exempted from the requirements of Paragraphs B and C below.

8. Violations of these guidelines should be reported to the student's career services office.

B. Full-Time Employment Provisions

1. Employers offering full-time positions following graduation to law students not previously employed by them should leave those offers open at least until December 1.

2. Employers making offers before September 15 of the student's third year for full-time positions following graduation to law students previously employed by them during any preceding summer should leave those offers open at least until November 1. Upon request by the student, an employer should extend this date until December 1 upon receipt of assurances from the student that he or she is holding and will hold no more than one other offer during the extension period.

3. Employers making offers on or after September 15 of the student's third year for full-time employment following graduation to law students previously employed by them during any preceding summer should leave those offers open at least until December 1.

C. Summer Employment Provisions for Second and Third Year Students

1. Employers offering summer positions in the fall to law students not previously employed by them should leave those offers open at least until December 1.

2. Employers making offers before September 15 for a second summer clerkship to law students previously employed by them during any preceding summer should leave those offers open at least until November 1. Upon request by the student, an employer should extend this date until December 1 upon receipt of assurances from the student that he or she is holding and will hold no more than one other offer during the extension period.

3. Employers making offers on or after September 15 for a second summer clerkship to law students previously employed by them during any preceding summer should leave those offers open at least until December 1.

D. Summer Employment Provisions for First Year Students

1. Law schools should not offer career services to first-semester first year law students prior to November 1 except in the case of part-time students who may be given assistance in seeking positions during the school term.

2. Prospective employers and first year law students should not initiate contact with one another and employers should not interview or make offers to first year students before December 1.

3. All offers to first year students for summer employment should remain open for at least two weeks after the date made. © NALP