Fewer law students and a brisk legal market mean that more law firms may need to start sharing their summer associates.
Depending on the part of the country, many law firms historically have been reluctant to allow law students to split their summer jobs between two law firms. And firms that do permit split summers often insist that students spend the first half of the season at their shops.
But job-placement professionals say that market forces are prompting firms to rethink their policies in order to get top students through their doors -- if only for a few weeks.
"The smart ones are accommodating the students," said Marina Sirras, president of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants.