I have a question for law students or lawyers who as law firm summer associates "split" the summer, working for half of the summer at one firm and half the summer at a second firm. Here's the question: If you accepted an offer of permanent employment at one of the two firms, did you accept at the firm from the first half of the summer or the firm from the second half of the summer? And why?

  The reason I ask is that many law firms strongly prefer students to join them for the first half of the summer rather than the second half. I would guess they have this preference because they think students are more likely to pick the firm where they spent the first half of the summer. I'm wondering, is this sense accurate? And if it is, why are students more likely to accept offers from the first-half firm?