Advance Planning

I accepted a clerkship at a big law firm today. I'm to report for work in January, 2011. I don't know what makes law firms want to make employment offers a year in advance, but most of them seem to do it that way. Far be it from me to look a gift horse in the mouth. Here's my best spin on the news: 1) this is the largest law firm in town, and therefore the most likely to be hiring at any given time; and 2) I'll be working there when I graduate.