That's a tricky one. So if you were still working at (A), you couldn't go directly to (C), right? But you're now working at (B), depending on what time zone you're in. Anyway, I don't know where this line of reasoning is going, but (C) did hire you with (A) on your résumé, correct? It's not your duty to uphold their gentlemen's agreement, is it? Or is it, since you were part of (A)?

Did (C) know that you worked for (A)?
Or did you not list (A) on your résumé?

Maybe you should send this to the Ethicist column at the NYT Sunday Magazine.

Do you have a firm offer from (C)? It seems that if you're going to leave (B) for (C), it'd be better to do it on the first day, before they set up accounts for you, get attached to the taste of salty oranges, etc.

Firm (C) called you on the weekend to offer you a job? Are they really very gentlemanly about their firm practices, because to me a weekend call is not necessarily a good sign of things to come.

Though perhaps you requested that so firm (A) wouldn't know you were looking. Hmmmm.

assbackward raises some very good points, but no matter what this is a tricky situation.

Ask them(A),(B) and (C) to slug it out in a ring for you.

If thats not possible ,have some patience, (D) will come along soon.

E-all of the above

If you've pursued firm C, be uprfont with A that you were not poached by C but initiated with them on your own.
Tell B you've reconsidered and are off to C and hope that the observations above about C's method of contact is not a sign of bad things to come.

This would be so much easier if we knew the firm names. I understand why we don't, but in the end, it's the work that matters.

SaltyOrange: How was the first day at (B)?

assbackward is right, this has the Ethicist written all over it: mailto:[email protected]

First day at B wasn't bad at all. Will probably stick it out. Thanks for the input.

I still think you should write the Ethicist at the NYT. That would be fun to see an archinect post spill over into a major print medium.