Office preference is usually a combination of your stated choices and the firm's recruiting structure, but the exact mechanics vary by firm and geography.

Some applications ask you to rank offices, while others route you through one primary office or regional process.

Your preference should be credible: location ties, language, work authorization and genuine interest are stronger than guessing which office is easiest.

Read the application instructions carefully and ask recruiting when the ranking or transfer rules are unclear. For more detail, see the guide to choosing between consulting offers.

I would not pick an office assuming you can transfer after a year.

imo Office preference felt less like gaming odds and more like explaining where I genuinely had a reason to be.

tbh Office preference felt less like gaming odds and more like explaining where I genuinely had a reason to be.

Language requirements were the biggest surprise when I started comparing offices.