So you want to do PI? Forum

[Dr. Nefario]

This was very well written and helpful!

[ManoftheHour]

What's the ideal summer 1L job for someone gunning for PI (DA/PD)?

Is it still any legal job that PAYS?

[handsonthewheel]

What's the ideal summer 1L job for someone gunning for PI (DA/PD)?

Is it still any legal job that PAYS?

At a good regional school a few years ago, I had trouble finding much 1L summer and I had decent grades. My understanding, and it's been a couple years, is that it's generally difficult to get paying 1L summer work from most schools, save the higher ranked schools and some students with great grades and maybe some prior experience that makes them unique (but in a legal capacity, like engineer for patent lit).

But what I think PI employers look for it relatively logical: that you are a competent, if not skilled and motivated, aspiring attorney and that you are committed to the work. I don't think getting an unrelated job demonstrates the latter, whether paid or not.

Do the kind of work you hope to ultimately do. It'll show commitment to the work and build some basic knowledge in the area. And, most importantly, it will give you a chance to test-run the kind of work and career you are pursuing.

[BlueLotus]

What's the ideal summer 1L job for someone gunning for PI (DA/PD)?

Is it still any legal job that PAYS?

Choose early on whether you want PD or DA and gun for that. Some "true believer" PDs are suspicious of anyone with prosecution experience.

Re: 1L summer jerbs, very few DA/PD offices pay their interns. You will have to most likely have to look for outside funding.

[JCougar]

What's the ideal summer 1L job for someone gunning for PI (DA/PD)?

Is it still any legal job that PAYS?

No one expects you to get a paid 1L summer job from any school. There's just so few of them. And in PI/Gov there's exactly none. You're going to have to volunteer somewhere.

[BlueLotus]

What's the ideal summer 1L job for someone gunning for PI (DA/PD)?

Is it still any legal job that PAYS?

No one expects you to get a paid 1L summer job from any school. There's just so few of them. And in PI/Gov there's exactly none. You're going to have to volunteer somewhere.

This is credited. Equal Justice America is a GREAT source of funding for 1L and 2L summer PI jerbs, and as far as I know it it not too competitive.

https://www.equaljusticeamerica.org/

Also look at your minority bar associations; they may offer summer fellowships too.

P.S. twenty, you should make this into an official TLS article!

[LSL]

I thought the EEOC might start its honors program again this year, but is that still lolno?

[JCougar]

I thought the EEOC might start its honors program again this year, but is that still lolno?

The effects of the Federal budget pinch are still somewhat constraining the EEOC, but this news item explains why their budget has been further pinched:

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/491/369 ... trikes-DHS

Looks like this might effect DOL as well. This is costing the agencies millions, and there's no wiggle room in the current budget, which is already tight. And additional funds are not likely to be forthcoming because you know who has the majority in the House.

[LSL]

Wow, that's unfortunate. And yeah re: lolhouse. Ugh, long live austerity.

[BlueLotus]

JCougar, do you know anything about the PMF hiring process? My CSO told me that someone got it with a 2.8 GPA, but perhaps that's an outlier. I have a modest GPA (although it is above a 3) but tons of public service experience.

[JCougar]

JCougar, do you know anything about the PMF hiring process? My CSO told me that someone got it with a 2.8 GPA, but perhaps that's an outlier. I have a modest GPA (although it is above a 3) but tons of public service experience.

I never applied for one of those jobs, although I did work alongside one at one of my summer clerkships. I think it's more about experience/desire to work in the agency's area.