1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[dakatz]

Ok, another 50 apps out for judicial internships. Applied to all judges on the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of my home state court system. Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet. Not sure how a state court judicial internship compares with a federal one with regard to competition, prestige, etc., but I'll be happy with any positive responses.

Now its on to firms. I'm probably a bit behind with regard to firm applications, but I'd assume they wait until after grades to do hiring anyway, so maybe I'll get lucky and at least get a look.

[Grizz]

Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet.

I did the same, but I'm 100% sure that this one was better than the dreck that got me a straight median grade on the last one.

[uvahooo]

Get your motivation going. Sent a firm my resume on Dec. 21st and got an interview today in a secondary market. There is still hope APPLY APPLY!

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Ok, another 50 apps out for judicial internships. Applied to all judges on the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of my home state court system. Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet. Not sure how a state court judicial internship compares with a federal one with regard to competition, prestige, etc., but I'll be happy with any positive responses.

Now its on to firms. I'm probably a bit behind with regard to firm applications, but I'd assume they wait until after grades to do hiring anyway, so maybe I'll get lucky and at least get a look.

Isn't 150 applications for judicial internships a bit...excessive? I don't think I could come up with 100 judges were I was sure I knew I would intern for. I was told to shoot around 50 by our CSO. Maybe I just want the number to be closer to the correct one since I've only sent out around 25 so far, and I really don't want to send out more then 30-40 more.

[plum]

.

[BarbellDreams]

75% of the jobs I contacted said to not bother sending out apps before grades. My grades come out mid January. FAIL.

[traehekat]

75% of the jobs I contacted said to not bother sending out apps before grades. My grades come out mid January. FAIL.

Yeaaah, I've gotten some stuff together and like, a strategy going of where I want to target, but I just can't muster up much effort without grades yet.

[BarbellDreams]

Yeah, its rough. My first batch is 15, but only 4 of them do not require grades (making me believe they look at resume + school name and will receive plenty of t14 people to need me). Other than that I have a connection with a state judge, but he has a shady track record and honestly I feel like it might hurt my resume to intern with him rather than just about any other judge. I plan on sending out about 25 or o apps to judges, but except for a select few that have an application system I have no clue how to find out if they are hiring 1L's and where to send all my materials. I started off feeling really discouraged, then got really encouraged, then read TLS about people who have sent out 50+ apps already and now feel like I missed the boat (although literally no one I know has done more than just get stuff ready and awaiting grades.)

[keg411]

Barbell, don't worry about it. I haven't sent anything out either.

Also, if you're looking for state judges to apply to, check with your school. Mine has a huge excel sheet of every single state trial, appellate and supreme court judge along with all of the Federal District Court judges (including magistrate and bankruptcy judges) in my state and the surrounding states. Your school may have something similar. I wouldn't have known about it if our CSO advisor didn't show it to me.

[Shaggier1]

I sent out about 5 apps on 12/1 and basically nothing since.

I just feel like I have no idea what I am actually competitive for until I get my grades. Unfortunately, my hopes aren't high as to what the grades are, but whatever. Little to do about that now.

[worldtraveler]

Guys, don't freak out. A LOT of hiring doesn't happen until February or March. If you're still looking at the end of March, then maybe you can fret. Until then, relax and enjoy your break and just start putting together a good resume and writing sample.

[phonepro]

are you all cold mailing these firms or did you find them through connections, symplicity, other research etc.

I just pulled up a list of the largest law firms in my city. (The business journal usually publishes a list or a "Book of Lists.") Then I went to each firm's individual website and found contact information for the recruiting coordinator / hiring partner. Then I sent them an email. Only one firm didn't have the info on their site; I found the recruiting coordinator's name on simplicity and then googled her email address. (Stalkerish, I know. But the job market sucks.)

I did apply for a few firms on Symplicity, but there weren't many on there I was interested in.

i worked at a top firm in nyc. they only hire 2Ls.

[Shaggier1]

Guys, don't freak out. A LOT of hiring doesn't happen until February or March. If you're still looking at the end of March, then maybe you can fret. Until then, relax and enjoy your break and just start putting together a good resume and writing sample.

Thanks for this. Good of you.

[funkyturds]

Guys, don't freak out. A LOT of hiring doesn't happen until February or March. If you're still looking at the end of March, then maybe you can fret. Until then, relax and enjoy your break and just start putting together a good resume and writing sample.

Thanks for this. Good of you.

yeah, makes me feel better. i haven't done shit besides researching positions and polishing up my resume.

[JazzOne]

The actual hiring may not happen until February or March, but firms prefer to hire applicants who are on the ball and apply early. You're already a month behind. I'd get on it if you want a paid gig.

[mths]

Checking in

totally unmotivated to do anything...applying for some PI and judicial ints

ugh ugh ugh -- mostly just wanna research next summer but I need grades to apply for that

[mths]

Was a bit gutsy and submitted my final memo as a writing sample even though it hasn't been graded yet.

I did the same, but I'm 100% sure that this one was better than the dreck that got me a straight median grade on the last one.

We have a week long workshop at the beginning of the semester to polish writing samples. It's nice but it means we're at school a week before everyone else...

[wiseowl]

Guys, don't freak out. A LOT of hiring doesn't happen until February or March. If you're still looking at the end of March, then maybe you can fret. Until then, relax and enjoy your break and just start putting together a good resume and writing sample.

Yea, this might be true for public interest, but for judges and firms I respectfully and completely disagree. Other government jobs are all over the map.

I would not plan on starting the app process in February and plan on getting a job unless you're a superstar.

[cornellbeez]

Guys, don't freak out. A LOT of hiring doesn't happen until February or March. If you're still looking at the end of March, then maybe you can fret. Until then, relax and enjoy your break and just start putting together a good resume and writing sample.

Yea, this might be true for public interest, but for judges and firms I respectfully and completely disagree. Other government jobs are all over the map.

I would not plan on starting the app process in February and plan on getting a job unless you're a superstar.

This. I'm a 2L. Last year, by the time I applied to federal judges in my home state at the end of December, over half I applied to had already finished hiring. Some states' federal judges do not wait for grades to hire. Not to mention, my federal judge has already started interviewing new externs in person for next summer.

As for motivation, OCI is much, much more stressful than the 1L job search. Your 1L job doesn't even really matter, as long as its legal, so you guys should find this search a breeze, at least mentally.

[stayway]

So it really sucks that I can't apply to any of the government positions (i.e. DoJ, Homeland) because I'm not a citizen but a permanent resident.

Filled out 90% of this application for a fellowship for public policy but then realized I don't have any interest in public policy. Also, failed miserably trying to figure out what "books/person" to put as my "motivation" for public policy. (Advice?)

Trying to write cover letters for international firms. Not going well.

Edit:

Question; would it even be sufficient for me to just work at a lawyer's office? (not a specific clerkship/internship of any sort). This "job" wouldn't even really be "legal" literally. Just that I would have on my resume as working in a law office...

[missinglink]

Sent out about 20 apps to Judge's today. Mostly SF Superior Court, State Supreme Court, Court of Appeal. We'll see how that goes. I'm having a hard time imagining that I'll go over 50. I only have two places I could conceivably work; either in or near SF, or back with my parents over the summer.

I've also got to wait to apply to the 9th circuit until grades come out, per their policy regarding Bay Area schools.

I feel like now that I have a pretty good cover letter targeted towards a judicial internship, I can just fill in names for the rest. Finally, I can enjoy some of my winter break.

No interest in a firm job, and who am I kidding, there are precious few in my area of the country anyways.

[missinglink]

Question; would it even be sufficient for me to just work at a lawyer's office? (not a specific clerkship/internship of any sort). This "job" wouldn't even really be "legal" literally. Just that I would have on my resume as working in a law office...

As an option of last-resort, that would be fine. But I would really hesitate to settle on that.

At the very least, you want to be able to do interesting work your 1L summer, so that you have something to talk about for your 2L job search, and something to put on your resume. If it's not strictly-speaking "legal" work, but nevertheless at a law office, it won't prove too valuable for your career development.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Still haven't sent out a single app, and somehow still not yet worried about it. I'll get a bunch out next week. All of the externships I want (which I didn't already miss on Dec. 1st) won't take apps without grades anyhow, and I won't have those til mid Jan.

Floored that folks are applying for 100+ jobs, but I respect the tenacity. Go get 'em, tigers.

[GeePee]

Well, I've applied to zero jobs total at this point. However, I'm planning on applying for a bunch of gov't litigation jobs (USAO, state AG, city attorney) and some firms for the hell of it.

Is the consensus that firm cover letters should be quite brief and that public sector cover letters should go into somewhat greater detail about why I am interested in the particular position? The "sample" cover letters on my school's CDO site are pretty sparse.

Pretty much a +1 on all counts. Let your resume do most of the talking, and be more personal in the cover letter. I've also not applied to jobs and am sending out mostly gov't litigation letters in my first batch.

[Grizz]

Got a hit off my 10 cover letters/resumes/writing sample to local biglaw/midlaw firms. It works people.