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Is it really uncommon to say, intern at a boutique firm and stay on during the next semester and turn it into a job after graduation or does 1L summer usually have nothing to do with a job after school?

trey wrote:Is it really uncommon to say, intern at a boutique firm and stay on during the next semester and turn it into a job after graduation or does 1L summer usually have nothing to do with a job after school?

It's uncommon. First because of the rarity of 1L summer firm gigs. Second because you can't really put any numbers on the odds of you getting an offer to come back. Third because you might decide to do something else even if you do get an offer to come back (I did).

Aqualibrium wrote:

trey wrote:Is it really uncommon to say, intern at a boutique firm and stay on during the next semester and turn it into a job after graduation or does 1L summer usually have nothing to do with a job after school?

Second because you can't really put any numbers on the odds of you getting an offer to come back.

Putting the others aside, why is this?

Rand M. wrote:

Aqualibrium wrote:

trey wrote:Is it really uncommon to say, intern at a boutique firm and stay on during the next semester and turn it into a job after graduation or does 1L summer usually have nothing to do with a job after school?

Second because you can't really put any numbers on the odds of you getting an offer to come back.

Putting the others aside, why is this?

Because you just never know what the firm wants or if you'll fit in with them. You might just not fit and get no offered as a result. You might do something stupid and get no offered as a result. You might not do good work and get no offered as a result. The firm might decide they aren't interested in expanding, so you get no offered as a result. The firm might decided to evaluate you against the pool of 2L applicants, so you get no offered as a result. Etc...

Aqualibrium wrote:

Rand M. wrote:

Aqualibrium wrote:

trey wrote:Is it really uncommon to say, intern at a boutique firm and stay on during the next semester and turn it into a job after graduation or does 1L summer usually have nothing to do with a job after school?

Second because you can't really put any numbers on the odds of you getting an offer to come back.

Putting the others aside, why is this?

Because you just never know what the firm wants or if you'll fit in with them. You might just not fit and get no offered as a result. You might do something stupid and get no offered as a result. You might not do good work and get no offered as a result. The firm might decide they aren't interested in expanding, so you get no offered as a result. The firm might decided to evaluate you against the pool of 2L applicants, so you get no offered as a result. Etc...

Makes sense- thanks.

If you are at a firm your 1L summer, there is a very high change (relative to not being at a firm your 1L summer) of securing permanent employment.

Many if not most will offer you to come back for PART of the 2L summer (it's relatively rare to just do a second summer, but far from unheard of).

As noted above, there is risk - small firms in particular may just find they don't need people.

I know people personally who worked at a firm 1L summer, then part time during the year, and wound up securing offers at biglaw-esque boutique firms. It's rare to happen, but once you have a summer position at a firm you're in a great position.

I worked for a firm 1L summer and was offered the opportunity to return 2L summer and told flat out that I had a shot at a full-time offer whether or not I took them up on the 2L summer position.

Note that for smaller firms this might not hold, but there are lots of bouique-like quasi-big law firms for which the above applies.