This question is for 2Ls or 3Ls or beyond who have been through the OCI process and have some insight into what firms like to see on the resume. Another aspect of this is my own development, so it's not solely a calculated resume inquiry.
If I have the opportunity to go to a secondary market to take advantage of a family connection and work in a NLJ250 or, do what my school suggests and go for public interest, judges etc. what should I do?
I am almost positive I don't want to end up in that secondary market
I am almost positive I don't want to public interest
I am slightly self-conscious about my complete lack of experience in law, finance, business and thought this could help me out.
What do you guys think?
Thanks
1L Summer options Forum
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Anonymous User
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Re: 1L Summer options
Take the firm job. Being in the 2ndary market 1L year won't matter - everybody knows its hard to get 1L jobs. 2L summer is where you have to make sure you are in the right place.
You don't want to do PI, so that makes this even easier. Real paid 1L firm work is golden for your own experience and will help when interviewing next year.
You don't want to do PI, so that makes this even easier. Real paid 1L firm work is golden for your own experience and will help when interviewing next year.
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kwais
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Re: 1L Summer options
Thanks! that's what I hoped, just didn't want to get stuck explaining that I went and worked somewhere I had no intention of staying and come off looking like a flake.Anonymous User wrote:Take the firm job. Being in the 2ndary market 1L year won't matter - everybody knows its hard to get 1L jobs. 2L summer is where you have to make sure you are in the right place.
You don't want to do PI, so that makes this even easier. Real paid 1L firm work is golden for your own experience and will help when interviewing next year.
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Anonymous User
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Re: 1L Summer options
I agree. I did my 1L summer at a big firm and, not only did I get paid, it was frequently mentioned in interviews as a plus. It's also a great way to say that you're interested in big firm work (e.g. "Well, after my summer at XYZ, I know that I want to do big firm work because ABC." They love that shit.).
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merc280
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Re: 1L Summer options
how is being a RA for a professor looked at?
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Anonymous User
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Re: 1L Summer options
Generally, everything but a big firm job is a wash, depending on your school. At the "top" schools, judicial internships are unheard of (less prestigious), so federal government and public interest are the norm. RA-ing is rare, but isn't bad, especially if you're doing it for big name profs.merc280 wrote:how is being a RA for a professor looked at?
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Anonymous User
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Re: 1L Summer options
People on here will say it won't matter what you did as a 1L. Those people didn't have firm SA's. Yeah, it won't hurt you to RA or intern at Lawyers for Pro Bono Bird Law for the summer, but it doesn't get you anywhere in a biglaw interview either. I had two 1l SA's and got offers at both of them to return. Being able to say that in an interview has given me offers that kids with much higher gpa's aren't getting from my school. Take the firm gig.
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traydeuce
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Re: 1L Summer options
You know, this never occurred to me (I've done, sad to say, 2), but it's definitely true.Anonymous User wrote:Generally, everything but a big firm job is a wash, depending on your school. At the "top" schools, judicial internships are unheard of (less prestigious), so federal government and public interest are the norm. RA-ing is rare, but isn't bad, especially if you're doing it for big name profs.merc280 wrote:how is being a RA for a professor looked at?
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Anonymous User
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Re: 1L Summer options
I worked a 1L SA and noticed some things (personally) during/after the OCI process which might help you out, though in my case I did have every intention of returning to that market.
Setting aside having a possible return 2L SA offer at the firm (pretty much irrelevant for you since you do not want to go back), and ignoring the very real fact that it does boost your resume, working at a biglaw firm for your 1L summer is a GREAT way to gain some insight and experience into biglaw life and at least the summer program. You will get a better sense of what it is you want to do at a biglaw firm, how it is (sort of) done, and what may or may not interest you. Not to mention the swagger and confidence you'll have going into 2L OCI interviews having already worked at a firm. Probably even gives you a leg up at your 2L SA job while other SAs are busy being worried. It is almost like saying hey, you can spend a month at x law school as a law student before starting at the other law school y for the semester. Oh and you get paid.
Setting aside having a possible return 2L SA offer at the firm (pretty much irrelevant for you since you do not want to go back), and ignoring the very real fact that it does boost your resume, working at a biglaw firm for your 1L summer is a GREAT way to gain some insight and experience into biglaw life and at least the summer program. You will get a better sense of what it is you want to do at a biglaw firm, how it is (sort of) done, and what may or may not interest you. Not to mention the swagger and confidence you'll have going into 2L OCI interviews having already worked at a firm. Probably even gives you a leg up at your 2L SA job while other SAs are busy being worried. It is almost like saying hey, you can spend a month at x law school as a law student before starting at the other law school y for the semester. Oh and you get paid.
