2L Summer Abroad Translating Into US Job Offer Forum

[naschkatze]

Hi all!

I am working abroad this summer in two biglaw firms. One firm is a european firm and the other is an american firm. The key difference is that, unlike summer associates in the United States, I am not guaranteed a job at the end of the summer. In fact, my positions are a strange hybrid between an intern and a summer associate, as summer associates do not exist in this country.

My concerns/questions are as follows:

- How can I best show the firm that I am interested in working there after graduation? I am assuming this is implied, but how can I make this clear? (I cannot work in this country as an attorney legally without obtaining a law degree here). The European firm does not hire american trained lawyers and the american firm doesn't hire american trained lawyers in this country.

- How can I best translate this summer on a resume? I'm not really an intern and I'm not really a summer associate. The word for my position is not easily translatable. If I put intern, it downgrades the position. But if I put summer associate, I feel like I am lying. If I ask the firms, they will probably just say intern because they are afraid the word associate indicates lawyer, which is illegal in this country for law students. Thoughts/suggestions?

- HOW CAN I USE THIS EXPERIENCE IN OCI AND AM I SCREWED FINDING A JOB AFTER GRADUATION?!?!?! After working on international matters in a international setting I am dead set on working for a biglaw firm. But 3L jobs are like nonexistent?!

My other issue is that my grades are fine. They aren't seriously amazing but they aren't awful. I check the moot court/journal box and have judicial extern and other legal experience, but I feel like I am a very run of the mill applicant and I feel like that just doesn't fly for 3L OCI


TLDR; Help, Summer Abroad in Cool Firms, But Still Jobless Post-3L

[GoneSouth]

Just spitballing, but I'd guess if you get an offer from the foreign office of the Big Law firm, you can ask if you can go to one of their US offices instead (the bigger the office, probably the better chance of it working).

Although maybe I misread your post. You're doing an "internship" at a Big Law firm as a 2L ? What does that mean? Are you on a path for a full-time offer?

[BKB]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

[BKB]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

[naschkatze]

.

[naschkatze]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

I can't legally practice in this country unless I go to law school here (which I didn't obviously lol) -- do you think big law firms in the US would have any availability for someone with my background? I mean it just seems like there's no way in without an SA, but that is what I'm doing here just under a different title

[Npret]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

I can't legally practice in this country unless I go to law school here (which I didn't obviously lol) -- do you think big law firms in the US would have any availability for someone with my background? I mean it just seems like there's no way in without an SA, but that is what I'm doing here just under a different title

Have you heard of mass mailing? That's your best shot. Although I'm not sure what you're doing is comparable to an SA but maybe it is. I don't want to be discouraging but I think you have a definite uphill battle. Taking all the international SAs is going to show that maybe you don't want to work in the US, don't get down on yourself if you didn't have any other options. I would just mass mail everywhere, try to get the partners at the firm you're working for the summer to help you if possible and don't be picky about where you get a job.

How did you mess up at OCI? Was it just poor bidding?

[naschkatze]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

I can't legally practice in this country unless I go to law school here (which I didn't obviously lol) -- do you think big law firms in the US would have any availability for someone with my background? I mean it just seems like there's no way in without an SA, but that is what I'm doing here just under a different title

Have you heard of mass mailing? That's your best shot. Although I'm not sure what you're doing is comparable to an SA but maybe it is. I don't want to be discouraging but I think you have a definite uphill battle. Taking all the international SAs is going to show that maybe you don't want to work in the US, don't get down on yourself if you didn't have any other options. I would just mass mail everywhere, try to get the partners at the firm you're working for the summer to help you if possible and don't be picky about where you get a job.

How did you mess up at OCI? Was it just poor bidding?

Yeah, I tried that last year before I ended up doing this! I agree but thank you for the advice -- I transferred schools from 1L and changed my mind about what school to transfer to in June. At that time I could still apply through OCI, but something happened with the deposit process time and I wasn't able to bid on like 80% of the firms, and the ones I bid on I didn't particularly like, and the geographic profile didn't make sense.

I thought I would have a much easier time getting an SA job without OCI if I applied in June/July and I was extremely wrong... biggest mistake maybe of my life... 250-500 mass emails later decided to look abroad in my niche market and ended up finding a lot of opportunities that fit my qualifications but that's just for internships not jobs

[Npret]

I think your best chance is to try to get an offer in that foreign office. You can get US in the future when lateralling.

I can't legally practice in this country unless I go to law school here (which I didn't obviously lol) -- do you think big law firms in the US would have any availability for someone with my background? I mean it just seems like there's no way in without an SA, but that is what I'm doing here just under a different title

Have you heard of mass mailing? That's your best shot. Although I'm not sure what you're doing is comparable to an SA but maybe it is. I don't want to be discouraging but I think you have a definite uphill battle. Taking all the international SAs is going to show that maybe you don't want to work in the US, don't get down on yourself if you didn't have any other options. I would just mass mail everywhere, try to get the partners at the firm you're working for the summer to help you if possible and don't be picky about where you get a job.

How did you mess up at OCI? Was it just poor bidding?

Yeah, I tried that last year before I ended up doing this! I agree but thank you for the advice -- I transferred schools from 1L and changed my mind about what school to transfer to in June. At that time I could still apply through OCI, but something happened with the deposit process time and I wasn't able to bid on like 80% of the firms, and the ones I bid on I didn't particularly like, and the geographic profile didn't make sense.

I thought I would have a much easier time getting an SA job without OCI if I applied in June/July and I was extremely wrong... biggest mistake maybe of my life... 250-500 mass emails later decided to look abroad in my niche market and ended up finding a lot of opportunities that fit my qualifications but that's just for internships not jobs

There is 3L OCI but it isn't predictable. I would just keep mailing and networking.

[Mickfromgm]

First of all, tons of people would love to be in your shoes, both in terms of summer employment and academic credentials. Congrats on that.

You have to network like crazy. Leverage the people at your current firm, but also reach out to alums of your law school or undergraduate (or someone from your hometown, so on). Is there a [French] (or whatever is applicable)-American Bar Association of Oklahoma City (or whatever)? If so, go join and mingle. And don't be shy about asking anyone for help - most lawyers are really good about that, especially if they have met you in person and like you.

Your summer positions will enhance your resume and cover letter for sure. Mass mail. Do OCI. While it is true that BigLaw does most of its hiring through the summer program, there is always some 3L hiring with a new budget possibly creating new first-year positions.

[Anonymous User]

.

[naschkatze]

First of all, tons of people would love to be in your shoes, both in terms of summer employment and academic credentials. Congrats on that.

You have to network like crazy. Leverage the people at your current firm, but also reach out to alums of your law school or undergraduate (or someone from your hometown, so on). Is there a [French] (or whatever is applicable)-American Bar Association of Oklahoma City (or whatever)? If so, go join and mingle. And don't be shy about asking anyone for help - most lawyers are really good about that, especially if they have met you in person and like you.

Your summer positions will enhance your resume and cover letter for sure. Mass mail. Do OCI. While it is true that BigLaw does most of its hiring through the summer program, there is always some 3L hiring with a new budget possibly creating new first-year positions.

Thank you very much for your helpful (and hopeful) reply! The lack of guaranteed employment after the summer, coupled with hearing from all of my friends how awesome their SA positions are and how they are happy their job search is over, really threw me. I will definitely try this. Networking has never been my strong suit because I feel like it's refined mooching but I guess it's something I am going to have to work on!

[Mickfromgm]

First of all, tons of people would love to be in your shoes, both in terms of summer employment and academic credentials. Congrats on that.

You have to network like crazy. Leverage the people at your current firm, but also reach out to alums of your law school or undergraduate (or someone from your hometown, so on). Is there a [French] (or whatever is applicable)-American Bar Association of Oklahoma City (or whatever)? If so, go join and mingle. And don't be shy about asking anyone for help - most lawyers are really good about that, especially if they have met you in person and like you.

Your summer positions will enhance your resume and cover letter for sure. Mass mail. Do OCI. While it is true that BigLaw does most of its hiring through the summer program, there is always some 3L hiring with a new budget possibly creating new first-year positions.

Thank you very much for your helpful (and hopeful) reply! The lack of guaranteed employment after the summer, coupled with hearing from all of my friends how awesome their SA positions are and how they are happy their job search is over, really threw me. I will definitely try this. Networking has never been my strong suit because I feel like it's refined mooching but I guess it's something I am going to have to work on!

Refined mooching (or as I call it, what-can-you-do-for-me-stranger networking) is not the best way to go -- most people are too transparent as to their motives. The right kind of network, in my humble opinion, is getting to know people, demonstrating your genuineness, being gracious and appreciative, and then helping them in some way when/if you can. That could be as simple as sending them an article that came up during your conversation, or offering to talk to the dude's teenage son about your Teen Mr. Universe experience. Then, you got him hooked.