1L Summer Employment Forum

[Lisi]

Can someone perhaps explain to what extent our cover letters need to be tailored to different places. I imagine we will have several templates (judge, firm, etc.), but, within each template category, how much will be tailored to specific places? 20% of the template? More? Less?
Thanks!

For firms, I would say 17.1% tailored.

lol, in reality it comes down to how much spare time you have. It would be great if a quarter of your whole cover letter were tailored specifically to that firm...but that takes a lot of researching/writing time. I had maybe 2 lines tailored for each one. A cover letter is only a page after all.

Thanks, that's helpful. I was thinking a 2-3 sentences, so it's good to know I'm not really off the mark. I hope this is similar for other areas of employment (e.g. judicial internships), since, as you say, we don't have all that much time.

[ahduth]

Yech, I'm really not feeling the whole "apply two weeks before finals" thing. My problem is my school seems hell bent on shoving everyone into some sort of PI-related 1L summer thing, and that's not really my schtick. I don't doubt they have the pull to get people into those jobs after the first of the year, but outside of PI... I guess I'll have to ask around and see.

[Cade McNown]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

[Richie Tenenbaum]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

You have private messaging disabled. Will respond to your PM when you enable it again.

[ph14]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

[Cade McNown]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

You have private messaging disabled. Will respond to your PM when you enable it again.

Whoops! Enabled again, forgot I did that.

[Wart]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

Me as well.

[target]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

Me as well.

getting myself in line for some pearls of wisdom

[lazystudent]

For those of you intending to try to get RA summer jobs with profs, what date do you think you'll approach them about it?

[071816]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

Me as well.

getting myself in line for some pearls of wisdom

+1 to this. Can you just post it in here?

[ahduth]

My impression had been that 1L SA positions were very few in number and exclusively diversity hires. Firms realized that you're going to most likely go with the firm you summer with your 2L year, so the 1L SA program was pointless.

Maybe that's changing as hiring picks up again?

[northwood]

Is it November 1st, or December 1st that you can start mailing things out?

[Cade McNown]

Is it November 1st, or December 1st that you can start mailing things out?

December 1st. November 1st you can start talking to your school's Career Services Office.

My impression had been that 1L SA positions were very few in number and exclusively diversity hires. Firms realized that you're going to most likely go with the firm you summer with your 2L year, so the 1L SA program was pointless.

Maybe that's changing as hiring picks up again?

This thread is couched within that realization. As previous posters have suggested, most 1Ls will be better off searching for more realistic options like judicial externships, research assistants, etc.

[theavrock]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Me as well.

getting myself in line for some pearls of wisdom

+1 to this. Can you just post it in here?

Also interested in a copy and paste PM or post in the thread. Thanks Richie.

[lawdooder]

In smaller markets, 1L firm jobs are not exclusively diversity hires, nor are they necessarily impossible to get. I know definitively from people in my class (CCN), many people got jobs in Texas, and a few got firm jobs elsewhere (Miami, KY, ATL come to mind).

They're still quite hard to get -- but by no means impossible.

EDIT: but you better apply 12/1 or you're fucked.

[beachbum]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

Me as well.

+1, same here

[dukivich10]

Its pretty obvious where i go to school...

Although I would love to work for a firm, I doubt that is going to happen. What type of judicial internships should I be targeting?? Should i bother with the federal level or focus on state courts?

[thelaststraw05]

I get that the prevailing view is not to bother looking for a 1L SA, but I have time to at least try. Is there anywhere else besides NALP that I should look for firms that hire 1Ls?

Looking for this information as well.

Me as well.

+1, same here

Me too.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Well, this post is going to be anticlimactic. Cade had PM's in response to my earlier post in this thread about me knowing a decent chunk of 1L's who got biglaw summer clerkships. So here's my response:

I didn't do a biglaw summer clerkship. (So take my advice about landing one with a grain of salt.) I wanted to do a judicial internship for my 1L summer and I waited to apply to those spots right after finals. I had the grades to try and apply for 1L biglaw SA spots, but I didn't even try because 1) I wanted to do a judicial internship more, 2) I didn't care too much about the money (though I don't think I fully took into consideration how much money it would actually be), and 3) I thought it would be a waste of time because I had heard they were so incredibly rare (after I started seeing a decent amount of classmates get one, I started to realize that while they might be somewhat rare, they are definitely attainable).

Splitting my summer between a judicial internship and as biglaw 1L summer SA actually seemed like a dream scenario, but the timing for that was off since 1) I didn't apply early for biglaw and 2) I had two interviews not too long after sending my judicial internship apps out and I said yes to both and split my summer between two judicial internships.

Do I regret not applying to firms for 1L summer? No, because I am very happy with how 2L OCI worked out for me. My answer might be different though if things went differently. And it was definitely more stressful to not have a safety net. I know some people who only applied to 4-5 firms because they were really happy with their 1L summer firm and had an offer to come back before 2L OCI screening interviews actually started happening.

With all that said, my advice to those wanting to get 1L summer biglaw job:
-Send your apps out on December 1st. I know some people who did this with alright grades and ended up with a biglaw summer SA. People were already scheduling screening interviews before finals were over.
-Talk to your CSO and use NALP to figure out which firms to apply to.
-Apply broadly
-Personalize your cover letters to each firm, even if it's only a sentence or two different.
-If you are from the city your applying to (have a house there, parent's live there, etc)--use that address as your permanent address (along with your current address) on your heading of your resume and cover letter.
-Go talk to your CSO (when Nov. 1st hits) and have them look over your resume and general cover letter.

This is all pretty generic info, though I'm not sure there is any special trick you have to do. If your from Texas, I think that makes it easier since I think Texas was hiring more 1L's than most other parts of the country. That's just a guess on my part though.

If anyone who actually did do a 1L biglaw summer SA wants to step in and give more specific advice, have at it.

[dood]

How necessary is it to apply right on 12/1? Could I wait until the middle or end of December when i'm finished with finals to start worrying about applying?

ANYTHING AFTER 12/2 IS AUTOREJECTED

[BEAST_mode]

Its pretty obvious where i go to school...

Although I would love to work for a firm, I doubt that is going to happen. What type of judicial internships should I be targeting?? Should i bother with the federal level or focus on state courts?

+1

[DoubleChecks]

Well, this post is going to be anticlimactic. Cade had PM's in response to my earlier post in this thread about me knowing a decent chunk of 1L's who got biglaw summer clerkships. So here's my response:

I didn't do a biglaw summer clerkship. (So take my advice about landing one with a grain of salt.) I wanted to do a judicial internship for my 1L summer and I waited to apply to those spots right after finals. I had the grades to try and apply for 1L biglaw SA spots, but I didn't even try because 1) I wanted to do a judicial internship more, 2) I didn't care too much about the money (though I don't think I fully took into consideration how much money it would actually be), and 3) I thought it would be a waste of time because I had heard they were so incredibly rare (after I started seeing a decent amount of classmates get one, I started to realize that while they might be somewhat rare, they are definitely attainable).

Splitting my summer between a judicial internship and as biglaw 1L summer SA actually seemed like a dream scenario, but the timing for that was off since 1) I didn't apply early for biglaw and 2) I had two interviews not too long after sending my judicial internship apps out and I said yes to both and split my summer between two judicial internships.

Do I regret not applying to firms for 1L summer? No, because I am very happy with how 2L OCI worked out for me. My answer might be different though if things went differently. And it was definitely more stressful to not have a safety net. I know some people who only applied to 4-5 firms because they were really happy with their 1L summer firm and had an offer to come back before 2L OCI screening interviews actually started happening.

With all that said, my advice to those wanting to get 1L summer biglaw job:
-Send your apps out on December 1st. I know some people who did this with alright grades and ended up with a biglaw summer SA. People were already scheduling screening interviews before finals were over.
-Talk to your CSO and use NALP to figure out which firms to apply to.
-Apply broadly
-Personalize your cover letters to each firm, even if it's only a sentence or two different.
-If you are from the city your applying to (have a house there, parent's live there, etc)--use that address as your permanent address (along with your current address) on your heading of your resume and cover letter.
-Go talk to your CSO (when Nov. 1st hits) and have them look over your resume and general cover letter.

This is all pretty generic info, though I'm not sure there is any special trick you have to do. If your from Texas, I think that makes it easier since I think Texas was hiring more 1L's than most other parts of the country. That's just a guess on my part though.

If anyone who actually did do a 1L biglaw summer SA wants to step in and give more specific advice, have at it.

TX 1L SA. This post is very much credited. Advice is spot on, and yes, TX gives out more 1L SAs, so if you have ties, that means a pretty good shot. But even outside of TX, it is certainly still doable.

[romothesavior]

In my own personal experience, applying on 12/1 is not necessary, and most places won't even start looking at people until they have grades. YMMV, but IMO what is important is just getting a 1L summer job that provides you with legal experience, and almost any will do. I didnt get my summer job until March, and I had a fantastic summer and it worked out fine for 2L OCI.

And re: firm jobs, they are worth applying to and I know a few people who got 1L SAs in secondary markets, but they are insanely hard to get ITE, especially for non-URMS.

Lastly, 1Lolololoci is a joke at almost all schools so plan on finding your job on your own.

[Hippononymous]

So if you send out everything on 12/1, will firms just sit on them until you get your grades? If so, do you follow up with firms once you have your GPA? If not, what do they look at? Work Experience? Undergrad institution/GPA? Facebook profile?

[TatteredDignity]

Lastly, 1Lolololoci is a joke at almost all schools so plan on finding your job on your own.

Hey, at least you get some interviewing practice, right? Or are you saying you don't even get interviews.