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Any tips for getting into a lawfirm for a 0L summer? Are there any better methods than just mass mailing resume/cv's? Commited to a T10, currently live in a major city (Chicago, Houston, DC, NYC).

Is this even possible without contacts?

I wouldn't waste your time trying. You're not going to get much of anything out of a law firm summer before you've had any law school.

Anonymous User wrote:Any tips for getting into a lawfirm for a 0L summer? Are there any better methods than just mass mailing resume/cv's? Commited to a T10, currently live in a major city (Chicago, Houston, DC, NYC).

Is this even possible without contacts?

Tip: don't do it. You're young and living in a major city during the summer. Go out and kill it one last time.

Anonymous User wrote:Any tips for getting into a lawfirm for a 0L summer? Are there any better methods than just mass mailing resume/cv's? Commited to a T10, currently live in a major city (Chicago, Houston, DC, NYC).

Is this even possible without contacts?

Probably not unless you are in a summer program like SEO.

BigLaw will not want you, but you can try your luck at a small/mid-sized firm. Mass mailings are really the only option for you if you don't have any contacts.

Personally, I say enjoy your 0L last summer. It'll provide some fodder for interviews (but nothing you can't make up 1L summer), but the trouble of finding a place probs not worth it unless they pay you nicely.

Guchster wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Any tips for getting into a lawfirm for a 0L summer? Are there any better methods than just mass mailing resume/cv's? Commited to a T10, currently live in a major city (Chicago, Houston, DC, NYC).

Is this even possible without contacts?

Probably not unless you are in a summer program like SEO.

BigLaw will not want you, but you can try your luck at a small/mid-sized firm. Mass mailings are really the only option for you if you don't have any contacts.

Personally, I say enjoy your 0L last summer. It'll provide some fodder for interviews (but nothing you can't make up 1L summer), but the trouble of finding a place probs not worth it unless they pay you nicely.

The biglaw firm I worked at had summer paralegal positions, but those I think were more for current college students. Also, they may have cut that program ITE.

If you want to just get some extra money, maybe sign up with temp/legal staffing agency. You're probably not going to get a good resume line for just a summer, though.

It is simply a fact that until you have some law school under your belt, you won't be anything more than a file clerk or legal assistant - meaning you'll get good at addressing envelopes and creating exhibit indexes, but you won't understand why what you're doing needs to be done, at least not in any way that will prepare you for law school.

Like someone else said, if you're about to enter law school in the fall, live it UP this summer - because your life will be very different come September, and it will never be the same after that.

NotMyRealName09 wrote:It is simply a fact that until you have some law school under your belt, you won't be anything more than a file clerk or legal assistant - meaning you'll get good at addressing envelopes and creating exhibit indexes, but you won't understand why what you're doing needs to be done, at least not in any way that will prepare you for law school.

Eh, I agree in this case, when s/he's just looking for something for the summer. But, if anyone is lurking on here and curious about working at a firm for a year or two before school, I do think there is valuable experience to be gained. As a legal secretary, I spent much more time writing cover letters and typing up revisions to purchase agreements and merger agreements than dealing with mail, phone or files.

Yes, I agree that actually working as a legit f/t employee for a couple of years is a good idea before law school -- you'll gain a sense of the pace of work and you'll get good training in being detail-oriented the way partners expect you to be. A summer as an intern will not give you this kind of experience, and you'll probably be something of a nuisance to your office. I respect the desire to get an early start, to impress people, make contacts, etc., but this sort of thing is just blowing your load in the wrong place.

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poi wrote:Does the "take the summer off" advice apply if your resume is weak? I mainly worked at restaurants/fast food joints during college to make some money. I managed snag a few T10 acceptances, but I'm afraid that when firm recruiting season comes around, my incredibly weak resume will put me at a disadvantage. Is this something I should be worried about? Are there any 0L legal positions I can look into just so we don't end up talking about fried chicken at interviews?

I am currently a legal intern at a law firm... 0L, 1 year paid internship. So yes, there are 0L legal positions that exist if you should choose that path.

NotMyRealName09 wrote:It is simply a fact that until you have some law school under your belt, you won't be anything more than a file clerk or legal assistant - meaning you'll get good at addressing envelopes and creating exhibit indexes, but you won't understand why what you're doing needs to be done, at least not in any way that will prepare you for law school.

This. As someone who has had this position for a year now, take the summer off and have fun. I'm actually leaving my job soon to enjoy my summer.

If you're going straight to law school out of undergrad, your prior work experience really won't matter much. There's no problem with taking the summer off. It's incredibly difficult to find an 0L law job unless you have connections or get lucky by hearing about an opportunity through your undergrad's pre-law / pre-professional department/advisor or pre-law fraternity. The only things you will find are temp secretarial / receptionist work (and this is scarce, b/c most firms are going to want someone who will stay longer than a couple months) or closing files / file room grunt work - and that's usually through a "friend of the family / friend of a friend" who works as a partner at said firm.

I woudn't sweat it - if you can find something without expending TOO much effort, great. If not, just relax and spend time doing "for fun" reading