Help! Law Firm Fit! Forum

[A. Nony Mouse]

I know SA programs are lavish but there are not going to be social events every single night of the week including weekends. And people log in to work late at night after social events.

[Texas2Step]

I think KissMyAxe's point about grades earlier was that even without formal grades, your first semester performance is going to be crucial for impressing the profs who can get you the right clerkships.

Okay, well hopefully I can multi-task. I spent undergrad living like a hermit and this is finally my chance to get appellate experience (albeit in student competitions). You only live once...

[Kali the Annihilator]

Full
Of
Shit

[Texas2Step]

If you want to do high-level appellate work in DC, you should probably put in some effort (read: you'll likely need an appellate a SCOTUS clerkship).

It's very difficult to do only high-level appellate work as an associate in big law, even if you're coming off of a decent COA clerkship. These firms make their money off of trial-level litigation. I've had so many friends who were hired into the "appellate lit group" but who spend over half their time doing the same boring trial-level litigation tasks (discovery, evidentiary motions, etc.) that all associates do.

Is Pro-Bono or Government the way to go then? I have been thinking about DOJ Civil Appellate or the Texas OSG.

Mostly responding just to tag this trainwreck of a thread, but FWIW, Texas OSG doesn't hire junior attorneys, though I'm sure you'd be a strong candidate for their clerkship, if they got to keep their funding for it in the latest budget.

Is this the 1L program?

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think KissMyAxe's point about grades earlier was that even without formal grades, your first semester performance is going to be crucial for impressing the profs who can get you the right clerkships.

Okay, well hopefully I can multi-task. I spent undergrad living like a hermit and this is finally my chance to get appellate experience (albeit in student competitions). You only live once...

You can be the best multi-tasker in the world but I mean this nicely, there is no way you're writing 7 appellate briefs during 1L. There's also no earthly reason to do so, if Yale will even let you.

[BVest]

If you want to do high-level appellate work in DC, you should probably put in some effort (read: you'll likely need an appellate a SCOTUS clerkship).

It's very difficult to do only high-level appellate work as an associate in big law, even if you're coming off of a decent COA clerkship. These firms make their money off of trial-level litigation. I've had so many friends who were hired into the "appellate lit group" but who spend over half their time doing the same boring trial-level litigation tasks (discovery, evidentiary motions, etc.) that all associates do.

Is Pro-Bono or Government the way to go then? I have been thinking about DOJ Civil Appellate or the Texas OSG.

Mostly responding just to tag this trainwreck of a thread, but FWIW, Texas OSG doesn't hire junior attorneys, though I'm sure you'd be a strong candidate for their clerkship, if they got to keep their funding for it in the latest budget.

Is this the 1L program?

No. It's a post-grad 1-year clerkship. If they have a 1L program they certainly don't have any money dedicated to it.

[Kali the Annihilator]

Hey guys: I inventes bottled water, can eat a rubiks cube and shit it out solved and was wondering: what do law journal yale have word salad?

Tyia

[cavalier1138]

I'm still confused about how you took 20 law school classes in your senior year of undergrad. As was pointed out, taking 20 doctrinal classes would be on the high end for a full-time law student over the course of three years.

[rpupkin]

In any event, I have about ~10 moot courts scheduled for 1L year and 7 pro bono groups so this train is about to leave the station. Finally, I was tentative about the 2 CoA clerkships - my advisor told me it would make more sense to do one at the district level and then clerk for a CoA.

I have no idea what the bolded is about. Are you sure you're talking about law school?

Sorry bolded was unintentional - fixing it now

You misunderstand—I bolded the phrase in your post. I don't understand what that phrase means in the context of the first year of law school. It's not commensurate with the experience of any law-school student I have known, at YLS or elsewhere.

I interview associate candidates at a law firm. If an associate said something like "I did 10 moot courts and seven pro bono groups during 1L," I'd think that something was really wrong.

[Slytherpuff]

I'm still confused about how you took 20 law school classes in your senior year of undergrad. As was pointed out, taking 20 doctrinal classes would be on the high end for a full-time law student over the course of three years.

If this is true, they could have just been seminars that were open to non-law students. SLS is on the quarter system so there would have been more opportunities to squeeze in 20 classes.

[Kali the Annihilator]

Full
Of
Shit

[PeanutsNJam]

I'm still confused about how you took 20 law school classes in your senior year of undergrad. As was pointed out, taking 20 doctrinal classes would be on the high end for a full-time law student over the course of three years.

If this is true, they could have just been seminars that were open to non-law students. SLS is on the quarter system so there would have been more opportunities to squeeze in 20 classes.

True, but OP mentioned tax, habeas, and 14th amendment, which are heavy doctrinal courses. Even if you cut it in half, 10 doctrinals is about what a law student gets in 2 years of law school if they do clinics, journal, 10 moot courts, etc.

[Nebby]

There's putting the cart before the horse, and then there's OP. This is breathtaking

[Kali the Annihilator]

Dude shoulda claimed he fucking taught the SLS classes. Just as believable as the rest of this horseshit.

[Nebby]

I think it's pretty laughable when law students think they'll like appellate, but it's even more amazing to see a 0L say it

[A. Nony Mouse]

I actually think it's very normal for people to think they'll like appellate. (Some of us do actually like it, Nebby.) It is a good match for nerdy introverts (as an appellate lawyer said to me once, appellate lawyers don't get out much), and then of course people think they want it because they think it's all like arguing in front of SCOTUS.

There are lots of AMAZING things in what OP is saying, but that they think they'll like appellate isn't one of them.

[BVest]

Dude shoulda claimed he fucking taught the SLS classes. Just as believable as the rest of this horseshit.

Didn't he?

[Nebby]

I actually think it's very normal for people to think they'll like appellate. (Some of us do actually like it, Nebby.) It is a good match for nerdy introverts (as an appellate lawyer said to me once, appellate lawyers don't get out much), and then of course people think they want it because they think it's all like arguing in front of SCOTUS.

There are lots of AMAZING things in what OP is saying, but that they think they'll like appellate isn't one of them.

I think 95% of people who say they like it will be because of bolded, which is why I chuckle

[A. Nony Mouse]

I actually think it's very normal for people to think they'll like appellate. (Some of us do actually like it, Nebby.) It is a good match for nerdy introverts (as an appellate lawyer said to me once, appellate lawyers don't get out much), and then of course people think they want it because they think it's all like arguing in front of SCOTUS.

There are lots of AMAZING things in what OP is saying, but that they think they'll like appellate isn't one of them.

I think 95% of people who say they like it will be because of bolded, which is why I chuckle

And everyone here laughs at people who think they want to do environmental law, too.

[Slytherpuff]

I'm still confused about how you took 20 law school classes in your senior year of undergrad. As was pointed out, taking 20 doctrinal classes would be on the high end for a full-time law student over the course of three years.

If this is true, they could have just been seminars that were open to non-law students. SLS is on the quarter system so there would have been more opportunities to squeeze in 20 classes.

True, but OP mentioned tax, habeas, and 14th amendment, which are heavy doctrinal courses. Even if you cut it in half, 10 doctrinals is about what a law student gets in 2 years of law school if they do clinics, journal, 10 moot courts, etc.

I mean tax I'd typically agree with, but habeas and 14th amendment? You can definitely cover those in a seminar.

[cron1834]

I want to make a good impression and some of the supervising folks are....testy...read into this what you will...

I read into this that you aren't very good with people.

Edit - are we assuming this is a troll now?

[Texas2Step]

If you want to do high-level appellate work in DC, you should probably put in some effort (read: you'll likely need an appellate a SCOTUS clerkship).

It's very difficult to do only high-level appellate work as an associate in big law, even if you're coming off of a decent COA clerkship. These firms make their money off of trial-level litigation. I've had so many friends who were hired into the "appellate lit group" but who spend over half their time doing the same boring trial-level litigation tasks (discovery, evidentiary motions, etc.) that all associates do.

Is Pro-Bono or Government the way to go then? I have been thinking about DOJ Civil Appellate or the Texas OSG.

Mostly responding just to tag this trainwreck of a thread, but FWIW, Texas OSG doesn't hire junior attorneys, though I'm sure you'd be a strong candidate for their clerkship, if they got to keep their funding for it in the latest budget.

Is this the 1L program?

No. It's a post-grad 1-year clerkship. If they have a 1L program they certainly don't have any money dedicated to it.

They have a 1L program. Thanks for telling me this will keep it in mind.

[Texas2Step]

I want to make a good impression and some of the supervising folks are....testy...read into this what you will...

I read into this that you aren't very good with people.

Edit - are we assuming this is a troll now?

No, I'm real. These guys are out of it. One attorney in his elder years blasted Harry Styles in my face at 8:30 AM and told me to get out, another told me to go back to a continent I'm not even from, and another threatened to fire me for mentioning that making an intern work until 11PM on their first full day was a tad unusual (especially when all the associates and partners were gone). What the fuck am I supposed to do with this? I try to please them but I can't make headway which makes me think there is a culture problem.

[mjb447]

1 SA, 7 moot courts, 11 pro bonos, and 20 law school classes! Kid has it all!

Those are rookie numbers!

[quiver]

I actually think it's very normal for people to think they'll like appellate. (Some of us do actually like it, Nebby.) It is a good match for nerdy introverts (as an appellate lawyer said to me once, appellate lawyers don't get out much), and then of course people think they want it because they think it's all like arguing in front of SCOTUS.

There are lots of AMAZING things in what OP is saying, but that they think they'll like appellate isn't one of them.

I think 95% of people who say they like it will be because of bolded, which is why I chuckle

And everyone here laughs at people who think they want to do environmental law, too.

I'm not sure what your point is here, Nony. I think those are pretty analogous situations; 95% of people on here who want "environmental law" think about saving trees and animals and not the ins and outs of CERCLA or admin law.

In any case, wanting appellate law is pretty low on the list of OP's issues right now.