UG Summer Internships Forum

[swag]

Did a search and couldn't find anything, and I hope this is in the right forum.

I'm currently a junior in undergrad hoping to go to one of the lower T14s (ideally UVA because of location). I've been lurking and posting sporadically for a while, so I understand that admission is primarily a numbers game; let's just assume my numbers are at or above median for these schools (taking the LSAT in June and my GPA is good...enough).

Here's my concern for this summer, from both an admissions standpoint and an employment standpoint once I'm out of LS:

Should I take a prestigious legal internship for the summer OR work an internship in my field of study/probable law concentration?

Through family, I have the chance to do a research internship with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of a certain southeastern state. This is obviously a great opportunity and relevant to law school. I've also however interviewed and continue to interview for internships with companies relevant to my major (I'm a finance major, so companies like B of A, GE Capital, Merrill Lynch, etc). Which, if either, would mean more to a law school admissions committee? Which would mean more to an employer once 1L internships roll around and beyond?

As a final note, understand that I am fairly dedicated to law school, but I also have no experience with the legal field and would like to explore it before committing completely.

[Swimp]

Did a search and couldn't find anything, and I hope this is in the right forum.

I'm currently a junior in undergrad hoping to go to one of the lower T14s (ideally UVA because of location). I've been lurking and posting sporadically for a while, so I understand that admission is primarily a numbers game; let's just assume my numbers are at or above median for these schools (taking the LSAT in June and my GPA is good...enough).

Here's my concern for this summer, from both an admissions standpoint and an employment standpoint once I'm out of LS:

Should I take a prestigious legal internship for the summer OR work an internship in my field of study/probable law concentration?

Through family, I have the chance to do a research internship with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of a certain southeastern state. This is obviously a great opportunity and relevant to law school. I've also however interviewed and continue to interview for internships with companies relevant to my major (I'm a finance major, so companies like B of A, GE Capital, Merrill Lynch, etc). Which, if either, would mean more to a law school admissions committee? Which would mean more to an employer once 1L internships roll around and beyond?

As a final note, understand that I am fairly dedicated to law school, but I also have no experience with the legal field and would like to explore it before committing completely.

It almost certainly doesn't matter. The only thing I can possibly imagine in favor of the judge is possible mentorship/recommendations down the road? But you have a solid family connection to this guy somehow, so you could always go back and work for him after 1L or something. Either way you go is solid, and neither will make any discernible difference on an app.

[gunner3]

I was in a similar situation. I interned at GS/JPM. The advice I received was that it doesn't matter. It may help distinguish yourself in that not many law students have internships at banks, but I have been told it doesn't help with admissions at all and may help at OCI. If you already have connections in the legal world, why not do the banking internship to gain other connections and experience?

[Swimp]

Honestly, what OP should do is take the investment banking internship, try to turn that into a job when he/she graduates, and then work for a couple years and see how law school sounds then.

[2014]

Whichever pays more

[Swimp]

Whichever pays more

lol @ paid internships. It's 2012.

[M458]

Whichever pays more

lol @ paid internships. It's 2012.

Yes, it is indeed 2012...and? It's a finance internship; it is almost guaranteed to be paid. And even if that's not the case with this specific internship, there are plenty of internships that are paid.

[swag]

Whichever pays more

Funny that you mention it, because that's actually an issue. The banking internships would be paid, the judicial internship may not be (I haven't heard back for sure). While I can live off of my parents if need be, I would prefer to make a little money.

Honestly, what OP should do is take the investment banking internship, try to turn that into a job when he/she graduates, and then work for a couple years and see how law school sounds then.

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong, but the thing is I've always wanted to go to law school. I'm still operating under the assumption that I am going. Banking is my backup if I choose not to. But why would I go into either without a glimpse of daily work life? Since law school is my priority, should I not try that out first? I realize that a banking internship may be more "practical" and would look better to corporate firms, but I want to try law if for nothing else than to see if that's really where my passion is.

Thanks to everyone else for your responses.

[FlanAl]

kids who had finance work experience seemed to really do well at OCI. Its really difficult to have any idea what a big firm does and basically no one gets to work for one their 1L summer. The banking stuff gives you some idea and something to talk about in interviews. I'd save interning for the judge until your 1L summer or the summer before you go to law school.

[swag]

New idea: what if I could swing a part-time internship at a small investment banking/wealth management firm here in town during the spring semester and then do the judicial work this summer? The low-key finance internship might not be Goldman Sachs, but it should get my feet wet in both.

Thoughts?

[SaintsTheMetal]

New idea: what if I could swing a part-time internship at a small investment banking/wealth management firm here in town during the spring semester and then do the judicial work this summer? The low-key finance internship might not be Goldman Sachs, but it should get my feet wet in both.

Thoughts?

working for the judge might help more if you want to clerk down the road, or for some PI positions.

If you're more interested in Biglaw, take the internship at goldman.

[dextermorgan]

Do the finance internship. You might actually learn something.

[txdude45]

Take the finance internship. It's a helluva lot harder to get a bulge bracket job without an internship with those companies than it is to get into a decent law school. If you don't go to an Ivy school, or another place that tends to pipeline into the street, your best chance at a bulge bracket job is an internship. They seldom look to non-ivies to fill extra full-time positions in the fall and even then there are only a handful of them. I go to an Ivy and my friends were all applying to the same 5-6 jobs.

I don't know your numbers, but if you think you can get into T-14 w/ then run to wall street and make some money. Unless you're the worst intern they've ever seen, you'll leave w/ an offer. Downside is that you'll almost certainly have to sign your contract before you hear from any law schools. This is the problem I ran into, but opted for a JD(possibly JD/MBA). You'll have a decision to make come October, but it'll be a good predicament to be in if your numbers are as good as you say.