Summer law internship for 2015 after graduating frm undergrd Forum

[lschool?]

I'm going into my senior year of undergrad and am undecided about law school. I'm looking for advice on how to get an internship after graduation - summer and maybe beyond in a law firm mid size to large firm with no connections in the Seattle or Portland area.

Also could use advice on the applying for law school process and timeline if I decide after doing an internship that I want to go to law school.

Thanks!

[malleus discentium]

0Ls aren't allowed to post here I know, but I'll respond before it gets moved. The Seattle market is very tough to enter without ties. It might be different for nonattorney positions, but it's worth keeping in mind if you're planning to work there after law school (if you're not going to attend law school there).

As for getting an "internship," just apply for paralegalesque positions that don't require previous law experience. The ideal track for you would be to work there part-time this school year and then full time for a least a year after you graduate. Being a KJD isn't the best and two years of WE will be helpful at OCI.

[Skool]

Look for undergraduate internships at non-profit public interest firms. They almost all have summer programs and you'll get to meet 1L and 2L law students summering there. They usually have summer programs for law students (depositions 101, prison to school pipe line 101, etc.) that you can sit in on and learn. There will be plenty of law students and lawyers to speak with. It's a good way to start making connections too.

Your work won't be that interesting (making copies, running to pick up transcripts at the court house), but it will be a good intro to legal offices. It will also be unpaid, but thems the brakes.

[lschool?]

Thanks for answering; your answers really help! I didn't know about the 0L posting thing. I go to school in Spokane, so can't work in Seattle during school year. Do you have any idea where to find those type of positions since I have no connections? Like job boards or Craigslist or are there job listings for law positions?

Also, I'm feeling better about not rushing into law school...KJD and want to find out what type of law I'd be interested in or if I want to pursue something else. But what is OCI?
Thanks for your help!

For the nonprofit public interest firms, do you have any specific nonprofits in Seattle or know where I would find those type of job listings? I know that most opportunities would be unpaid or paid little; right now I volunteer at a crisis hotline, work with juveniles in the court system, and do a Head Start job shadow, but all those opportunities came through professors I have in Spokane. In Seattle, it would all me finding the opportunities. Thank you!!

[Skool]

Off the top of my head: ACLU of Washington and Washington Appellate Project. They both do really good work and are the kinds of places you'd like to intern if you ever make it to Law School. Also, some of the public defender associations might take on undergrads. The guiding principle is orgs that are broke and understaffed.

I would google around, look and see if there's any umbrella network in Seattle that has a massive list of member public interest firms. Some of the local law schools might have these firms collected somewhere on their websites. If not, just go one by one on google searches and keep a spreadsheet. Also try idealist.

If there aren't any formal intern programs listed (either summer or term) don't be deterred. Send an email to their general info box and ask for opportunities for whatever time you're available. Some places might not usually take undergrads, but they will if there is a specific one off project that needs doing.

[sublime]

..

[malleus discentium]

Thanks for answering; your answers really help! I didn't know about the 0L posting thing. I go to school in Spokane, so can't work in Seattle during school year. Do you have any idea where to find those type of positions since I have no connections? Like job boards or Craigslist or are there job listings for law positions?

Also, I'm feeling better about not rushing into law school...KJD and want to find out what type of law I'd be interested in or if I want to pursue something else. But what is OCI?
Thanks for your help!

For the nonprofit public interest firms, do you have any specific nonprofits in Seattle or know where I would find those type of job listings? I know that most opportunities would be unpaid or paid little; right now I volunteer at a crisis hotline, work with juveniles in the court system, and do a Head Start job shadow, but all those opportunities came through professors I have in Spokane. In Seattle, it would all me finding the opportunities. Thank you!!

Oh, are you from Washington already? Then you should be good on ties for Seattle, I suspect. OCI = on-campus interviews. It's called different things at different schools, but it refers to the time when a bunch of law firms come to campus after 1L summer and interview people to offer them 2L summer SAs and subsequent full-time employment after graduation.

[Young Marino]

For the most part, it's going to be easier to find a public sector opportunity. I interned at my local DA's office and loved it after undergrad. They actually had me do some interesting work that wasn't just making copies, etc. I typed up a few memos, wrote questions out for witnesses and sat next to the ADA almost everyday in court. Anything you can do to establish a network and get your foot in the door is what u should be aiming for. Idk how it is in Seattle but in my city, it was tough to get something with firms or even solo practitioners. Seems like they had no interest in giving a 0L a shot