1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[dakatz]

If you applied to only big city judges, then it is MUCH more competitive and you are less likely to get anything.

Pretty credited. I went after NYC and the clerks made it sound like they were absolutely flooded with applications from students.

Yeah, I asked an NYC clerk for a magistrate judge, not even a fed district judge, and he said they got like 600 applications.

jesus......

With the number of law schools in NY, and the number of students who want to go to NY for the summer, you can see how fast it adds up. Columbia, NYU, Cornell, Fordham, Cardozo, Brooklyn, Hofstra, St. Johns, Pace, Tauro, CUNY, Seton Hall, Rutgers-Newark, Albany, New York Law School, and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. No wonder all my NY applications vanished into a black hole.

[stayway]

Question:

I got a 1L SA gig in another country. Whats your opinion on this? I'm probably going to take the offer because I have no other options. Just wondering if this would help/hurt my chances at getting a 2L SA position in the States.

[Helmholtz]

With the number of law schools in NY, and the number of students who want to go to NY for the summer, you can see how fast it adds up. Columbia, NYU, Cornell, Fordham, Cardozo, Brooklyn, Hofstra, St. Johns, Pace, Tauro, CUNY, Seton Hall, Rutgers-Newark, Albany, New York Law School, and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. No wonder all my NY applications vanished into a black hole.

Yeah, I have no doubt that they get that many; it's a little overwhelming to think about though. I don't know what I was thinking by waiting until the very end of holiday break to start sending things out. Phone interviews are brutal.

[keg411]

Just got the rejection phone call from my dream firm. For anyone interested, T2 with good grades. Got invited for the CB a week and a half ago, rejected tonight.

They took two people, they told me if either had rejected the offer I was next in line, hence why they called me instead of emailing. They encouraged me to apply next year, which I'll definitely be doing. God, this sucks though.

Edit: dream firm is a high paying boutique

Sorry you didn't get the job . But look on the bright side; it sounds like they liked you enough to call you and tell you where you stood. Sounds like you have a great chance for next year, though!

[romothesavior]

Just got the rejection phone call from my dream firm. For anyone interested, T2 with good grades. Got invited for the CB a week and a half ago, rejected tonight.

They took two people, they told me if either had rejected the offer I was next in line, hence why they called me instead of emailing. They encouraged me to apply next year, which I'll definitely be doing. God, this sucks though.

Edit: dream firm is a high paying boutique

Sorry you didn't get the job . But look on the bright side; it sounds like they liked you enough to call you and tell you where you stood. Sounds like you have a great chance for next year, though!

I second this. They obviously want you beach terror, they just didn't have a slot. I think if you can keep your grades up, you will be in outstanding shape for next year.

[snowpeach06]

Question:

I got a 1L SA gig in another country. Whats your opinion on this? I'm probably going to take the offer because I have no other options. Just wondering if this would help/hurt my chances at getting a 2L SA position in the States.

Depends perhaps if it's an American firm abroad or just a foreign firm. I'd imagine legal research and writing is the same everywhere though.

[stayway]

Question:

I got a 1L SA gig in another country. Whats your opinion on this? I'm probably going to take the offer because I have no other options. Just wondering if this would help/hurt my chances at getting a 2L SA position in the States.

Depends perhaps if it's an American firm abroad or just a foreign firm. I'd imagine legal research and writing is the same everywhere though.

I might be overthinking this. The firm has bunch of lawyers who used to be partners at US Biglaw firms. and they do use american databases (i.e. Lexis). Oh and its a foreign firm with international and domestic clients.

[keg411]

Question:

I got a 1L SA gig in another country. Whats your opinion on this? I'm probably going to take the offer because I have no other options. Just wondering if this would help/hurt my chances at getting a 2L SA position in the States.

Depends perhaps if it's an American firm abroad or just a foreign firm. I'd imagine legal research and writing is the same everywhere though.

I might be overthinking this. The firm has bunch of lawyers who used to be partners at US Biglaw firms. and they do use american databases (i.e. Lexis). Oh and its a foreign firm with international and domestic clients.

Take it, hopefully get a permanent offer, become an ex-pat. There are worse things.

Part of me wants to get one of the Magic Circle firm jobs next year so I can move to London eventually (/massive wishful thinking)

[snowpeach06]

I'd kill to live in London for a few years. If i get a paying job this summer, I'm taking a week off and using the money to go to London.

Anyway, what are everyones thoughts about the personal questions "how did you get to where you are?" "I saw you were on this journal, how did it prepare you for your job?" Is it just sucking up?

[BarbellDreams]

I'd kill to live in London for a few years. If i get a paying job this summer, I'm taking a week off and using the money to go to London.

Anyway, what are everyones thoughts about the personal questions "how did you get to where you are?" "I saw you were on this journal, how did it prepare you for your job?" Is it just sucking up?

I have a friend who is a partner at a V100 and his advice was to not force things like this into the conversation. If it somehow comes up thats fine, but the majority of personal non-firm related questions will sound forced and likely won't give you anything and may even put some people off.

On a somewhat similar topic, I also asked him about those attorney networking events and he laughed and said that most attorneys go to those because it makes the firm look good, not because they want to. Out of every event he has ever been to he said he forgot the names of every single student he spoke with upon leaving the building and generally got pretty sick of the massive sucking up that those events are generally made for.

[snowpeach06]

I'd kill to live in London for a few years. If i get a paying job this summer, I'm taking a week off and using the money to go to London.

Anyway, what are everyones thoughts about the personal questions "how did you get to where you are?" "I saw you were on this journal, how did it prepare you for your job?" Is it just sucking up?

I have a friend who is a partner at a V100 and his advice was to not force things like this into the conversation. If it somehow comes up thats fine, but the majority of personal non-firm related questions will sound forced and likely won't give you anything and may even put some people off.

On a somewhat similar topic, I also asked him about those attorney networking events and he laughed and said that most attorneys go to those because it makes the firm look good, not because they want to. Out of every event he has ever been to he said he forgot the names of every single student he spoke with upon leaving the building and generally got pretty sick of the massive sucking up that those events are generally made for.

It's odd because I actually did a mock interview with the guy who is interviewing me tomorrow. He said my mock interview was great, except that I didnt' ask enough firm-specific questions. I'm not sure if this time he's going to ask me the same things he asked at the mock interview, since technically he already asked me those things, or if we're just going to have a conversation. Or if he will ask me them again because he forgot, and because there will be another interviewer there. I guess I just wasn't sure what qualified as firm-specific questions.

[Anonymous User]

I'm starting to get worried I won't have anything for this summer after 1L. Only about 3 of my applications haven't been rejected yet and I still have no interviews. I didn't apply to firms because I wanted Public Interest work, but still... Did I do something wrong? I assume it's too late to try a letter writing campaign to local firms.

Apply to everything.

Do not go into this with "I only want X or Y"

I only wanted a firm job; I sent out 50 apps to firm, prepared 200+ for judges, and another 25+ for fed agencies.

You have to be very accommodating.

Seems that half my problem, evidently, is that I'm not sending out enough applications. How do you all manage to re-tailor your cover letter for so many applications?

[JazzOne]

I'd kill to live in London for a few years. If i get a paying job this summer, I'm taking a week off and using the money to go to London.

Anyway, what are everyones thoughts about the personal questions "how did you get to where you are?" "I saw you were on this journal, how did it prepare you for your job?" Is it just sucking up?

I have a friend who is a partner at a V100 and his advice was to not force things like this into the conversation. If it somehow comes up thats fine, but the majority of personal non-firm related questions will sound forced and likely won't give you anything and may even put some people off.

On a somewhat similar topic, I also asked him about those attorney networking events and he laughed and said that most attorneys go to those because it makes the firm look good, not because they want to. Out of every event he has ever been to he said he forgot the names of every single student he spoke with upon leaving the building and generally got pretty sick of the massive sucking up that those events are generally made for.

It's odd because I actually did a mock interview with the guy who is interviewing me tomorrow. He said my mock interview was great, except that I didnt' ask enough firm-specific questions. I'm not sure if this time he's going to ask me the same things he asked at the mock interview, since technically he already asked me those things, or if we're just going to have a conversation. Or if he will ask me them again because he forgot, and because there will be another interviewer there. I guess I just wasn't sure what qualified as firm-specific questions.

Are you a reader or a listener?

[Grizz]

Seems that half my problem, evidently, is that I'm not sending out enough applications. How do you all manage to re-tailor your cover letter for so many applications?

Stop being lazy

[snowpeach06]

I'd kill to live in London for a few years. If i get a paying job this summer, I'm taking a week off and using the money to go to London.

Anyway, what are everyones thoughts about the personal questions "how did you get to where you are?" "I saw you were on this journal, how did it prepare you for your job?" Is it just sucking up?

I have a friend who is a partner at a V100 and his advice was to not force things like this into the conversation. If it somehow comes up thats fine, but the majority of personal non-firm related questions will sound forced and likely won't give you anything and may even put some people off.

On a somewhat similar topic, I also asked him about those attorney networking events and he laughed and said that most attorneys go to those because it makes the firm look good, not because they want to. Out of every event he has ever been to he said he forgot the names of every single student he spoke with upon leaving the building and generally got pretty sick of the massive sucking up that those events are generally made for.

It's odd because I actually did a mock interview with the guy who is interviewing me tomorrow. He said my mock interview was great, except that I didnt' ask enough firm-specific questions. I'm not sure if this time he's going to ask me the same things he asked at the mock interview, since technically he already asked me those things, or if we're just going to have a conversation. Or if he will ask me them again because he forgot, and because there will be another interviewer there. I guess I just wasn't sure what qualified as firm-specific questions.

Are you a reader or a listener?

Both.

[BarbellDreams]

Just had an interview with dream firm. Went about as well as I could imagine. Only problem is they have like 25 people they are interviewing for 1-2 spots. Blah!

[phonepro]

hurry.. good questions to ask state judge. lol

[snowpeach06]

hurry.. good questions to ask state judge. lol

Maybe who their favorite Justice is so you can get a sense of how they think? No idea.

Anyway... extremely odd interview this morning. I don't think I impressed upon them why someone with a government based resume would want to work at a firm, and got grilled about red tape in government and con law. The entire time I clearly just sounded flustered, confused and like I was spewing nonsense. Still, they seemed to like me as a person. As i left he said something about even if not this year, there is always next year. So, i don't even know. I have another interview this afternoon with PI, and I'm hoping not to let all my worries about this interview effect that one. I also probably for that question need to come up with an answer about who my favorite judge is.

[JazzOne]

hurry.. good questions to ask state judge. lol

Maybe who their favorite Justice is so you can get a sense of how they think? No idea.

Anyway... extremely odd interview this morning. I don't think I impressed upon them why someone with a government based resume would want to work at a firm, and got grilled about red tape in government and con law. The entire time I clearly just sounded flustered, confused and like I was spewing nonsense. Still, they seemed to like me as a person. As i left he said something about even if not this year, there is always next year. So, i don't even know. I have another interview this afternoon with PI, and I'm hoping not to let all my worries about this interview effect that one. I also probably for that question need to come up with an answer about who my favorite judge is.

Don't be a wet rag. If you want a firm or a PI group to trust you with millions of dollars on the line or someone's freedom, you have to be a professional. You have to act the part. You must inspire confidence. You can't come away thinking, "I sounded like an idiot." Don't sound like an idiot. Give thoughtful answers to everything. Act like you're mature enough to be responsible for someone's freedom.

I asked if you were a reader or a listener because I am a reader. I had to type out some good answers to interview questions before I felt comfortable in the interview. Improvising is not my forte, but if you give me time to come up with an answer, I can think of something clever. Once I figured out that my interview skills sucked, I prepared for the next one more carefully, and I got the job.

[snowpeach06]

hurry.. good questions to ask state judge. lol

Maybe who their favorite Justice is so you can get a sense of how they think? No idea.

Anyway... extremely odd interview this morning. I don't think I impressed upon them why someone with a government based resume would want to work at a firm, and got grilled about red tape in government and con law. The entire time I clearly just sounded flustered, confused and like I was spewing nonsense. Still, they seemed to like me as a person. As i left he said something about even if not this year, there is always next year. So, i don't even know. I have another interview this afternoon with PI, and I'm hoping not to let all my worries about this interview effect that one. I also probably for that question need to come up with an answer about who my favorite judge is.

Don't be a wet rag. If you want a firm or a PI group to trust you with millions of dollars on the line or someone's freedom, you have to be a professional. You have to act the part.

It's not like I was trying to act unprofessional. I tried my hardest to be. I'm just not sure if my efforts worked or not.

[JazzOne]

hurry.. good questions to ask state judge. lol

Maybe who their favorite Justice is so you can get a sense of how they think? No idea.

Anyway... extremely odd interview this morning. I don't think I impressed upon them why someone with a government based resume would want to work at a firm, and got grilled about red tape in government and con law. The entire time I clearly just sounded flustered, confused and like I was spewing nonsense. Still, they seemed to like me as a person. As i left he said something about even if not this year, there is always next year. So, i don't even know. I have another interview this afternoon with PI, and I'm hoping not to let all my worries about this interview effect that one. I also probably for that question need to come up with an answer about who my favorite judge is.

Don't be a wet rag. If you want a firm or a PI group to trust you with millions of dollars on the line or someone's freedom, you have to be a professional. You have to act the part.

It's not like I was trying to act unprofessional. I tried my hardest to be. I'm just not sure if my efforts worked or not.

I added some more details above. I wasn't suggesting that it was a lack of trying. I'm just giving advice based on my experience. I misunderstood what the point of the interview was. Once I reoriented my thinking, I started having a lot more success. Just remember, you're going to be asked tough questions by a judge someday. And if you come across as unconfident, your client will suffer. Put on your poker face and pretend like you've never done before.

[snowpeach06]

I added some more details above. I wasn't suggesting that it was a lack of trying. I'm just giving advice based on my experience. I misunderstood what the point of the interview was. Once I reoriented my thinking, I started having a lot more success. Just remember, you're going to be asked tough questions by a judge someday. And if you come across as unconfident, your client will suffer. Put on your poker face and pretend like you've never done before.

I always write down my answers to the questions I think I'll be asked. I'm working on that for my interview this afternoon. I was sort of assuming the point of an interview, at least for a firm is "do the attorneys like you and will you fit in." So I try to be confident, charismatic and nice. But, I think this has called attention to my clear lack of knowledge of con law. And I def. used a poker face, but, given that she was on the UVA Law and Politics journal, I don't think she bought what I was selling. That is all. But, I do appreciate the help.

[phonepro]

Seems that half my problem, evidently, is that I'm not sending out enough applications. How do you all manage to re-tailor your cover letter for so many applications?

Stop being lazy

I only had 2 cover letters. One for judges, and one for everything else (firms, in house, etc..). I changed one sentence depending on the type of job. I got 6 interviews so far and i go to a T2. Probably not the best advice, but worked for me...

I also have legal WE, so thats what took up most of the CL, and didn't change.

[ndirish2010]

Finally got a job! I'll be interning for a state court of appeals judge. Was about my ninth interview, mostly with judges ranging from Federal District Court to state trial judges. Thrilled to be done with the process until OCI.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how much of $36K a SA keeps after taxes?