Public Interest 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences... Forum

[BlueLotus]

Looks like I'll be working weekends for the duration of the summer. Ah well, at least I'm getting paid, but dang, I did not expect such a daunting caseload as an intern!

[sd5289]

Been getting out early for a while (this is not the job to gun for as they don't hire directly out of law school...I gunned for the job last summer, which I'm applying to as soon as this one is over). Been enjoying the freedom as we've been prepping for trial (especially with World Cup on). Was told point blank today "it's been easy with me, right?" Me: "yessir." Him: "good because when trial starts, we all be sleeping here."

*welp*

[samcro_op]

Been getting out early for a while (this is not the job to gun for as they don't hire directly out of law school...I gunned for the job last summer, which I'm applying to as soon as this one is over). Been enjoying the freedom as we've been prepping for trial (especially with World Cup on). Was told point blank today "it's been easy with me, right?" Me: "yessir." Him: "good because when trial starts, we all be sleeping here."

*welp*

Sounds exciting though!

[BlueLotus]

Been getting out early for a while (this is not the job to gun for as they don't hire directly out of law school...I gunned for the job last summer, which I'm applying to as soon as this one is over). Been enjoying the freedom as we've been prepping for trial (especially with World Cup on). Was told point blank today "it's been easy with me, right?" Me: "yessir." Him: "good because when trial starts, we all be sleeping here."

*welp*

Sounds exciting though!

+1. T-3 weeks till my first trial ever.

[gr8scOtt!]

Been getting out early for a while (this is not the job to gun for as they don't hire directly out of law school...I gunned for the job last summer, which I'm applying to as soon as this one is over). Been enjoying the freedom as we've been prepping for trial (especially with World Cup on). Was told point blank today "it's been easy with me, right?" Me: "yessir." Him: "good because when trial starts, we all be sleeping here."

*welp*

Sounds exciting though!

+1. T-3 weeks till my first trial ever.

Good luck!!!

[Anonymous User]

State AG summer clerk here. I do death penalty appellate work. Shit's crazy. I'll never see the inside of a courtroom this summer, but I sure read some awesome trials. I'm using anon because there are some people tend to get intense about this work. It's a very small world of lawyers.

[Tanicius]

State AG summer clerk here. I do death penalty appellate work. Shit's crazy. I'll never see the inside of a courtroom this summer, but I sure read some awesome trials. I'm using anon because there are some people tend to get intense about this work. It's a very small world of lawyers.

You'll learn a lot, keep at it. Everyone who plans to do criminal work should at least get some cursory exposure to appeals so they see where the important mistakes, both rhetorical and legal, are most commonly made. Nothing quite gives you a sense of how lost and asleep a lawyer can sound than a closing argument transcript that lasts a hundred pages.

[Anonymous User]

You'll learn a lot, keep at it. Everyone who plans to do criminal work should at least get some cursory exposure to appeals so they see where the important mistakes, both rhetorical and legal, are most commonly made. Nothing quite gives you a sense of how lost and asleep a lawyer can sound than a closing argument transcript that lasts a hundred pages.

Thanks. Also, I am amazed that no one thinks to offer law students a primer course on forensic science, particularly DNA. I mean, DNA comes up a lot at trials, doesn't it? I've seen it in almost every case I've done, and I've heard the other clerks in other criminal appeals areas mention it before.

[Tanicius]

You'll learn a lot, keep at it. Everyone who plans to do criminal work should at least get some cursory exposure to appeals so they see where the important mistakes, both rhetorical and legal, are most commonly made. Nothing quite gives you a sense of how lost and asleep a lawyer can sound than a closing argument transcript that lasts a hundred pages.

Thanks. Also, I am amazed that no one thinks to offer law students a primer course on forensic science, particularly DNA. I mean, DNA comes up a lot at trials, doesn't it? I've seen it in almost every case I've done, and I've heard the other clerks in other criminal appeals areas mention it before.

There are some specialty courses at law school for this type of thing. Generally you learn it from CLEs when you're on the job. It's not uncommon for each office to have a resident DNA/forensic science guru that gets passed all the tough DNA cases.

[sd5289]

State AG summer clerk here. I do death penalty appellate work. Shit's crazy. I'll never see the inside of a courtroom this summer, but I sure read some awesome trials. I'm using anon because there are some people tend to get intense about this work. It's a very small world of lawyers.

You'll learn a lot, keep at it. Everyone who plans to do criminal work should at least get some cursory exposure to appeals so they see where the important mistakes, both rhetorical and legal, are most commonly made. Nothing quite gives you a sense of how lost and asleep a lawyer can sound than a closing argument transcript that lasts a hundred pages.

Truth. I did appeals work during 2L, and it was an invaluable learning experience re. what not to do during trials.

[LSL]

Updates! How is everyone's summer going?

[sd5289]

On trial,
crazy busy always,
here's a haiku.

[Tanicius]

On trial,
crazy busy always,
here's a haiku.

I would hope you're busy if you're on trial. How scary, fingers crossed you're not found liable.

[Merylian]

What is everyone doing this summer as our private-practice counterparts prepare bid lists and mass mail (or for you rising 3Ls, what did you do last summer)? I'm loving my job, and I already know what sort of work I want to aim for for next summer, and the deadlines for various applications...but not doing much while they're prepping hard for OCI is giving me some anxiety.

[FlanAl]

What is everyone doing this summer as our private-practice counterparts prepare bid lists and mass mail (or for you rising 3Ls, what did you do last summer)? I'm loving my job, and I already know what sort of work I want to aim for for next summer, and the deadlines for various applications...but not doing much while they're prepping hard for OCI is giving me some anxiety.

As a disclaimer I didn't do any of the things I am recommending and I will have a PI job in the fall, but I feel like if I had done these things I would have been way less stressed out.

I would try to get your cover letter and resume down pat. Every year I told myself I would do this and then didn't, once classes started up working all of the kinks out always took longer than expected and I was applying to places later than I wanted.

If the places you are thinking about are in your area you may want to contact them directly to see if you can interview now before you head back to school to save you the transportation back and forth and also maybe save you going to EJW etc..

Look into summer stipend scholarships or whatever and start working with career services on how to apply to them.

I would also do research into other areas related to your job that you might not know about in order to cast a wider net. I wanted to be a public defender but had no idea that family court removal hearings, juvenile delinquencies, parol and probation hearings and immigration removal hearings etc. were not under the PD umbrella in a lot of states. Although they weren't 100% crim defense they were definitely related to what I wanted to do overall and I wish I had known about the opportunities earlier on in law school.

BUT most importantly RELAX and enjoy your limited time off.

[Anonymous User]

Didn't know this existed.

Practicing on behalf of my jurisdiction pursuant to the 2L rule, and my supervisor is extremely hands-off. At this point I've handled dozens of cases and finally got the hang of it...no moot court or mock trial or anything, and this place was awesome enough to give me a shot.

I'm approaching the home stretch in about a week or two, but it feels good to finally know exactly what I want to do. Hopefully someone will be willing to hire me.

[Holly Golightly]

I somehow didn't know PSJD existed until a few months ago, so if you are looking for PI jobs/internships, sign up and set up alerts immediately. Way more valuable than symplicity for PI jobs, IMO

[kay2016]

What is everyone doing this summer as our private-practice counterparts prepare bid lists and mass mail (or for you rising 3Ls, what did you do last summer)? I'm loving my job, and I already know what sort of work I want to aim for for next summer, and the deadlines for various applications...but not doing much while they're prepping hard for OCI is giving me some anxiety.

Stating to get the anxiety too...

[Nebby]

I'm prepping for OCI and building my bidlist during my free-time at work.

[Merylian]

As a disclaimer I didn't do any of the things I am recommending and I will have a PI job in the fall, but I feel like if I had done these things I would have been way less stressed out.

I would try to get your cover letter and resume down pat. Every year I told myself I would do this and then didn't, once classes started up working all of the kinks out always took longer than expected and I was applying to places later than I wanted.

If the places you are thinking about are in your area you may want to contact them directly to see if you can interview now before you head back to school to save you the transportation back and forth and also maybe save you going to EJW etc..

Look into summer stipend scholarships or whatever and start working with career services on how to apply to them.

I would also do research into other areas related to your job that you might not know about in order to cast a wider net. I wanted to be a public defender but had no idea that family court removal hearings, juvenile delinquencies, parol and probation hearings and immigration removal hearings etc. were not under the PD umbrella in a lot of states. Although they weren't 100% crim defense they were definitely related to what I wanted to do overall and I wish I had known about the opportunities earlier on in law school.

BUT most importantly RELAX and enjoy your limited time off.

Thanks for this! Some of it I've already been doing, and some I can definitely work on. I'm just glad the answer was not "OMG you idiot you should have been doing [xxxxxxxx] for the last four weeks."

[sd5289]

What is everyone doing this summer as our private-practice counterparts prepare bid lists and mass mail (or for you rising 3Ls, what did you do last summer)? I'm loving my job, and I already know what sort of work I want to aim for for next summer, and the deadlines for various applications...but not doing much while they're prepping hard for OCI is giving me some anxiety.

Depends on what you really want to do post-graduation. I knew for a fact that I had zero interest in private practice/Biglaw (even before starting law school), so I did not bid on OCI as a rising 2L. Ironically, I've bid on OCI spots for local District Attorney's offices as a rising 3L because it's easier to knock that first round interview out during OCI (the DA's offices have anywhere from 3-4 "rounds," so I'll just be getting started with the hiring process). I don't normally recommend not doing OCI because I think a lot of people aren't 100% sure what they want to do, so it doesn't hurt to bid. However, if you are in that small minority of people who knows they have zero interest in firm work (I was one of those), then it's kind of a waste of time IMO. OCI advocates like to say that it's "good interviewing experience," BUT the kind of interviewing you do at OCI is generally not at all like the kind of interviewing you do for PI/Gov't jobs. In that respect, I think it's minimally helpful if at all.

The other suggestion I'd make is to get on top of the websites for the organizations you conceivably want to work for during your 2L summer. The office I'm at right now had a September deadline (it was my top choice for this summer). It was so early that I actually was scheduled for an interview and got an offer before any other jobs I was possibly interested in opened up. So make sure you do that in order to not miss an early deadline.

[KibblesnBitts]

What is everyone doing this summer as our private-practice counterparts prepare bid lists and mass mail (or for you rising 3Ls, what did you do last summer)? I'm loving my job, and I already know what sort of work I want to aim for for next summer, and the deadlines for various applications...but not doing much while they're prepping hard for OCI is giving me some anxiety.

Stating to get the anxiety too...

Some of our OCI is PI, and I'm doing everything I can to get OCI Bids from them. Anxiety is universal regardless of private vs. PI.

[BrokenMouse]

lol

[objctnyrhnr]

someone please remind me why the f Im doing PI law again?

cause it's more fun

[anon sequitur]

I was 99% set on PI before school, but did OCI at my t14 anyway. Really regret it, it was an unpleasant experience. Pretending to be interested in jobs you think you would hate but would consider because of money is difficult to do, and unless you are really good at hiding your true attitudes, easy to see through.