The Official 1L Summer Employment Thread - 2012 Edition Forum

[Bildungsroman]

Interview email for US AO. How selective are they? Anyone know how many people they interview relative to how many applicants actually selected?

Depends on your district, but mostly very competitive and probably one of the most prestigious things you can do for 1L.

The email suggests that I schedule a time to interview before Christmas. Also, it implied I should interview even during finals. Moreover, they want me to bring a transcript from college. Should I interview ASAP despite finals? The office is 3 hours away. And, do they select one 1L's before grades?

Are you willing to say which office it is? I applied to 2 USAO offices and am eager to see which offices are already setting up interviews.

[kaiser]

Absolutely NOTHING should take precedence to finals. DO NOT schedule an interview in the middle of finals. You could have the best 1L summer job imaginable, but if your grades aren't stellar, it won't matter come OCI. Grades and finals should be your focus right now, with 1L summer jobs a distant second.

[Anonymous User]

Interview email for US AO. How selective are they? Anyone know how many people they interview relative to how many applicants actually selected?

Depends on your district, but mostly very competitive and probably one of the most prestigious things you can do for 1L.

The email suggests that I schedule a time to interview before Christmas. Also, it implied I should interview even during finals. Moreover, they want me to bring a transcript from college. Should I interview ASAP despite finals? The office is 3 hours away. And, do they select one 1L's before grades?

Are you willing to say which office it is? I applied to 2 USAO offices and am eager to see which offices are already setting up interviews.

Midwest area.

[minuit]

got an offer on the spot with a federal district judge today... FLIPPING OUT

That is so awesome, congrats!! I can't even send my application to the federal district here until february 1st.. it sucks.

Thanks! I couldn't find any information about hiring practices for 1Ls for the districts in FL, so I figured December 1st was probably the default. February would stress me out!

This was quite a (very welcome) distraction to my studying today... gotta get back on track now though!

[ran12]

By rejected I just mean they told me their classes were full.
And they were biglaw.

How are their classes full on the first day? Looks like they found who they wanted rather quickly without going through interviews/CBs.

Classes are full b/c 1Ls w/ connections had the SA in hand way before Dec. 1. The vast majority of 1L spots were already gone by today.

[thelaststraw05]

By rejected I just mean they told me their classes were full.
And they were biglaw.

How are their classes full on the first day? Looks like they found who they wanted rather quickly without going through interviews/CBs.

Classes are full b/c 1Ls w/ connections had the SA in hand way before Dec. 1. The vast majority of 1L spots were already gone by today.

Ummm. Their classes are likely full because they filled them with 2Ls, not because they violated NALP guidelines.

[Anonymous User]

Did any other 1L's receive emails today from some NALP firms inviting them to 1L receptions over winter break? I received invites at 3 firms for receptions where they will have cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to meet associates in the hiring committee.
Is this commonplace?

[thelaststraw05]

Did any other 1L's receive emails today from some NALP firms inviting them to 1L receptions over winter break? I received invites at 3 firms for receptions where they will have cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to meet associates in the hiring committee.
Is this commonplace?

Yes. Our OCP put together an email list of 1Ls for firms to contact if they wanted it.

[masterthearts]

.

[Anonymous User]

Did any other 1L's receive emails today from some NALP firms inviting them to 1L receptions over winter break? I received invites at 3 firms for receptions where they will have cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to meet associates in the hiring committee.
Is this commonplace?

Yes. Our OCP put together an email list of 1Ls for firms to contact if they wanted it.

Well, the question is: do you know if the firms then send a mass emailing to the names of all the 1L's they receive from OCP? Or do they send invites for receptions to 1L's from underrrepresented groups? Obviously they don't have our grades yet since we haven't taken finals.

[Anonymous User]

So somehow I messed up a date in the body of my email and just realized it now. Basically I put summer 2011 instead of 2012. The materials (cover letter/resume) are flawless. Should I just send them all again as if I never sent the first email or am I fucked and this will just make it worse?

[69Coronet]

I don't think you're "fucked", but I do think emailing them again would be out of place.
They'll know what you meant, and they'll probably have a small laugh, but they will probably still look at your materials.
Sending them again will make you look like you're trying too hard.

[bball25]

Did any other 1L's receive emails today from some NALP firms inviting them to 1L receptions over winter break? I received invites at 3 firms for receptions where they will have cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to meet associates in the hiring committee.
Is this commonplace?

Yes. Our OCP put together an email list of 1Ls for firms to contact if they wanted it.

Well, the question is: do you know if the firms then send a mass emailing to the names of all the 1L's they receive from OCI? Or do they send invites for receptions to 1L's from underrrepresented groups? Obviously they don't have our grades yet since we haven't taken finals.

I'm a white male and have been invited to many of these.

[Anonymous User]

So far I've netted several dings (in the form of we aren't hiring 1Ls) and one interview (unclear as to whether or not it is informational) with a hiring partner.

ETA: Just to be clear, all of the responses I've gotten so far were from places where I had a connection. The rest are radio silence.

[Anonymous User]

Applied to about 20 big law offices. So far i've received no responses, except for one request for the dates that I'll be in their city over break. I won't be, but it's only 4 hours from my school.

[shoeshine]

Woo hoo. Just got an interview with a big law firm in the major market near my school. I had zero connection to them. They want to interview the day after finals end.

[ilovesf]

Woo hoo. Just got an interview with a big law firm in the major market near my school. I had zero connection to them. They want to interview the day after finals end.

Congrats!

[theavrock]

Woo hoo. Just got an interview with a big law firm in the major market near my school. I had zero connection to them. They want to interview the day after finals end.

Awesome news! Congrats!

[NYC Law]

Is a pre-interview questionnaire with the USAO a good sign? They also want grades when available

Already got snail mail from a judge confirming receipt - a little nervous that it came so soon, they might have received my app prior to Dec. 1st...

Also, an agency I'm applying to wants transcripts, but instructed me to send Undergrad transcripts if law ones will not be available prior to Jan 10th. I think we get our grades right around then, sometime in early/mid January. Should I just send my UG transcript now, or wait and see if my law one becomes available?

[Anonymous User]

So somehow I messed up a date in the body of my email and just realized it now. Basically I put summer 2011 instead of 2012. The materials (cover letter/resume) are flawless. Should I just send them all again as if I never sent the first email or am I fucked and this will just make it worse?

Haha I did the exact same thing to my first batch. I am just going to leave it untouched. Hopefully they won't notice/care.

[piccolittle]

What exactly does it take to get a 1L SA? I know it's incredibly hard, but what are they looking for besides diversity and a good law school?

[Anonymous User]

So somehow I messed up a date in the body of my email and just realized it now. Basically I put summer 2011 instead of 2012. The materials (cover letter/resume) are flawless. Should I just send them all again as if I never sent the first email or am I fucked and this will just make it worse?

Haha I did the exact same thing to my first batch. I am just going to leave it untouched. Hopefully they won't notice/care.

Yea my CSO said don't do anything about it. More often than not will see Summer Associate in the subject line and get the applications on to the hiring personnel without really looking at it and they know what I meant. They said that sending another email will just be calling attention to it when they probably won't notice anyways.

I think it was the 3 hours of sleep messing with my mind.

[r6_philly]

What exactly does it take to get a 1L SA? I know it's incredibly hard, but what are they looking for besides diversity and a good law school?

Grades!

[shoeshine]

Holy shit. I just got three interviews in my home market during winter break. This is the best day ever.

[adonai]

Is a pre-interview questionnaire with the USAO a good sign? They also want grades when available

Same here. I've always heard a lot of USAOs did interview and offer without grades. I guess more popular/prestigious districts need the grades to weed out applicants. Maybe they do give out offers without grades and we are just borderline.