T14 No Summer Associate. HELP Forum

[Anonymous User]

Then why do ppl keep making this distinction between "regional" or "affiliate" and "National ACLU"...

[Anonymous User]

bump

[Anonymous User]

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[SteelReserve]

But the question is...is the affiliate (regional) ACLU still prestigious? And if not, what would I be looking at?

My man, it's a 2L summer unpaid internship. It's not about prestige, it's about putting something on your resume to avoid this gaping hole while every other kid that missed 2L OCI is getting substantive experience somewhere.

Yes, it's pretty prestigious to be a paid full-time employee at the ACLU, but talking about prestige with a 2 month summer internship is fairly ridiculous.

[ToTransferOrNot]

But the question is...is the affiliate (regional) ACLU still prestigious? And if not, what would I be looking at?

My man, it's a 2L summer unpaid internship. It's not about prestige, it's about putting something on your resume to avoid this gaping hole while every other kid that missed 2L OCI is getting substantive experience somewhere.

Yes, it's pretty prestigious to be a paid full-time employee at the ACLU, but talking about prestige with a 2 month summer internship is fairly ridiculous.

Eh, the "prestige" of what you do over the summer does have an impact on the clerkship search.

That said, bottom 40%/no journal isn't getting a federal (or state, probably) clerkship anyway, so eh.

[Anonymous User]

would law firm experience be better? even iff its not SA

[rando]

would law firm experience be better? even iff its not SA

Not in terms of prestige.

Can probably get a state clerkship on T14 name alone.

[Anonymous User]

I am talking about JUST this summer.

[rando]

I am talking about JUST this summer.

and should probably think about how that would affect your future employment. people talking about prestige etc. Finding something shouldn't be that difficult. Finding the right thing to avoid post-3L unemployment is more intelligent.

[reverendt]

would law firm experience be better? even iff its not SA

Not in terms of prestige.

Can probably get a state clerkship on T14 name alone.

Not in terms of prestige, but I would think if OP wants to work in a firm after graduation, firm/private practice experience now would be a better option than most alternatives.

Think about it. If you're hiring a new graduate for your small-mid sized firm, would you prefer someone who clerked for a firm/practitioner this summer, doing the same kind of research you're gonna want him to, or would you rather have someone who ran errands for a judge?

[rando]

Think about it. If you're hiring a new graduate for your small-mid sized firm, would you prefer someone who clerked for a firm/practitioner this summer, doing the same kind of research you're gonna want him to, or would you rather have someone who ran errands for a judge?

You have it backwards. Working for a judge, most interns have the opportunity to write A LOT. If not getting to opinions, most are able to write memos to other court members/the judge, rulings on discretionary apps, motions etc.
If you are working for a firm outside of SA capacity, many law students end up being gophers. But it really depends on the firm.

The other thing that you need to deal with after having worked for a firm 2L summer and later looking for a firm job is WHY you are not working for the firm you worked for 2L summer. Even if it wasn't that type of SA position, you might not get far enough in the interview process to explain yourself.

[Anonymous User]

So ACLU it is then? LOL IM SO CONFUSED@!!!

[rando]

So ACLU it is then? LOL IM SO CONFUSED@!!!

that's your only option? It isn't a bad place to work. No reason not to, unless you have something better.

[Anonymous User]

bumpy bump bump

[Anonymous User]

So ACLU it is then? LOL IM SO CONFUSED@!!!

that's your only option? It isn't a bad place to work. No reason not to, unless you have something better.

Hey I sent you a PM...but no its not the only place. Theres a law clerk job at a firm I could do and have been doing...state AG...and maybe a USDC judicial intern.

[Anonymous User]

Additionally, what would you consider better? Other than a firm SA

[rando]

So ACLU it is then? LOL IM SO CONFUSED@!!!

that's your only option? It isn't a bad place to work. No reason not to, unless you have something better.

Hey I sent you a PM...but no its not the only place. Theres a law clerk job at a firm I could do and have been doing...state AG...and maybe a USDC judicial intern.

It depends on your perception of the experience you will get at the firm. If you think there is a chance they would keep you on post-grade for full-time employment then I would definitely stick that out. The other thing is that they will obviously know a lot of other firm lawyers in town etc. to help you network.
The state attorney general is a place where you will probably get to do some substantive work and get to work under some good lawyers. You will probably also get to do some solid appellate writing. Never a bad thing. Though I would probably opt for the judicial internship if the firm doesn't look like it will fit right. The other thing you can do to really widen your reach is to split your summer or work part-time at both. You will get 2x connections, have 2x to talk about in possible interviews...

[Anonymous User]

state AG is just so low prestige. ugh

[reverendt]

The other thing that you need to deal with after having worked for a firm 2L summer and later looking for a firm job is WHY you are not working for the firm you worked for 2L summer. Even if it wasn't that type of SA position, you might not get far enough in the interview process to explain yourself.

I think that depends on the firm you're working for. The economy sucks and most 2L's I know that didn't get biglaw SA positions are taking whatever they can. But many small little firms that can hire a summer clerk don't have the resources to hire a fulltime attorney the next year. I would imagine most potential employers would recognize this and not demand an explanation why the 2-man operation that you worked for during the summer isn't hiring you....

[Anonymous User]

The other thing that you need to deal with after having worked for a firm 2L summer and later looking for a firm job is WHY you are not working for the firm you worked for 2L summer. Even if it wasn't that type of SA position, you might not get far enough in the interview process to explain yourself.

I think that depends on the firm you're working for. The economy sucks and most 2L's I know that didn't get biglaw SA positions are taking whatever they can. But many small little firms that can hire a summer clerk don't have the resources to hire a fulltime attorney the next year. I would imagine most potential employers would recognize this and not demand an explanation why the 2-man operation that you worked for during the summer isn't hiring you....

LOL thats funny

[rando]

The other thing that you need to deal with after having worked for a firm 2L summer and later looking for a firm job is WHY you are not working for the firm you worked for 2L summer. Even if it wasn't that type of SA position, you might not get far enough in the interview process to explain yourself.

I think that depends on the firm you're working for. The economy sucks and most 2L's I know that didn't get biglaw SA positions are taking whatever they can. But many small little firms that can hire a summer clerk don't have the resources to hire a fulltime attorney the next year. I would imagine most potential employers would recognize this and not demand an explanation why the 2-man operation that you worked for during the summer isn't hiring you....

Absolutely true.

[Anonymous User]

The other thing that you need to deal with after having worked for a firm 2L summer and later looking for a firm job is WHY you are not working for the firm you worked for 2L summer. Even if it wasn't that type of SA position, you might not get far enough in the interview process to explain yourself.

I think that depends on the firm you're working for. The economy sucks and most 2L's I know that didn't get biglaw SA positions are taking whatever they can. But many small little firms that can hire a summer clerk don't have the resources to hire a fulltime attorney the next year. I would imagine most potential employers would recognize this and not demand an explanation why the 2-man operation that you worked for during the summer isn't hiring you....

Absolutely true.

Well it's a law clerk position i've been doing at a mid-sized law firm. They typically do not hire right out of law school though since they do not have an SA program.

[reverendt]

Well it's a law clerk position i've been doing at a mid-sized law firm. They typically do not hire right out of law school though since they do not have an SA program.

Does that mean that they don't hire straight out of school?

[Anonymous User]

Yeah they have only hired one or two people right out of law school. So chances are...I will not be hired by this firm...who knows though...its through a connection anyway. But yeah...I don't know...

[rando]

Yeah they have only hired one or two people right out of law school. So chances are...I will not be hired by this firm...who knows though...its through a connection anyway. But yeah...I don't know...

Sounds like a better bet than the other options you are talking about. And if they have hired people out of law school, by the time it comes around to your graduation and the economy is picking up (huge assumption/fingers crossed) they may have a slot to someone that did great work for them (another assumption)