What I wish I would have known going into my first OCI... Forum

[alicrimson]

We have our schedules. Of the five firms who have announced interviews, I have been chosen for all five. I'm waiting on the last three who haven't made announcements. I'm anywhere between number 5-7 in my class (second in my section for sure) and have somewhat interesting experiences from undergrad (pretty much all athletic related). Do you guys think it would be a good idea to send out letters to additional firms now or wait until I see if I get callbacks? Also, I have a judicial clerkship set up with a family friend who told me I should back out if I can find paying work. I'm just trying to get a feel for time lines.

[Grizz]

You shoulda sent mailers for 1L SA positions like 2 months ago. Get on it.

[alicrimson]

You shoulda sent mailers for 1L SA positions like 2 months ago. Get on it.

In your opinion, is a 1L unpaid SA better than a judicial externship? I have that all set up but on the off chance something came through with OCI I don't want to mess up with firms back home before I really need them for 2L summer. I'm mostly using this OCI bit as an experience builder. I haven't interviewed for anything really meaningful and don't expect much out of it. I'm just planning on preparing and using it to kind of get an idea of what I need to work most on for the Fall.

[Grizz]

You shoulda sent mailers for 1L SA positions like 2 months ago. Get on it.

In your opinion, is a 1L unpaid SA better than a judicial externship? I have that all set up but on the off chance something came through with OCI I don't want to mess up with firms back home before I really need them for 2L summer. I'm mostly using this OCI bit as an experience builder. I haven't interviewed for anything really meaningful and don't expect much out of it. I'm just planning on preparing and using it to kind of get an idea of what I need to work most on for the Fall.

Unpaid SA? That's illegal.

[Anonymous User]

You shoulda sent mailers for 1L SA positions like 2 months ago. Get on it.

In your opinion, is a 1L unpaid SA better than a judicial externship? I have that all set up but on the off chance something came through with OCI I don't want to mess up with firms back home before I really need them for 2L summer. I'm mostly using this OCI bit as an experience builder. I haven't interviewed for anything really meaningful and don't expect much out of it. I'm just planning on preparing and using it to kind of get an idea of what I need to work most on for the Fall.

Unpaid SA? That's illegal.

Yes, it's illegal, but if they'll give it to you and will give you a reference after the internship (not shady med mal lawyers who need a coffee boy, an actual firm with an actual legal internship), then go for it because it gives you a huge leg up come 2L OCI.

[Grizz]

You shoulda sent mailers for 1L SA positions like 2 months ago. Get on it.

In your opinion, is a 1L unpaid SA better than a judicial externship? I have that all set up but on the off chance something came through with OCI I don't want to mess up with firms back home before I really need them for 2L summer. I'm mostly using this OCI bit as an experience builder. I haven't interviewed for anything really meaningful and don't expect much out of it. I'm just planning on preparing and using it to kind of get an idea of what I need to work most on for the Fall.

Unpaid SA? That's illegal.

Yes, it's illegal, but if they'll give it to you and will give you a reference after the internship (not shady med mal lawyers who need a coffee boy, an actual firm with an actual legal internship), then go for it because it gives you a huge leg up come 2L OCI.

I didn't see it, but whatever.

[romothesavior]

Any respectable firm that could possibly help with a big firm job at 2L OCI will pay their interns for the summer. Even small 20 person firms will pay. Not paying your interns is TTT.

[IAFG]

Any respectable firm that could possibly help with a big firm job at 2L OCI will pay their interns for the summer. Even small 20 person firms will pay. Not paying your interns is TTT.

1L jobs are all about how you spin it.

[romothesavior]

Any respectable firm that could possibly help with a big firm job at 2L OCI will pay their interns for the summer. Even small 20 person firms will pay. Not paying your interns is TTT.

1L jobs are all about how you spin it.

Yes, obviously. You can take any summer experience and spin it for 2L OCI, and the interviewer won't care as long as you make it sound good. When I said "help," I meant "give you a boost more than the average bullshit summer job." The anon I was responding to said that 1L unpaid firm jobs are a "huge leg up" at OCI, and that's just crap.

[IAFG]

Any respectable firm that could possibly help with a big firm job at 2L OCI will pay their interns for the summer. Even small 20 person firms will pay. Not paying your interns is TTT.

1L jobs are all about how you spin it.

Yes, obviously. You can take any summer experience and spin it for 2L OCI, and the interviewer won't care as long as you make it sound good. When I said "help," I meant "give you a boost more than the average bullshit summer job." The anon I was responding to said that 1L unpaid firm jobs are a "huge leg up" at OCI, and that's just crap.

I mean I think you could spin a firm gig better than yet another judicial externship... but I guess I would want to know more about what the firm does.

[romothesavior]

I mean I think you could spin a firm gig better than yet another judicial externship... but I guess I would want to know more about what the firm does.

I think we're in agreement. Pretty much all 1L jobs are on a more or less equal footing for 2L OCI. Maybe legit firm work would stand out to some degree, but then you might also have to explain why you didn't get asked back for 2L. All I know is that if there exists a type of 1L firm job that would help at 2L OCI, it would not be the type that illegally takes on free interns. That much is certain.