1L summer job application apathy/encouragement thread Forum

[keg411]

Fed judge interview today was incredibly intimidating. I felt way TTT.

Why is that? I want DETAILS!

No real details but both the judge and the clerk had impeccable credentials (both were double-ivy) and the judge is older and EXTREMELY intelligent. First time I really got the sense that they look for "cream of the crop" for fed court internships. Not that I couldn't handle it (if I got the position I would be ecstatic), but there was definitely an air of prestige that I just don't have.

[de5igual]

I haven't declined the interview yet, but I have to respond to them by tomorrow. The court is in my hometown, and technically I could live with my parents, but some recent advice given by a biglaw partner here indicated that I needed to distance myself from my hometown

What are you doing the other part of the summer or is internship for the whole summer? If it's only for half a summer, assuming you get offered the spot, you can try to get something here in Texas for the other half of the summer, whether it's another judicial internship or something PI, etc.

honestly, i have no idea how long this internship is supposed to last. i just mass-mailed, and got an email notice today to schedule a phone interview. i guess if they'll allow split summers, it would make things easier, but could i ask that after (assuming if) i get an offer? or would that be the equivalent of turning down a judge, which i've been told is a big no-no?

are unpaid gigs like this even that hard to get? (if I limit my search to only Austin) I'm just wondering what my prospects are if I turn this down

Hmm, not sure how to try and figure out how long the internship is for before the interview. If it was listed on Symplicity, there's a good chance it said. The court website might have some information on application process and details for interns. You could try figuring out what is the normal practice in the area. Or look at nearby law schools and see if they have judicial internship programs and what the requirements are (a dallas judge I'll be interning with normally takes on interns for 4 weeks, b/c that is enough to satisfy the hour requirements for credit for a judicial internship from SMU). Or you could just call the secretary for the judge and anonymously ask her if she happened to know how many weeks judicial interns worked for.

Not sure what I would do if I didn't know before going into the interview, since I think that does kinda come close to turning a judge down.

I'm not too sure about getting Austin non-paying legal stuff. I wanted to do an judicial internship from the start, so that's all I applied to. I had two interviews and got two offers, so I'm be splitting summers between judges. I might have been pretty lucky though--I applied in late December with one grade that is my best on my resume and had some random connections to both judges that came up during the interview.

thanks RT (i'm wondering if you're in my section)...

I mass mailed the judge looking off another school's judicial internship excel chart (lol) since there's so little data on people from UT going to Atlanta. So, there's no info on whether the court honors split summers or not. Maybe someone on TLS knows? Anyhow, I think I might email the judicial assistant back and ask her if they split before the interview. If not, I'll just decline then. I figure it's better to decline upfront than reject after the fact.

[phonepro]

Probably a woman, but I wouldn't just go for it. See if you can call a receptionist at the firm.

If you know the lawyer personally, why aren't you addressing the letter to him?

I don't know the lawyer personally. It just says to send materials to this person, but this person isn't on the hiring cmte. My materials are addressed to the hiring chair.

Maybe I'll call.

edit: Found a picture of her on some random flickr album. +1 for my creeping skills.

I addressed my firm letters to the recruiting person. Hope that wasn't incorrect -___-

[NoleinNY]

Probably a woman, but I wouldn't just go for it. See if you can call a receptionist at the firm.

If you know the lawyer personally, why aren't you addressing the letter to him?

I don't know the lawyer personally. It just says to send materials to this person, but this person isn't on the hiring cmte. My materials are addressed to the hiring chair.

Maybe I'll call.

edit: Found a picture of her on some random flickr album. +1 for my creeping skills.

I addressed my firm letters to the recruiting person. Hope that wasn't incorrect -___-

As long as you didn't write "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Recruitment Coordinator"

[Anastasia Dee Dualla]

I got a job today!!!!!!

[Grizz]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Where?

[BarbellDreams]

I have friends with significantly lower GPA that have jobs or at least interviews by now. I applied to 37 places so far, 3 rejection and 1 "Thanks, we got your stuff and we'll let you know soon." response.

[keg411]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Congrats!!

[keg411]

I have friends with significantly lower GPA that have jobs or at least interviews by now. I applied to 37 places so far, 3 rejection and 1 "Thanks, we got your stuff and we'll let you know soon." response.

BD, where did you apply? Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much. Your grades are awesome and it is still ultra-early. (That said, I'm already worried I am a bad interviewer ).

[Anastasia Dee Dualla]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Where?

Thank you! Its a Top 30 vault firm...

[Grizz]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Where?

Thank you! Its a Top 30 vault firm...

Bad ass. Grats yo

[stayway]

Two questions guys:

1) What should I expect from a public interest/public service networking event? Any advice on going about this? Good way to "work the room"?

2) What kind of question should I expect from a public interest/public service organization interview?

I'm a 1L searching for a summer gig.

[Anastasia Dee Dualla]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Where?

Thank you! Its a Top 30 vault firm...

Bad ass. Grats yo

Thank ya mucho!

[Tangerine Gleam]

Just realized that I misspelled the recipient's name in a post-interview thank you note. Luckily it was one of the associates and not one of the partners, and he seemed cool enough to not "tell" on me for something like that, but still. How stupid of me.

[Kretzy]

Just realized that I misspelled the recipient's name in a post-interview thank you note. Luckily it was one of the associates and not one of the partners, and he seemed cool enough to not "tell" on me for something like that, but still. How stupid of me.

I called my interviewer the wrong first name on the phone (though I got the first initial right...). Amazingly, he laughed it off and we had a great chat. I was fairly self-deprecating about it, but internally petrified I had ruined my shot at a job I really wanted. Got a callback today, 24 hours later. Thank goodness

[Tangerine Gleam]

Haha that's great! Congrats on the callback!

I can see how one would get dinged for a legit grammatical error, but I'm really hoping they wouldn't ding me for misspelling a name. Question: Should I write him again and acknowledge the misspell or should I just pretend it didn't happen? His name could conceivably be spelled one of two ways, and I did it the wrong way.

[Kretzy]

Haha that's great! Congrats on the callback!

I can see how one would get dinged for a legit grammatical error, but I'm really hoping they wouldn't ding me for misspelling a name. Question: Should I write him again and acknowledge the misspell or should I just pretend it didn't happen? His name could conceivably be spelled one of two ways, and I did it the wrong way.

Most of the time, according to my career counselor (a woman named "Lee" who always was addressed as "Mr." in cover letters), it doesn't matter. If it's the right name/wrong spelling, you'll almost assuredly be fine.

And thanks! It's a top firm in one of my favorite markets, so I'm hoping it pans out

[Tangerine Gleam]

@K -- Awesome, man! I will really cross my fingers for you.

Hmm, so the firm I interviewed with yesterday says that I should have a response within 10 days.

If I don't get a phone call in the next few days, I'm gonna lean towards assuming rejection.

[mths]

I got a job today!!!!!!

Where?

Thank you! Its a Top 30 vault firm...

YES

<3

miss you! I'll be in the city this weekend, I'll callllll you <3

[BarbellDreams]

So my favorite prof agreed to write a letter of rec for me. She said she can either do a general "To Whom it May Concern" letter or a tailored letter to a specific type of job. I am applying to judges, DA offices and Firms. On the one hand I feel like a tailored letter would look better overall, on the other hand I can use this letter for everything if I wanted to and the rof is an assistant dean so its sort of a big deal. Thoughts?

[Stanford4Me]

Thank ya mucho!

Do I know you?

[BarbellDreams]

I have friends with significantly lower GPA that have jobs or at least interviews by now. I applied to 37 places so far, 3 rejection and 1 "Thanks, we got your stuff and we'll let you know soon." response.

BD, where did you apply? Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much. Your grades are awesome and it is still ultra-early. (That said, I'm already worried I am a bad interviewer ).

A bunch of firms, a few DA offices and a few judges. I just assume no interviews from firms, but I felt like a lock for DA offices.

[keg411]

Got the State Supreme Court internship! Definitely a better "fit" for me than the Fed Judge -- we sang during my interview .

[BarbellDreams]

Got the State Supreme Court internship! Definitely a better "fit" for me than the Fed Judge -- we sang during my interview .

COngrats keg...but the bolded part needed an explanation without me having to ask for one...

[keg411]

Got the State Supreme Court internship! Definitely a better "fit" for me than the Fed Judge -- we sang during my interview .

COngrats keg...but the bolded part needed an explanation without me having to ask for one...

Related to one of my "interests" (community theater). I mentioned one of the shows that I've done and the judge and one of the clerks started singing. BTW, to everyone: put your interests on your resume, even if they are lame .