why would a firm want to hire a 1L?? Forum

[NosferatuDracon]

My mistake. I'm a dick.

Nah, probably just a rough day at the office. Everyone is entiteld to one of those every now and again.

*edit - fixing quote

[Renaixença]

This late in the game without a job offer. Am I shit out of luck for summer firm job?

[chadwick218]

This late in the game without a job offer. Am I shit out of luck for summer firm job?

Are you a 1L? What makes you think that it is late in the game? Outside maybe state and federal judges, many employers haven't made final hiring decesions. You might be a little late in applying for a firm job, but those are very rare as it is in this economy. There are many other opportunities if you know where to look (it's just that most are unpaid).

[Renaixença]

This late in the game without a job offer. Am I shit out of luck for summer firm job?

Are you a 1L? What makes you think that it is late in the game? Outside maybe state and federal judges, many employers haven't made final hiring decesions. You might be a little late in applying for a firm job, but those are very rare as it is in this economy. There are many other opportunities if you know where to look (it's just that most are unpaid).

Yeah, 1L. I feel like it's late in the game because most firms suggest applying in early December; and while I've sent out some cover letters, they don't amount to more than a handful or so. I'm not even looking for the pay either, I just want to experience working at a firm, especially one near home (where I plan to work post-graduation). Eh, perhaps I'm too impatient.

[Veyron]

key also seemed to be selling why I wasn't a flight risk!

How strong were your local ties?

i grew up there + family still resides there ... this was nevertheless questioned given that fact that I have worked professionally in a couple of major US cities as well as internationally.

So If I have only ever held a "real" job in my hometown but went to school out of state (and came back), I should be fine?

[chadwick218]

key also seemed to be selling why I wasn't a flight risk!

How strong were your local ties?

i grew up there + family still resides there ... this was nevertheless questioned given that fact that I have worked professionally in a couple of major US cities as well as internationally.

So If I have only ever held a "real" job in my hometown but went to school out of state (and came back), I should be fine?

I think that the fact that your family still resides there / you grew up there should be fine. I don't think holding a real job there should really matter all that much.

[Renzo]

This late in the game without a job offer. Am I shit out of luck for summer firm job?

Are you a 1L? What makes you think that it is late in the game? Outside maybe state and federal judges, many employers haven't made final hiring decesions. You might be a little late in applying for a firm job, but those are very rare as it is in this economy. There are many other opportunities if you know where to look (it's just that most are unpaid).

Yeah, 1L. I feel like it's late in the game because most firms suggest applying in early December; and while I've sent out some cover letters, they don't amount to more than a handful or so. I'm not even looking for the pay either, I just want to experience working at a firm, especially one near home (where I plan to work post-graduation). Eh, perhaps I'm too impatient.

As long as you're apps are already in, you're not behind. But no one is getting firm jobs this summer, so start working on plan B.

[buckilaw]

As a 1L searching for a summer job, I have had very little success in any large markets, but a surprising amount of success in the regional market where I grew up (the firms are still within the NALP250). In this market and at a couple of the firms where I have interviewed, most full-time associates interned after both their 1L and 2L years. The only problem is that if I receive an offer and accept, I am also promising that I will return after my 2L year and work for a minimum of 6-weeks.

First off I apologize for the necro.

I'm wondering if anyone can speak to whether the practice of smaller firms that might hire 1L SA's requiring that the 1Ls come back for part of 2L is a common thing. I have ties to Cleveland, Columbus, and Akron and am thinking about trying to get a 1L SA there this summer, but would be apprehensive if I got into a situation like Chadwick is describing.

Also, I'm hoping Chadwick could tell us how the bolded worked out.

[JamMasterJ]

Are you retarded? You do realize that these so-designated "bigger more prestigious firms" are also hiring 1Ls for their summer clerkships and therefore your logic has a serious flaw. What is happening to all of the clerks for the V10 firms? Are they just disappearing, creating a void that V50 clerks can magically obtain?

why are you using "anon" to insult people? Also, paying 1L gigs are pretty hard to come by, so I don't think you're comparing apples to apples here

[Anonymous User]

Reasons firms want to hire a 1L:
1) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
2) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
&
3)Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis

Obviously this is directed to the OP's original post when he ponders the motivation for medium sized firms to hire 1Ls the may not be able to retain for future employment.

completely false. i summered at a small firm 1L summer and they warned me that i should only use the firm's subscription and not my school subscription.

[reasonable_man]

Reasons firms want to hire a 1L:
1) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
2) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
&
3)Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis

Obviously this is directed to the OP's original post when he ponders the motivation for medium sized firms to hire 1Ls the may not be able to retain for future employment.

completely false. i summered at a small firm 1L summer and they warned me that i should only use the firm's subscription and not my school subscription.

So your 1 experience and 1 small firm completely negates this statement and proves it false in every instance? Awesome logic.

[thelaststraw05]

Reasons firms want to hire a 1L:
1) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
2) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
&
3)Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis

Obviously this is directed to the OP's original post when he ponders the motivation for medium sized firms to hire 1Ls the may not be able to retain for future employment.

completely false. i summered at a small firm 1L summer and they warned me that i should only use the firm's subscription and not my school subscription.

So your 1 experience and 1 small firm completely negates this statement and proves it false in every instance? Awesome logic.

At many schools Lexis and Westlaw turn off your free subscriptions over the summer.

[shmoo597]

To be honest I don't know why ANY firms are interested in 1Ls. I seriously feel like I know almost nothing about the law at this point, and certainly nothing useful. What are you going to do sitting in a meeting on a big merger gone awry? Ask if there was consideration?

LOL @ 2Ls knowing anything about the law either. Law school is truly a total fucking joke. 90% of learning what lawyers actually do is done on the job.

[Grizz]

This is why you don't necro old shit.

[Julio_El_Chavo]

To be honest I don't know why ANY firms are interested in 1Ls. I seriously feel like I know almost nothing about the law at this point, and certainly nothing useful. What are you going to do sitting in a meeting on a big merger gone awry? Ask if there was consideration?

Protip: practicing law is really not that hard.

[Anonymous User]

As a 1L searching for a summer job, I have had very little success in any large markets, but a surprising amount of success in the regional market where I grew up (the firms are still within the NALP250). In this market and at a couple of the firms where I have interviewed, most full-time associates interned after both their 1L and 2L years. The only problem is that if I receive an offer and accept, I am also promising that I will return after my 2L year and work for a minimum of 6-weeks.

First off I apologize for the necro.

I'm wondering if anyone can speak to whether the practice of smaller firms that might hire 1L SA's requiring that the 1Ls come back for part of 2L is a common thing. I have ties to Cleveland, Columbus, and Akron and am thinking about trying to get a 1L SA there this summer, but would be apprehensive if I got into a situation like Chadwick is describing.

Also, I'm hoping Chadwick could tell us how the bolded worked out.

I worked in Columbus as a 1L SA for half of this past summer, and Chadwick's experience wasn't at all like mine. To be considered for a full time offer, I would have had to accept their offer to return as a 2L SA for at least half the summer. But when I accepted my 1L offer, there was no talk about 2L or beyond. I'd say it depends on the firm. The firm I worked at really wanted me to come back (they made that very clear when the gave me my offer), but they encouraged me to do a full OCI and consider all my options before deciding whether to accept my offer. So, I definitely don't think every firm will lock you in like that. In fact, I haven't heard of a single Columbus firm that does that. But, to be fair, I didn't research the market very extensively because I was certain I didn't want to live there.

[Anonymous User]

Reasons firms want to hire a 1L:
1) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
2) Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis
&
3)Free subscriptions to Westlaw and LexisNexis

Obviously this is directed to the OP's original post when he ponders the motivation for medium sized firms to hire 1Ls the may not be able to retain for future employment.

completely false. i summered at a small firm 1L summer and they warned me that i should only use the firm's subscription and not my school subscription.

So your 1 experience and 1 small firm completely negates this statement and proves it false in every instance? Awesome logic.

No bro, logic fail for you. First Anon poster: "the ONLY reason firms want EVER to hire 1Ls is for free West/Lexis subscription." Second Anon poster: "not true in at least one instance, therefore first Anon's statement is false."

[Renzo]

This is why you don't necro old shit.

Seriously. Isn't there some anti-vampire rule we can invoke to get a mod to lock this?

[Anonymous User]

As a 1L searching for a summer job, I have had very little success in any large markets, but a surprising amount of success in the regional market where I grew up (the firms are still within the NALP250). In this market and at a couple of the firms where I have interviewed, most full-time associates interned after both their 1L and 2L years. The only problem is that if I receive an offer and accept, I am also promising that I will return after my 2L year and work for a minimum of 6-weeks.

First off I apologize for the necro.

I'm wondering if anyone can speak to whether the practice of smaller firms that might hire 1L SA's requiring that the 1Ls come back for part of 2L is a common thing. I have ties to Cleveland, Columbus, and Akron and am thinking about trying to get a 1L SA there this summer, but would be apprehensive if I got into a situation like Chadwick is describing.

Also, I'm hoping Chadwick could tell us how the bolded worked out.

My 1L firm offered me a job after graduation but told me they didn't want me back for 2L. They wanted me to try a bigger firm to make sure I'd really want to work for such a small firm in a small market.

The main problem I had with working for a firm 1L was addressing it in screening interviews. You have to be candid that you received an offer, otherwise it looks like you weren't very good and got no-offered. But then some firms (especially ones in smaller markets and ones who might only be bringing in 1-2 SA's) are going to be wary of bringing in someone who already has an offer because they will be competing with your 1L firm if they end up wanting to hire you. If there is someone else they like nearly as much, I think the other person is going to get the job.

[Anonymous User]

Confirmed reason:
You are have an EE degree and the firm does patent prosecution.

[Anonymous User]

Another confirmed reason:
You hold a law degree from another country and have legal working experience. You are now pursuing a JD in USA.