Honesty in 1st year Summer Instership Please Forum

[romothesavior]

Just curious... how does one go about becoming a research assistant? Just ask the profs?

You can ask your profs during the semester if they're going to need anyone next summer. Alternatively, since I know you're at WUSTL, keep an eye on the Law Daily, as they post RA openings on a somewhat frequent basis. I think there might have been one there this week.

Also, come spring there will be email blasts from the CSO saying Prof. so-and-so is looking for a summer research assistant.

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it.

[thrillhouse]

Not to start a race war but it seems like half of the URM 2L's I meet here at UVA got 1L firms jobs (though often in "secondary" markets, but really who cares). Is it really THAT much easier to get a 1L firm job as a URM, or am I just meeting some really lucky URMs?

It is THAT much easier owing to the copious diversity fellowships firms set aside for 1L summer. It would be even easier than THAT much easier for an URM from a T14 like UVA.

LOL I understand that there are more options nonetheless it's a bit surprising. Many on here make it sound like getting a 1L summer firm job as a non URM is nearly impossible; I guess it just seemed a bit hard to believe that it's nearly impossible for non URMs to land these spots, (which is what this thread makes it sound like) while about half of the URM's I know here landed one.

Of all the 1L summer associates at my CCN, all but two were URMs. Of those two, one was at a tiny firm that paid not much more than our PI summer stipend and the other is an Olympic (gold?) medalist whose father is (I am told) a Harvard professor.

[Anonymous User]

Not to start a race war but it seems like half of the URM 2L's I meet here at UVA got 1L firms jobs (though often in "secondary" markets, but really who cares). Is it really THAT much easier to get a 1L firm job as a URM, or am I just meeting some really lucky URMs?

It is THAT much easier owing to the copious diversity fellowships firms set aside for 1L summer. It would be even easier than THAT much easier for an URM from a T14 like UVA.

LOL I understand that there are more options nonetheless it's a bit surprising. Many on here make it sound like getting a 1L summer firm job as a non URM is nearly impossible; I guess it just seemed a bit hard to believe that it's nearly impossible for non URMs to land these spots, (which is what this thread makes it sound like) while about half of the URM's I know here landed one.

Of all the 1L summer associates at my CCN, all but two were URMs. Of those two, one was at a tiny firm that paid not much more than our PI summer stipend and the other is an Olympic (gold?) medalist whose father is (I am told) a Harvard professor.

resisting. urge. to post. ATL...

[applecore]

God, OP is so annoying. Read the forum before you march in here with an inflated sense of entitlement.

[Anonymous User]

I know 5 people at UVA who had SA positions as 1Ls - 2 URM, 3 non-URM. They're certainly not IMPOSSIBLE to get, but I would guess only 10% of the people who mass-mail get anything (and not that many people mass-mail), and they don't necessarily follow from having great grades.

[98234872348]

OP, if you want a paid position, a research assistant is probably your best bet. They pay minimum wage, but, at least it's something. I still have no idea how people at my T50 who got paid gigs got them. I'd say hope you have AWESOME grades and spam your resume everywhere if you're absolutely determined to get one.

[rbgrocio]

I'm a URM at a Tier 4 school and I got a paid job my first summer. It was not big law pay, but it was not bad either. I had no legal experience whatsoever, and they still paid me. Indeed, to date I'm still working there. I have two other friends who are also URMS who got paid too. You also have to be willing to start by not getting paid, and if they like you... a lost of firms will start paying.

Everyone has to start somewhere.