The Official 1L Summer Employment Thread - 2012 Edition Forum

[Gecko of Doom]

Whyyyyyyyy hasn't the DA responded????? I am awesome. Wahhhhhhhh!

Some of the DA's offices I looked into don't even have application instructions up yet (they still have the pages from last year), and even the ones that do don't have deadlines for another couple of months. I wouldn't sweat it too much if you haven't heard back yet.

[r6_philly]

Does anyone have any advice (or know of a thread that does) about doing an in person 4 hour + lunch interview with a big firm.

I assume it will be like a call back interview that 2Ls do. I have one next week and I am worried about what they are going to ask me.

Different anon, also curious about this. I have a similar interview coming up.

Our CS said it is like a callback. I have also been on those before law school. You are taken around the office to meet with different people. You may get asked the same questions over and over again, but you can carry on different conversations with different people beyond the questions. In the end I think most likely they vote as a committee or hire based on combined input. It's best to be yourself and try to present a best "fit" at the firm. Don't get too comfortable obviously, but also don't get too uptight. Be likeable but not fake.

[Bildungsroman]

Anybody else apply to USAO offices and still not heard back word one from them?

[AreJay711]

Anybody else apply to USAO offices and still not heard back word one from them?

Me. Though I think one might have looked at my app because a couple days later they posted an opening at the office on our employment page. I guess they figured they could do better.

[Lasers]

just started looking now. entering late in the game, but i really don't care what i do in the summer.

so long as it's a legal job, i'm down.

[AreJay711]

just started looking now. entering late in the game, but i really don't care what i do in the summer.

so long as it's a legal job, i'm down.

I've had a lot of places tell me they don't make decisions until Feb. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same for the places that I am interviewing but just wanted to get an interview in while I was home for the break.

[Anonymous User]

I have an interview over break with a V50 firm that is in a secondary market that is not my home town. First of all, do I have a chance given that I have no ties to the area? Second, do these firms ever make a hiring decision before grades?

[shoeshine]

I have an interview over break with a V50 firm that is in a secondary market that is not my home town. First of all, do I have a chance given that I have no ties to the area? Second, do these firms ever make a hiring decision before grades?

1. Probably not unless you can prove you want to stay there. The firms I applied to in my secondary markets have made it clear they don't want to waste time with someone they don't think will come back after law school.

2. I have been asking that same question. The consensus is that most wait for grades to come out but there are a handful that hire before grades. The later are usually firms that fill out their summer classes with 1Ls but haven't set up a program or recruiting strategy specifically for 1Ls. I really think it varies by firm and market.

[Haymarket]

First phone interview for a job at one of the offices of a reasonably prominent PI organization tomorrow. And then Tuesday I have another one with the office location I really want.

Hopefully it goes well.

[Puttanesca]

Are you all bringing a list of references to firm interviews?

[Judge Philip Banks]

I'm a little late to the party, but I got a question about cover letters. If I am sending out a cover letter + resume + writing sample, I don't need a separate cover letter for my writing sample, do I? Do I need to mention in my cover letter or elsewhere that I am using my first LRW memo as a writing sample, even though it will be rather obvious that that is what it is?

[Dany]

I think a cover sheet for the writing sample is a good idea.

[NYC Law]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

[Judge Philip Banks]

I think a cover sheet for the writing sample is a good idea.

Thanks. I think I will include one just to play it safe.

Is it acceptable to print the writing sample on regular paper, and then have the resume, cover letter, and writing sample cover sheet on nice paper?

[Judge Philip Banks]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

Really? That seems kind of unnecessary. What's the reasoning behind that?

[NYC Law]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

Really? That seems kind of unnecessary. What's the reasoning behind that?

You don't want the recruiter to just have this large lump of papers, they'll get confused and some of yours might get mixed in with stuff from other applicants, the cover letters serve as dividers and lower the risk of your things being intermingled.

[Judge Philip Banks]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

Really? That seems kind of unnecessary. What's the reasoning behind that?

You don't want the recruiter to just have this large lump of papers, they'll get confused and some of yours might get mixed in with stuff from other applicants, the cover letters serve as dividers and lower the risk of your things being intermingled.

I was planning on stapling my writing sample (6 pages), but should I not do that if I include a second cover sheet?

[Puttanesca]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

Really? That seems kind of unnecessary. What's the reasoning behind that?

You don't want the recruiter to just have this large lump of papers, they'll get confused and some of yours might get mixed in with stuff from other applicants, the cover letters serve as dividers and lower the risk of your things being intermingled.

I was planning on stapling my writing sample (6 pages), but should I not do that if I include a second cover sheet?

I don't think you need a second cover sheet. Doesn't make much sense to insert one in the middle of a writing sample. My writing sample is 10 pages. I have one cover sheet. To minimize the risk of my writing sample getting mixed up, I added page numbers in the X of Y format and my last name in the footer of each page of the writing sample.

[adonai]

The rule of thumb is 1 cover letter per 4 pages of attachments. So if your writing sample exceeds three pages you'll need at least one additional cover letter.

Really? That seems kind of unnecessary. What's the reasoning behind that?

You don't want the recruiter to just have this large lump of papers, they'll get confused and some of yours might get mixed in with stuff from other applicants, the cover letters serve as dividers and lower the risk of your things being intermingled.

I was planning on stapling my writing sample (6 pages), but should I not do that if I include a second cover sheet?

I don't think the extra cover letter for the writing sample is necessary. I used one for my 10 page writing sample and nabbed 3 interviews already. If it is stapled together and secured, I don't see the reason to have two. I printed the writing sample on regular paper. Original cover letter and resume on resume paper.

[clone22]

What constitutes an acceptable writing sample? Are you guys submitting the last assignment you turned in, or submitting one of the earlier ones with corrects based on feedback?

[ran12]

What constitutes an acceptable writing sample? Are you guys submitting the last assignment you turned in, or submitting one of the earlier ones with corrects based on feedback?

I just submitted one that I got a good grade on but I didn't put in the corrections. Some places specifically state not to send a copy with corrections. Of course they prob would never know.

[Judge Philip Banks]

I don't think you need a second cover sheet. Doesn't make much sense to insert one in the middle of a writing sample. My writing sample is 10 pages. I have one cover sheet. To minimize the risk of my writing sample getting mixed up, I added page numbers in the X of Y format and my last name in the footer of each page of the writing sample.

I like this idea. I'll probably do that. Thanks.

I don't think the extra cover letter for the writing sample is necessary. I used one for my 10 page writing sample and nabbed 3 interviews already. If it is stapled together and secured, I don't see the reason to have two. I printed the writing sample on regular paper. Original cover letter and resume on resume paper.

This is a basic question, but did you staple the writing sample cover sheet to the writing sample? Or was it loose, and just on top of it?
Thanks for the input, and congrats on the interviews!

[adonai]

This is a basic question, but did you staple the writing sample cover sheet to the writing sample? Or was it loose, and just on top of it?
Thanks for the input, and congrats on the interviews!

Stapled together

[NYC Law]

Yeah I was kidding, please don't intermingle cover letters throughout your writing sample.

[Judge Philip Banks]

Yeah I was kidding, please don't intermingle cover letters throughout your writing sample.

Jesus dude. lol. I thought that sounded kind of off, but what do I know.