Summer internship at a NYC venture capital firm Forum

[engineer]

I'm trying to figure out what to do during my 1L summer, and the idea of an internship came to mind. I'm most interested in corporate law, especially start-ups, so I'm thinking that interning at a venture capital firm would be the best use of my time. However, I have NO idea how to even begin looking for such an internship, since I think that this sort of thing is a little unorthodox for law students. I'd like to intern in NYC, since that's close to where my family lives. I go to a school ranked between 40 and 60 in the south.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[EijiMiyake]

I'm trying to figure out what to do during my 1L summer, and the idea of an internship came to mind. I'm most interested in corporate law, especially start-ups, so I'm thinking that interning at a venture capital firm would be the best use of my time. However, I have NO idea how to even begin looking for such an internship, since I think that this sort of thing is a little unorthodox for law students. I'd like to intern in NYC, since that's close to where my family lives. I go to a school ranked between 40 and 60 in the south.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not a law student yet so I can't comment on it's worth or feasibility, but I can tell you that such internships are extremely rare and competitive, even for undergrads at HYPS or b-school students at HWS.

[nycparalegal]

Unless you know somebody or went to an Ivy then its almost impossible of getting a summer internship at a NYC VC firm.

[thesealocust]

edited

[engineer]

Even if it does materialize, make sure it's legal in nature or you'll have problems when later interviews ask how you spent your 1L summer. Word on the street is that without pristine grades at a good school, no legal work during your first year summer can be a huge kiss of death / black mark.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that for a second. I have nothing to back up my stance, but it seems absolutely RIDICULOUS that not doing legal work during your 1L summer means anything other than not being able to find a suitable job or having something better to do. I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by the legal overlords.

[thesealocust]

nm

[baboon309]

I'm trying to figure out what to do during my 1L summer, and the idea of an internship came to mind. I'm most interested in corporate law, especially start-ups, so I'm thinking that interning at a venture capital firm would be the best use of my time. However, I have NO idea how to even begin looking for such an internship, since I think that this sort of thing is a little unorthodox for law students. I'd like to intern in NYC, since that's close to where my family lives. I go to a school ranked between 40 and 60 in the south.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Forget about it. You won't even get an interview.
I just went through it. Most Business/Finance students settle with back office jobs or nothing
VC/IB/PE are probably as competitive as Vault 100 law firms .
Unless you go to T-14 or T20 lawschool, it`s just not gonna happen

[ughOSU]

I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by [strike]the legal overlords[/strike]employers.

Yea this will take you far.

[ScaredWorkedBored]

I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by the legal overlords.

That's perfectly fair. They don't have to interview you (any school with resume pre-screens) or call you back either.

And to the OP - Unless you have a family member or other benefactor who is a heavy hitter in finance, not gunna happen.

[hiro86]

I'm trying to figure out what to do during my 1L summer, and the idea of an internship came to mind. I'm most interested in corporate law, especially start-ups, so I'm thinking that interning at a venture capital firm would be the best use of my time. However, I have NO idea how to even begin looking for such an internship, since I think that this sort of thing is a little unorthodox for law students. I'd like to intern in NYC, since that's close to where my family lives. I go to a school ranked between 40 and 60 in the south.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not a law student yet so I can't comment on it's worth or feasibility, but I can tell you that such internships are extremely rare and competitive, even for undergrads at HYPS or b-school students at HWS.

Plus, they have no reason to take on an intern that still has two years of law school left and will probably head to a law firm upon graduation.

[Dick Whitman]

Even if it does materialize, make sure it's legal in nature or you'll have problems when later interviews ask how you spent your 1L summer. Word on the street is that without pristine grades at a good school, no legal work during your first year summer can be a huge kiss of death / black mark.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that for a second. I have nothing to back up my stance, but it seems absolutely RIDICULOUS that not doing legal work during your 1L summer means anything other than not being able to find a suitable job or having something better to do. I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by the legal overlords.

I've been interviewed by attorneys (JD/MBAs albeit) who did non-legal work their first summer. So I guess it didn't prevent them from being hired.

[vamedic03]

Even if it does materialize, make sure it's legal in nature or you'll have problems when later interviews ask how you spent your 1L summer. Word on the street is that without pristine grades at a good school, no legal work during your first year summer can be a huge kiss of death / black mark.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that for a second. I have nothing to back up my stance, but it seems absolutely RIDICULOUS that not doing legal work during your 1L summer means anything other than not being able to find a suitable job or having something better to do. I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by the legal overlords.

I've been interviewed by attorneys (JD/MBAs albeit) who did non-legal work their first summer. So I guess it didn't prevent them from being hired.

Let's be honest, no big law firm (especially in their corporate practice group) is going to have an issue with someone doing PE or IBanking 1L summer. But, lets be honest, the likelihood of getting an internship at a PE/I-Bank 1L summer is pretty low. These firms are using the summers for recruiting from top b-schools for the following year. As a 1L, you're still 2 years from graduation. That said, there are plenty of JD's in high level positions in i-banking/PE/VE firms.

[thexfactor]

I'm trying to figure out what to do during my 1L summer, and the idea of an internship came to mind. I'm most interested in corporate law, especially start-ups, so I'm thinking that interning at a venture capital firm would be the best use of my time. However, I have NO idea how to even begin looking for such an internship, since I think that this sort of thing is a little unorthodox for law students. I'd like to intern in NYC, since that's close to where my family lives. I go to a school ranked between 40 and 60 in the south.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Wake Forest?

[Dick Whitman]

Even if it does materialize, make sure it's legal in nature or you'll have problems when later interviews ask how you spent your 1L summer. Word on the street is that without pristine grades at a good school, no legal work during your first year summer can be a huge kiss of death / black mark.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that for a second. I have nothing to back up my stance, but it seems absolutely RIDICULOUS that not doing legal work during your 1L summer means anything other than not being able to find a suitable job or having something better to do. I'm not going to do something I don't like because it's what I'm 'supposed' to do, as decreed by the legal overlords.

I've been interviewed by attorneys (JD/MBAs albeit) who did non-legal work their first summer. So I guess it didn't prevent them from being hired.

Let's be honest, no big law firm (especially in their corporate practice group) is going to have an issue with someone doing PE or IBanking 1L summer. But, lets be honest, the likelihood of getting an internship at a PE/I-Bank 1L summer is pretty low. These firms are using the summers for recruiting from top b-schools for the following year. As a 1L, you're still 2 years from graduation. That said, there are plenty of JD's in high level positions in i-banking/PE/VE firms.

All true.

[jmaan]

you dont just decide you wanna do VC or PE and just go get a job...this is a nearly untouchable market lol

[Renzo]

I laughed my ass off when I saw this thread.


Then I figured out it wasn't a troll thread, but that the OP was serious.

Poor, poor, OP.

[engineer]

Yeah, you guys are totally right--sorry about the naivete earlier.

After doing some more research, I've found that it's absolutely impossible to get a legal internship at those types of firms for the 1L summer, unless you're related to a partner or you're attending a T14 law school.

I'll probably spend the summer doing non-legal things that will hopefully put me in a better position to enter that market when I eventually graduate. Establishing contacts and whatnot may be the only way in.

[chicoalto0649]

Yeah, you guys are totally right--sorry about the naivete earlier.

After doing some more research, I've found that it's absolutely impossible to get a legal internship at those types of firms for the 1L summer, unless you're related to a partner or you're attending a T14 law school.

I'll probably spend the summer doing non-legal things that will hopefully put me in a better position to enter that market when I eventually graduate. Establishing contacts and whatnot may be the only way in.

You mean the non-legal market? Or the VC market that weve already established you have no shot getting with your JD from a southern school ranked btwn 40-60

[engineer]

You mean the non-legal market? Or the VC market that weve already established you have no shot getting with your JD from a southern school ranked btwn 40-60

I think it's clear that I meant the NYC VC market. Why do you think I don't have a shot?

[chicoalto0649]

You mean the non-legal market? Or the VC market that weve already established you have no shot getting with your JD from a southern school ranked btwn 40-60

I think it's clear that I meant the NYC VC market. Why do you think I don't have a shot?

Im a 0l and have no clue what venture capital is....my friend went to wharton and was complaing about how difficult it is to land a job in that field so i figure you'll have a rough go too...good luck and nothing is impossible.

[Renzo]

You mean the non-legal market? Or the VC market that weve already established you have no shot getting with your JD from a southern school ranked btwn 40-60

I think it's clear that I meant the NYC VC market. Why do you think I don't have a shot?

There's no such thing as venture capital right now. There isn't even plain old regular capital.

[imchuckbass58]

You mean the non-legal market? Or the VC market that weve already established you have no shot getting with your JD from a southern school ranked btwn 40-60

I think it's clear that I meant the NYC VC market. Why do you think I don't have a shot?

Here's why I don't think you have a shot. There are ridiculously, ridiculously VC jobs, and even fewer of them are in New York (if I had to guess, there are literally less than 40 associate-level positions per year). Those firms that do hire mostly restrict themselves to CS/EE majors with big 3 (Bain, BCG, McKinsey) consulting experience or bulge-bracket i-banking experience. Even from these places it's relatively hard to get. The only other real option is to be an operation exec at a startup with a good deal of experience (think 5+ years).

To give you an idea, a guy I know was magna at HYP undergrad, MBA at columbia near the top of his class, had two years of consulting experience focused on tech and media, and did various VC/startup internships during school, and still was not able to get a job in NY VC. I could tell you lots of similar anecdotes with kids from HBS or SBS.

Combine that with the fact that VC funding has dried up (funds raised dropped something like 50% year over year), and it's even harder.

It was hard to land a VC job at the height of the boom straight out of school, and now it's damn near impossible. Not to mention your JD is worth jack squat if you don't know how to model and don't have experience analyzing business plans.

[Anonymous User]

I know this thread is long dead, but I just wanted to put in my experience because it largely contradicts a lot of the opinions in this thread.

Political Science major from a state school with 1 year of very bland work experience before law school. I did have good grades at a T14, but simply responded to a symplicity posting about a venture capital firm and was hired during my interview.

No relations in the field, no friends in the field, no classes or knowledge of finance or venture.

Why would people not just apply to every place at which they have an interest in working? Worst they can say is no.

[law 1]

Agreed with the person above me, went to law school right after college, non top 50 law school, and got a internship post 2L at a VC firm with no contacts. (not a fan of working at a law firm, got boring for me)

It was very tough, a lot of hard work, networking and luck, but its all possible if you work at it. Carve your own path, wish you the best!