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Give it to me straight, how much does where you work 1L summer really matter? I ask because I am currently in the top 5% at a T1 law school, thought I was a shoo-in to intern with a federal judge, government agency or federal prosecutor's office. So far, I've sent out hundreds of applications to all kinds of places, had a few interviews, no offers just yet. Getting a little worried, but still have a few more options upcoming.

Concerned about how my job prospects for summer associate positions after my 2L year might be affected based on the type of job I have after 1 year. Is this a reasonable concern?

Anonymous User wrote:Give it to me straight, how much does where you work 1L summer really matter? I ask because I am currently in the top 5% at a T1 law school, thought I was a shoo-in to intern with a federal judge, government agency or federal prosecutor's office. So far, I've sent out hundreds of applications to all kinds of places, had a few interviews, no offers just yet. Getting a little worried, but still have a few more options upcoming.

Concerned about how my job prospects for summer associate positions after my 2L year might be affected based on the type of job I have after 1 year. Is this a reasonable concern?

The consensus is to do something legal. I'd say that 100% of the people I know who had 1L SAs have 2L SAs but all that really tells you is that the top students have jobs.

This is a single anecdote, and it is several years old, but I can vouch for its veracity. I was at dinner with several friends, including a lawyer turned fashion designer (she was a UVA grad and an absolute sweetheart.) I asked her about a million questions, and I was especially curious about her first year summer, since I hadn't found a thing at that point and I was starting to panic. She told me she'd spent her 1L summer in Paris. I pressed on, expecting to be wowed by tales of international nonprofit work, but no; she'd rented an apartment in Paris and taken art classes. She still managed to get a firm job her second year, and after less than a year of post graduation work, she lateraled to a V10 firm.

I don't know whether this illustrates how much the market has changed (this would have been a couple of years after 9/11), but she claims employers had no problem with her unconventional choices. She ordered me to stop freaking out and panicking, enjoy my dinner, and realize that no mistake made my 1L summer could doom me to a life of unemployment. In my case, I needed the reality check. I'm not sharing this because I want to do what she did, but I envy her willingness to live her life without being terrified every moment. Things are very possibly different now, but this story shocked me, and maybe it shouldn't have.

getting a SA position 2L summer is ALL about grades. just get something this summer and do well this semester and you'll be in a good position...or as good as anyone with good grades at your school.

OperaSoprano wrote:This is a single anecdote, and it is several years old, but I can vouch for its veracity. I was at dinner with several friends, including a lawyer turned fashion designer (she was a UVA grad and an absolute sweetheart.) I asked her about a million questions, and I was especially curious about her first year summer, since I hadn't found a thing at that point and I was starting to panic. She told me she'd spent her 1L summer in Paris. I pressed on, expecting to be wowed by tales of international nonprofit work, but no; she'd rented an apartment in Paris and taken art classes. She still managed to get a firm job her second year, and after less than a year of post graduation work, she lateraled to a V10 firm.

I don't know whether this illustrates how much the market has changed (this would have been a couple of years after 9/11), but she claims employers had no problem with her unconventional choices. She ordered me to stop freaking out and panicking, enjoy my dinner, and realize that no mistake made my 1L summer could doom me to a life of unemployment. In my case, I needed the reality check. I'm not sharing this because I want to do what she did, but I envy her willingness to live her life without being terrified every moment.

yes, yes, this is all very nice, but we must remember this person became a fashion designer. Maybe her lack of trepidation stemmed from the fact that she really didn't want to practice law

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I'm thinking very seriously about hitting the beach for about a month this summer. Then maybe I'll come back to Austin and play some gigs on my sax, and learn to play the guitar or something. I'd love to work a legal job instead, but no one seems to require my services this summer. So it's off to the beach! I'm taking my dogs. Hopefully they have wifi so I can get some poker in too.

OperaSoprano wrote:This is a single anecdote, and it is several years old, but I can vouch for its veracity. I was at dinner with several friends, including a lawyer turned fashion designer (she was a UVA grad and an absolute sweetheart.) I asked her about a million questions, and I was especially curious about her first year summer, since I hadn't found a thing at that point and I was starting to panic. She told me she'd spent her 1L summer in Paris. I pressed on, expecting to be wowed by tales of international nonprofit work, but no; she'd rented an apartment in Paris and taken art classes. She still managed to get a firm job her second year, and after less than a year of post graduation work, she lateraled to a V10 firm.

I don't know whether this illustrates how much the market has changed (this would have been a couple of years after 9/11), but she claims employers had no problem with her unconventional choices. She ordered me to stop freaking out and panicking, enjoy my dinner, and realize that no mistake made my 1L summer could doom me to a life of unemployment. In my case, I needed the reality check. I'm not sharing this because I want to do what she did, but I envy her willingness to live her life without being terrified every moment. Things are very possibly different now, but this story shocked me, and maybe it shouldn't have.

Ah, the good old days. Now she would be lining up at the soup kitchen.

seriously...the good old days.

who could ever forget this skadden summer associate who sent a screwy email that circulated throughout the entire firm.

http://www.snopes.com/embarrass/email/skadden.asp

yeah he got an offer.

ZXCVBNM wrote:getting a SA position 2L summer is ALL about grades. just get something this summer and do well this semester and you'll be in a good position...or as good as anyone with good grades at your school.

No, grades are necessary but not sufficient these days. You need to-at a minimum- not be a social mutant, and be able to hold your own in the interview. 4 years ago grades alone would have been enough.

If I had to generalize, most law students are fine at interviews--nothing special to make up for poor grades, nothing terrible either. However there is a smaller group of students who are either amazing at interviews--and have a great resume to back it up--or terrible (and usually have a crappy resume as well).

Grades are still the best prediction of whether you will get a job or not. It was never the case that great grades guaranteed a job--from what I heard most call back interviewers don't even look at your resume or transcript. they assume that if you've made it to the callback you're qualified enough on paper.

legends159 wrote:If I had to generalize, most law students are fine at interviews--nothing special to make up for poor grades, nothing terrible either. However there is a smaller group of students who are either amazing at interviews--and have a great resume to back it up--or terrible (and usually have a crappy resume as well).

Grades are still the best prediction of whether you will get a job or not. It was never the case that great grades guaranteed a job--from what I heard most call back interviewers don't even look at your resume or transcript. they assume that if you've made it to the callback you're qualified enough on paper.

True on all counts, I think.

JazzOne wrote:I'm thinking very seriously about hitting the beach for about a month this summer. Then maybe I'll come back to Austin and play some gigs on my sax, and learn to play the guitar or something. I'd love to work a legal job instead, but no one seems to require my services this summer. So it's off to the beach! I'm taking my dogs. Hopefully they have wifi so I can get some poker in too.

I wish I had the cojones to do this.