Voluntarily Not Participating in OCI - what else can i do? Forum

[Anonymous User]

i am a 2L and really do not want to work for a firm - what other jobs are prestigious for 2L summer. What about the ACLU or something like that? Any recs from people who did really interesting things over the summer other than work for a firm much appreciated.

[Renzo]

What do you want to do?

[steve_nash]

DOJ slip program is prestigious and difficult to get: http://www.justice.gov/oarm/arm/sp/sp.htm

[Anonymous User]

What do you want to do?

not really sure. i'd like to be a federal prosecutor or work in an state's attorney's office. i am working at a us attorney's office next semester so i don't want to do that the summer of my 2L

[Patriot1208]

What do you want to do?

not really sure. i'd like to be a federal prosecutor or work in an state's attorney's office. i am working at a us attorney's office next semester so i don't want to do that the summer of my 2L

why wouldn't you apply to the DOJ summer intern program?

[wiseowl]

please be at my school and have 100 or so friends that are the same way

[Anonymous User]

DOJ slip program is prestigious and difficult to get: http://www.justice.gov/oarm/arm/sp/sp.htm

Don't really want to be in Washington - prefer NYC but something to consider. Thanks.

[crazycanuck]

I've heard those jobs with some sort of supreme court (?) are kind of prestigious, you'll get to work on all sorts of interesting constitutional law.

[Patriot1208]

Not to be a jerk, but do you want to work? Because at the way that you are just flippantly throwing out all these chances at finding jobs it seems you are going to end up painting yourself into such a corner that your likely to end up unemployed.

[lawhawk]

please be at my school and have 100 or so friends that are the same way

+1 +1 +1 and please be the 100 near the top of the class.

[Anonymous User]

OP is obviously a troll or a flame or whatever. But, for the sake of people who have legitimate questions about this... I'm working at a PI organization that likes to hire people after a few years of BigLaw experience. Doesn't seem too unusual for impact litigation, and it's made me much more motivated to go the BigLaw route, since I think that might be the best place to learn the kind of discipline and competence needed to take on cases without legions of associate and paralegal support.

But, certainly it's also very typical for people to plan PI careers starting relatively early in their 1L year such that they don't do 2L firm OCI but still have legitimate opportunities set up after graduation, as opposed to just sort of blunder into it. Otherwise, skipping OCI makes no sense.

[chitown825]

In before OP is lambasted for using anonymous feature.

[Anonymous User]

OP is obviously a troll or a flame or whatever. But, for the sake of people who have legitimate questions about this... I'm working at a PI organization that likes to hire people after a few years of BigLaw experience. Doesn't seem too unusual for impact litigation, and it's made me much more motivated to go the BigLaw route, since I think that might be the best place to learn the kind of discipline and competence needed to take on cases without legions of associate and paralegal support.

But, certainly it's also very typical for people to plan PI careers starting relatively early in their 1L year such that they don't do 2L firm OCI but still have legitimate opportunities set up after graduation, as opposed to just sort of blunder into it. Otherwise, skipping OCI makes no sense.

not a troll or a flame. just someone who genuinely does not want to work at a big law firm. i don't believe that you get any of the experience that really prepares you for the kind of job i would like which is trial work at a federal prosecutor or da's office. unfortunately many fed prosecutor offices look for biglaw experience so i would like to explore other options in the summer of my 2L. maybe i will end up screwing myself and will never get that biglaw job that i need to move to the next step of my career, but honestly i'd rather take that risk than do pretty boring litigation work as a junior associate for 2-3 years.

[DelDad]

New York City Law Department Summer Honors Program:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/law/html/careers/honors.shtml

NY Attorney General's office:
http://www.ag.ny.gov/bureaus/legal_recr ... dents.html

Manhattan DA:
--LinkRemoved--

Intern for an SDNY judge

or the US attorneys office

SEC Summer Law Honors Program (NY)
http://www.sec.gov/jobs/jobs_students.shtml#shlp

JAG internship

But, if you need Biglaw for a couple years to do what you want to do, and you know you need it, your chances for getting as a result of a 2L position are much better than your chances of getting an offer later. Unless, of course, you can get a good clerkship. But that would just put the US Attorney's office off another year, right?

[bk1]

not a troll or a flame. just someone who genuinely does not want to work at a big law firm. i don't believe that you get any of the experience that really prepares you for the kind of job i would like which is trial work at a federal prosecutor or da's office. unfortunately many fed prosecutor offices look for biglaw experience so i would like to explore other options in the summer of my 2L. maybe i will end up screwing myself and will never get that biglaw job that i need to move to the next step of my career, but honestly i'd rather take that risk than do pretty boring litigation work as a junior associate for 2-3 years.

I'm a 0L and know nothing about the hiring process, but if going into biglaw for 2-3 years has a significantly greater chance at ending you up at your dream job (not saying it does or it doesn't), I feel that it would be foolish not to do. But I guess some people value certain things more than others.

[sbalive]

OP is obviously a troll or a flame or whatever. But, for the sake of people who have legitimate questions about this... I'm working at a PI organization that likes to hire people after a few years of BigLaw experience. Doesn't seem too unusual for impact litigation, and it's made me much more motivated to go the BigLaw route, since I think that might be the best place to learn the kind of discipline and competence needed to take on cases without legions of associate and paralegal support.

But, certainly it's also very typical for people to plan PI careers starting relatively early in their 1L year such that they don't do 2L firm OCI but still have legitimate opportunities set up after graduation, as opposed to just sort of blunder into it. Otherwise, skipping OCI makes no sense.

not a troll or a flame. just someone who genuinely does not want to work at a big law firm. i don't believe that you get any of the experience that really prepares you for the kind of job i would like which is trial work at a federal prosecutor or da's office. unfortunately many fed prosecutor offices look for biglaw experience so i would like to explore other options in the summer of my 2L. maybe i will end up screwing myself and will never get that biglaw job that i need to move to the next step of my career, but honestly i'd rather take that risk than do pretty boring litigation work as a junior associate for 2-3 years.

You're either a troll, flame, or you're stupid. If only by accident, you should know more than this post suggests you know.

[Anonymous User]

New York City Law Department Summer Honors Program:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/law/html/careers/honors.shtml

NY Attorney General's office:
http://www.ag.ny.gov/bureaus/legal_recr ... dents.html

Manhattan DA:
--LinkRemoved--

Intern for an SDNY judge

or the US attorneys office

SEC Summer Law Honors Program (NY)
http://www.sec.gov/jobs/jobs_students.shtml#shlp

JAG internship

But, if you need Biglaw for a couple years to do what you want to do, and you know you need it, your chances for getting as a result of a 2L position are much better than your chances of getting an offer later. Unless, of course, you can get a good clerkship. But that would just put the US Attorney's office off another year, right?

Thank you so much!

[linquest]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with skipping OCI if you know you don't want BigLaw. After dealing with BigLaw firms for years in my job before law school, I knew that I had no desire to work in that realm. I didn't bother with OCI either and landed my dream job with a federal agency through the Honors Program.

In any case, DelDad listed some great options. However, even if you don't go the BigLaw/OCI route, I do think that working for some kind of firm is experience you should get while in law school. Do you have an interest in any field besides criminal? If you do, you might want to look into boutique firms. I interned with two boutiques specializing in quasi-public interest fields that regularly deal with the agency I now work for. In addition to learning about substantive law to a much greater extent than what I got in classes, those experiences have helped me understand how to better work with outside counsel to get the information and cooperation I want from them in my current job. Plus, it's nice to know what my options are if I ever get disillusioned with working in the public sector. So...don't count out private practice entirely. Good luck!

[sbalive]

You're either a troll, flame, or you're stupid. If only by accident, you should know more than this post suggests you know.

Do not use the anonymous feature to insult people again.

Maybe you shouldn't let obviously trolls use the anonymous feature either.

[johnstorey]

Does anyone else have any other opinions on good alternatives to BigLaw? Looking for options for 2L summer. Thanks.