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Sorry for what might be silly questions, but I’m just trying to get my head wrapped around everything:

1 -- I have some free time on my hands before school starts, so I was wondering what I could be doing to prepare for the 1L summer job search. Everything I’ve read says you should be ready for this before school even starts, so you’re not up against it come finals. Right now I’m compiling a large list of firms and judges to which I’d like to apply.

2 -- Generally speaking, are possible summer jobs (be they judicial internships or firms) listed job openings, or is the bulk of it just sending out the cover letter/resume/writing sample combo cold.

3 -- Is there a specific starting date for applying for judicial internships? I know for firms it’s 12/1, as per NALP rules. Also, does one stagger their applications, applying first to better/more prestigious positions, and following with the rest. Or is it best to just apply everywhere asap?

Thanks for the help everyone!

vanwinkle made an excellent post on this topic: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=107596

I think the best thing you can do is to contact alumni in your area or where you want to end up working. Get friendly with them so that they remember you. If you can get some people who are willing to do some legwork for you, you will find the 1L job process much easier. Call them up and ask about their backgrounds, what they do, etc. This is really invaluable. Although they weren't quite able to secure me positions, the people I met over the summer before law school went far out of their way to see if they could get me something.

Also, tweak and edit your resume. You want that thing absolutely done come 1L year.

dakatz wrote:I think the best thing you can do is to contact alumni in your area or where you want to end up working. Get friendly with them so that they remember you. If you can get some people who are willing to do some legwork for you, you will find the 1L job process much easier. Call them up and ask about their backgrounds, what they do, etc. This is really invaluable. Although they weren't quite able to secure me positions, the people I met over the summer before law school went far out of their way to see if they could get me something.

Also, tweak and edit your resume. You want that thing absolutely done come 1L year.

+1. It's very good to get friendly long before you ask for a job, or help with a job.

cccZillo wrote:Sorry for what might be silly questions, but I’m just trying to get my head wrapped around everything:

1 -- I have some free time on my hands before school starts, so I was wondering what I could be doing to prepare for the 1L summer job search. Everything I’ve read says you should be ready for this before school even starts, so you’re not up against it come finals. Right now I’m compiling a large list of firms and judges to which I’d like to apply.

You're on the right track. I wish I had done this prior to coming to law school because I did not have time in November. I suppose you're also getting contact info and the like. I would also do some research on the places you're targeting and drafting employer-specific paragraphs about why you're interested in the firm that you can drop into your generic cover letter. My cover letter structure was intro paragraph, why I'm a badass paragraph, and why your firm is awesome paragraph, and it's worked well for me so far. Also, when doing this, focus on substantive aspects of the firm versus occupational aspects (ie. don't talk about salary, work-life balance, etc).

2 -- Generally speaking, are possible summer jobs (be they judicial internships or firms) listed job openings, or is the bulk of it just sending out the cover letter/resume/writing sample combo cold.

Sweet, sweet cold calling. A handful of employers will come to spring OCI to interview 1Ls, but they may not even hire anyone, and of course, judges aren't going to come to campus.

3 -- Is there a specific starting date for applying for judicial internships? I know for firms it’s 12/1, as per NALP rules. Also, does one stagger their applications, applying first to better/more prestigious positions, and following with the rest. Or is it best to just apply everywhere asap?

I'm pretty sure the 12/1 rule applies for judges as well. Not so much due to NALP guidelines as clerks won't want to be bothered with it. Also, you probably want to take a scattershot approach right out of the gate. Prestige doesn't matter so much 1L summer, and you don't want to get shut out of firms and prestigious PI/Gov/Judicial internships only to find everyone else has snapped up the second tier of things. Really, you're just looking for something to talk about during 2L OCI.

Thanks for the help everyone!

You've approached this forum with a sufficient amount of humility, and so I wish you well. Now GTFO 0L.