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RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:40 pm
by Anonymous User
1L at MVP and I have been informally offered an RA position with a professor who is doing research in corporate law which is what I am interested in. However, I am also still holding out hope for in-house counsel (2 jobs which I have been told will be conducting interviews in a few weeks for and the employers have shown strong interest in me).
I'm scared that by holding out, the RA position would go elsewhere and I am scared of being an RA for a professor in a field that I have no interest in. I would be more happy RA'ing, but I am also scared it would hurt me a bit during fall recruiting.
I am above median (top quarter) and have w/e before law school if that is significant.
Advice?
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:43 pm
by Moxie
Anonymous User wrote:1L at MVP and I have been informally offered an RA position with a professor who is doing research in corporate law which is what I am interested in. However, I am also still holding out hope for in-house counsel (2 jobs which I have been told will be conducting interviews in a few weeks for and the employers have shown strong interest in me).
I'm scared that by holding out, the RA position would go elsewhere and I am scared of being an RA for a professor in a field that I have no interest in. I would be more happy RA'ing, but I am also scared it would hurt me a bit during fall recruiting.
I am above median (top quarter) and have w/e before law school if that is significant.
Advice?
huh?
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 9:45 pm
by Anonymous User
Sorry, I should have been more clear.
I meant that I am scared that by not immediately accepting this RA position, it would be given to someone else and I would be stuck RA'ing for some other professor in a field that I am not interested in.
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:03 pm
by npe
1. Thank your professor for the offer and ask when s/he needs to hear back.
2. Inform your other prospects of this deadline.
3.
4. PROFIT
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:03 pm
by vamedic03
Anonymous User wrote:Sorry, I should have been more clear.
I meant that I am scared that by not immediately accepting this RA position, it would be given to someone else and I would be stuck RA'ing for some other professor in a field that I am not interested in.
Talk to the prof and explain your situation.
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:07 pm
by Hey-O
vamedic03 wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Sorry, I should have been more clear.
I meant that I am scared that by not immediately accepting this RA position, it would be given to someone else and I would be stuck RA'ing for some other professor in a field that I am not interested in.
Talk to the prof and explain your situation.
+1
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:10 pm
by Anonymous User
Thanks, that was my original thought too. I just am hesitant that explaining the situation would make my professor feel as if he is the second or backup option. I'm also relatively risk-averse and while there seems to be disagreement on TLS about it, I am not sure there is a material difference come OCI between RA'ing with a professor in your future legal field and in-house or even a firm job.
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:19 pm
by Efly
npe wrote:1. Thank your professor for the offer and ask when s/he needs to hear back.
2. Inform your other prospects of this deadline.
3.
4. PROFIT
Clear and wise!
Re: RA or hope otherwise
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:57 pm
by Stats
It's getting a little late, so I'd probably take the RA position if you're at least somewhat interested in the area of research. For OCI, what matters is simply that you have something legal to discuss. As long as you get at least one thorny issue to work on, you're fine. There's no stigma--lots of students who are gunning for clerkships RA during their first summer in order to secure a decent recommendation.