Summer classes Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am thinking about taking summer classes after 1L. I could take a full load of summer courses and possibly finish my JD a semester early, or I could do a judicial externship during the summer along with a seminar. Do you think it would hurt my employment chances for 2L summer or after graduation if I don't work during the summer and only take classes?

Basically, what are the downsides to taking full time summer classes?

[Sup Kid]

I am thinking about taking summer classes after 1L. I could take a full load of summer courses and possibly finish my JD a semester early, or I could do a judicial externship during the summer along with a seminar. Do you think it would hurt my employment chances for 2L summer or after graduation if I don't work during the summer and only take classes?

Basically, what are the downsides to taking full time summer classes?

The downside is that you will probably end up paying close to a full semester's tuition when taking a full load of summer courses. If that's the case, graduating early doesn't save you much money, and you still have a hole on your resume where "1L summer job" should be. Additionally, if you're aiming for a traditional post-law school job (biglaw, government honors program, clerkship, etc), those jobs don't begin until the fall after the standard May graduation, so it's unlikely that you'd be able to begin working earlier, thus giving you another hole in your resume from Dec through Sept-Oct. A judicial externship during 1L summer + seminar if you want a few credits to reduce the number you need during your 2L/3L years is a FAR better option.

[Lucidity]

I asked 2 separate employers this very same question and got very candid answers. You should work. The nature of the work isn't very important so long as you do something legal related so that you can spend 10-15 minutes talking about during interviews your 2l year. When you start interviewing your 2l year, most employers will assume you've had some experience because most of your peers will have had that experience on their resume. If you don't work your 1l summer, you will obviously be at a disadvantage in comparison to your competition.

[2013Hopeful]

I took a full load of classes my 1L summer including a clinic through my school. I got plenty of OCI interviews and callbacks and not one interviewer asked why I didn't work. A lot asked about my experience at the clinic. The firm I'm working at this (2L) summer told me that unless there's a need, I would be starting with everyone else assuming I get a full time offer. This does mean I will have 7 months off after I take the bar but I plan on traveling and doing contract/public interest work during that time.

[Sup Kid]

I took a full load of classes my 1L summer including a clinic through my school. I got plenty of OCI interviews and callbacks and not one interviewer asked why I didn't work. A lot asked about my experience at the clinic.

The fact that you worked in a clinic is your 1L summer work experience -- a clinic doesn't count as "taking classes". In general, OCI interviewers need to talk with you about something, like a clinic, an externship, even a RA position can help guide the initial interview. If all you do is take classes, then there's nothing really for you to talk about it, as you have no outside school legal experience. Also, based on your previous posts, you had a high GPA after 1L year, which was the cause of your OCI interviews and callbacks -- the classes/clinic didn't hurt you, but they weren't the reason you got OCI stuff.

The firm I'm working at this (2L) summer told me that unless there's a need, I would be starting with everyone else assuming I get a full time offer. This does mean I will have 7 months off after I take the bar but I plan on traveling and doing contract/public interest work during that time.

Don't want to derail this thread, but I'm very curious. Are you saying that your firm told you, before you even began working: "If you do well this summer, and if we give you an offer, and if you accept the offer, we are going to defer you until 2013." I don't understand why a firm would say that until it's definite, and it seems unlikely that it's definite over a year and a half in advance.

[porgie]

The firm I'm working at this (2L) summer told me that unless there's a need, I would be starting with everyone else assuming I get a full time offer. This does mean I will have 7 months off after I take the bar but I plan on traveling and doing contract/public interest work during that time.

Don't want to derail this thread, but I'm very curious. Are you saying that your firm told you, before you even began working: "If you do well this summer, and if we give you an offer, and if you accept the offer, we are going to defer you until 2013." I don't understand why a firm would say that until it's definite, and it seems unlikely that it's definite over a year and a half in advance.

He's a 2L and he's graduating a semester early (December 2011), so he'll start in 2012 when his classmates who graduate in May start. No deferral.

[Sup Kid]

The firm I'm working at this (2L) summer told me that unless there's a need, I would be starting with everyone else assuming I get a full time offer. This does mean I will have 7 months off after I take the bar but I plan on traveling and doing contract/public interest work during that time.

Don't want to derail this thread, but I'm very curious. Are you saying that your firm told you, before you even began working: "If you do well this summer, and if we give you an offer, and if you accept the offer, we are going to defer you until 2013." I don't understand why a firm would say that until it's definite, and it seems unlikely that it's definite over a year and a half in advance.

He's a 2L and he's graduating a semester early (December 2011), so he'll start in 2012 when his classmates who graduate in May start. No deferral.

That explains it, thanks!