How "legal" does 1L summer employment need to be? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a current 0L entering a top 10 school. I am leaving a great job with a risk management, nat'l security, etc. consulting organization. It is a wonderful job, and I have great connections with many former high-ranking government officials. They have asked me to stay on part-time (considering) during school and to work for them in the summers. I would very much like to keep the connections (although only two are JDs) and enjoy the job. They could be very influential in helping me get my ideal 2L summer and post-grad jobs (DHS, CIA, DoJ, etc).

Would it be a bad idea to work for them in the summers? Should I try and split summers between them and a judge, etc? Should I just pursue a more law related job?

For further information, I have past experience as a legal and judicial intern. I would like to work in the GC's office at a national security government organization after graduation, but could also be happy with BigLaw, consulting (even re-joining the same company), etc. Would like to clerk for a year if it is SCOTUS/Art. III.

Please let me know your thoughts and thank you for any advice.

[Anonymous User]

I am a current 0L entering a top 10 school. I am leaving a great job with a risk management, nat'l security, etc. consulting organization. It is a wonderful job, and I have great connections with many former high-ranking government officials. They have asked me to stay on part-time (considering) during school and to work for them in the summers. I would very much like to keep the connections (although only two are JDs) and enjoy the job. They could be very influential in helping me get my ideal 2L summer and post-grad jobs (DHS, CIA, DoJ, etc).

Would it be a bad idea to work for them in the summers? Should I try and split summers between them and a judge, etc? Should I just pursue a more law related job?

For further information, I have past experience as a legal and judicial intern. I would like to work in the GC's office at a national security government organization after graduation, but could also be happy with BigLaw, consulting (even re-joining the same company), etc. Would like to clerk for a year if it is SCOTUS/Art. III.

Please let me know your thoughts and thank you for any advice.

I should add that they have agreed to call me a legal analyst/associate and focus my work on contract drafting and review, but it would not be wholly legal. I would also help with some of our more "legal" issues, although it is not our true cup of tea.

[Cupidity]

Some "contract drafting and review" is superior to the experience most 1L's receive. Furthermore, job apps is practically a substantive course of its own during the spring semester if you don't line something up before December. Take it.

[gwuorbust]

Some "contract drafting and review" is superior to the experience most 1L's receive. Furthermore, job apps is practically a substantive course of its own during the spring semester if you don't line something up before December. Take it.

could you expand on this? What do you think most 1L summers are like?

just want to compare to my current 1L summer internship.

[Anonymous User]

bump

[Anonymous User]

As a rising 3L at a top10 school, if you have an awesome job, I would strongly advise you not to come to law school. I would take your described job in a heartbeat. As someone in the top 25% of a top ten school who will probably be graduating unemployed and has looked into high end waiter and other service industry jobs, I am begging you to reconsider. If you have an awesome job, law school is not worth it.

[Gideon Strumpet]

It is hard to justify law school for someone who already has a great job, with solid connections, and apparently a good future. If despite [insert standard DO NOT GO rant here], you still decide to go anyway, and if you think there is a reasonable chance this agency would employ you as a JD after you graduate, then I would say you absolutely need to maintain your connection with them and make the most of it. You still ought to question why you would want to spend three years and $150K just to wind up back at the same job. But it's better than spending three years and $150K to wind up with no job.

[Anonymous User]

I am a current 0L entering a top 10 school. I am leaving a great job with a risk management, nat'l security, etc. consulting organization. It is a wonderful job, and I have great connections with many former high-ranking government officials.

I hate to be a downer, but I have to agree with the above. If you love your current job and would seriously consider returning, why are you planning on going to law school? What are you hoping to get from your law degree? Again, not to be a complete downer, but the places that you have described as your ideal jobs are highly, highly competitive. I'm not saying you won't be get them, as you sound like you have a good background for them. But...3 years of law school for something statistically unlikely to happen sounds a little iffy when you are currently happy in your position. I'd also add that although you are saying you'd be happy in big law as a backup, big law lawyers work hard for pretty low job satisfaction. If you have an interesting job now that you are excited about, big law doesn't sound like a great option.

Anyway, as for your actual question, I agree that you should maintain your relationship with your past employer if you'd consider returning. It might make sense to split though so that you can try out one of the government agencies that you are considering.

[Grizz]

Good job = don't go to law school, duderino

[Anonymous User]

Good job = don't go to law school, duderino

OP here:

Understood, and I have wrestled with the decision a lot. However, I want to be my bosses, and not the one doing their bidding. It is a good job for someone fresh out of undergrad, but I think to truly reach my goals, I need a terminal degree with law being the most appealing option and the one with the fallbacks that sound most enjoyable if I do not reach my lofty government objectives.

[Anonymous User]

Good job = don't go to law school, duderino

OP here:

Understood, and I have wrestled with the decision a lot. However, I want to be my bosses, and not the one doing their bidding. It is a good job for someone fresh out of undergrad, but I think to truly reach my goals, I need a terminal degree with law being the most appealing option and the one with the fallbacks that sound most enjoyable if I do not reach my lofty government objectives.

I'll chime in with some more--what about working part time (starting at 10 hrs/week and increasing as time allows) with the company while in LS and offering half my summers. This could give me the chance to rejoin as a senior associate or higher in lieu of my current position as analyst.

[Cupidity]

Some "contract drafting and review" is superior to the experience most 1L's receive. Furthermore, job apps is practically a substantive course of its own during the spring semester if you don't line something up before December. Take it.

could you expand on this? What do you think most 1L summers are like?

just want to compare to my current 1L summer internship.

I know plenty of people at AG's and DA's offices who do nothing but photo copy and get coffee, the same happens in some judicial chambers. RA's research obscure and impractical nuances in the law. "Contract Drafting and Review" is more substantive than most get.

[gwuorbust]

I know plenty of people at AG's and DA's offices who do nothing but photo copy and get coffee, the same happens in some judicial chambers. RA's research obscure and impractical nuances in the law. "Contract Drafting and Review" is more substantive than most get.

cool. I'm not doing anything close to making copies and getting coffee, but I didn't know if there were actually law students who end up doing having to do that. I wonder if a strong 1L job makes for significantly better 2L OCI results...

[Anonymous User]

Some "contract drafting and review" is superior to the experience most 1L's receive. Furthermore, job apps is practically a substantive course of its own during the spring semester if you don't line something up before December. Take it.

could you expand on this? What do you think most 1L summers are like?

just want to compare to my current 1L summer internship.

I know plenty of people at AG's and DA's offices who do nothing but photo copy and get coffee, the same happens in some judicial chambers. RA's research obscure and impractical nuances in the law. "Contract Drafting and Review" is more substantive than most get.

OP here:

The interesting thing is that I already do a lot of preliminary drafting now as a 0L. I use our templates and attach it to our standard legalise and then give it to one of our lawyers to edit.

What do you guys think about working with my same job during law school. Again, it is national security and risk management consulting, not law, but they would give me flexible hours (starting 10 per week), cool work, good contacts, secure (primarily non-legal) job at graduation if I want it, pay for my phone, help reduce debt load w/good pay, etc. I knwo the rule is "don't work in law school" but I feel my circumstances may be a bit unique.