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How much does having a 1L SA actually matter when trying for a 2L SA?

I have only been doing it a couple of weeks, but the stuff I am getting to do is pretty amazing. I have to think that this has to help, at least somewhat.

I need all the help I can get too. I'm at a T6 and I was top 15% 1st semester, but it looks like I will be a lot closer to median this semester.

Uh, it's a huge boost. If you get an offer to come back second summer, you won't have to worry about OCI next year, you'll have all sorts of confidence because you're not staring down unemployment. Even if you don't get an offer firms will think you are hot shit (it's like dating in this respect), and you'll actually be able to give an intelligent answer to the "what practice areas are you interested in" question.

timbs4339 wrote:Uh, it's a huge boost. If you get an offer to come back second summer, you won't have to worry about OCI next year, you'll have all sorts of confidence because you're not staring down unemployment. Even if you don't get an offer firms will think you are hot shit (it's like dating in this respect), and you'll actually be able to give an intelligent answer to the "what practice areas are you interested in" question.

Do you think it's kosher to use it as a way to "move-up" your 2L summer? For example, I live in a small market that happens to have two NLJ250s. My dad is a plaintiff attorney with good connections in the city, and I worked summers with judges there. I think this combined with my "exotic" t14 school could land me a 1L SA poisition there. But, I don't want to live there post-graduation and would like to move to a market like DC.

Also, on a seperate note, if I want government 2L positions, would it be bad to be a BigLaw SA my 1L year--i.e., would it be better to get a volunteer legal PI position?

Anonymous User wrote:

timbs4339 wrote:Uh, it's a huge boost. If you get an offer to come back second summer, you won't have to worry about OCI next year, you'll have all sorts of confidence because you're not staring down unemployment. Even if you don't get an offer firms will think you are hot shit (it's like dating in this respect), and you'll actually be able to give an intelligent answer to the "what practice areas are you interested in" question.

Do you think it's kosher to use it as a way to "move-up" your 2L summer? For example, I live in a small market that happens to have two NLJ250s. My dad is a plaintiff attorney with good connections in the city, and I worked summers with judges there. I think this combined with my "exotic" t14 school could land me a 1L SA poisition there. But, I don't want to live there post-graduation and would like to move to a market like DC.

People do this all the time. Your local NLJ250 might even know that you're unlikely to come back after graduation.

timbs4339 wrote:Uh, it's a huge boost. If you get an offer to come back second summer, you won't have to worry about OCI next year, you'll have all sorts of confidence because you're not staring down unemployment. Even if you don't get an offer firms will think you are hot shit (it's like dating in this respect), and you'll actually be able to give an intelligent answer to the "what practice areas are you interested in" question.

This is all correct, but what you're saying is that it is an INDIRECT boost. OP seems to be asking whether it is a DIRECT boost: will his 1L SA, in and of itself, make him more attractive to a higher caliber firm than would otherwise consider him? From what I have seen, that is not the case. Firms aren't going to pretend your grades are better than they actually are. It is not a direct boost.

RVP11 wrote:

timbs4339 wrote:Uh, it's a huge boost. If you get an offer to come back second summer, you won't have to worry about OCI next year, you'll have all sorts of confidence because you're not staring down unemployment. Even if you don't get an offer firms will think you are hot shit (it's like dating in this respect), and you'll actually be able to give an intelligent answer to the "what practice areas are you interested in" question.

This is all correct, but what you're saying is that it is an INDIRECT boost. OP seems to be asking whether it is a DIRECT boost: will his 1L SA, in and of itself, make him more attractive to a higher caliber firm than would otherwise consider him? From what I have seen, that is not the case. Firms aren't going to pretend your grades are better than they actually are. It is not a direct boost.

Yes this is more of what I was after. Thanks