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So I was surprised to learn I am top 5% at DNCG and now I am trying to decide my strategy for 2L summer. I came to law school with the desire to work for the government once I had finished, but now that I might actually be competitive for positions at decent firms I am weighing my options more carefully. I'll try and keep it short by just spelling out my questions.

1) Are there any government positions that I could realistically acquire for 2L summer that would be as prestigious as BigLaw SA? (Generally speaking)

2) If I work at a big firm for 2L summer, does that negatively affect my chances if I decide it isn't for me and I try for something like AG Honors?

3) No matter the path I end up taking, I definitely want to clerk when I first get out of school. Does either a government or SA position for 2L summer increase or decrease my chances relative to the other in that endeavor?

4) Do programs like AG Honors open as many, more, or less doors than starting out in BigLaw when it comes to crossing the line between private sector and public sector positions later in one's career?

If you want Fed Gov, do a biglaw SA, clerk, then try for DOJ Honors 3L. This is a perfectly fine route and limits your downside in case you don't get DOJ, since doing litigation at a biglaw firm and trying to lateral into government from there is always an option.

G. T. L. Rev. wrote:you could split biglaw and DOJ SLIP, which a fair number of people do.

G.T.L or whoever has experience/knowledge of this: Can you explain the mechanics of this? Presumably you will not have an offer from SLIP during OCI/callbacks. Do you need to inform the firm you accept that you will be doing this after the firm? Can you do a full summer program and then do a full SLIP program (does this depend on division/firm)? Is this risky (or as risky as splitting between two firms) in terms of getting a full time offer from the firm? Although SLIP acknowledges that you can split, does it influence your ability to get slip if they know you aren't 100% public interest? Thanks.

congrats. you came, saw and conquered.