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Do 1L summers turn into full time offers?
The standard model seems to be that the firm you work for during your 2L summer seems to be the one giving you the offers... if you work for a firm your 1L summer, are you expected to summer again with them during your 2L year in order to get an offer? Can you 2L summer with different firms and still get an offer from your 1L firm?

Depends on the firm. 1L SA's wouldn't typically lead to offers post-grad, but a few firms either require you to come back 2L or will make a spot available for you.

Nothing is guaranteed, but it would seem like your chances of an offer are much increased by a 1L SA position.

I've talked to a few people at my T14, and most of the 1L SA's I've talked to from last year got offers...

Anonymous User wrote:I've talked to a few people at my T14, and most of the 1L SA's I've talked to from last year got offers...

At most reputable firms the intention is to hire you. Some don't but they are hoping to make an offer usually.

Is this regional? I was looking at firms in Birmingham Alabama- not going there now but there was a chance I might move there for personal reasons. It seems that the system there means getting a 1l gig and then gettmg the chance to come back and split your summer as a 2l. And many of the firms had low offer rates for their 2l class.

I've still not quite figured out their system. I ended up staying in NYC so I didn't pursue it.

I know at least 2 students who got post-grad offers from their 1L firms, no clue whether they split their 2L summer and came back to the 1L firm at all. For one of them, I do not think there was a split because he did his 2L SA (the one I know about) in a completely different market from the 1L firm (he had also worked at the 1L firm as a paralegal pre-LS).

I spent my 1L summer at a V20 firm last year. This particular firm doesn't make post-grad offers after your first summer. However, the 1Ls are invited to return for the second summer for whatever length of time they choose (from a few weeks up to the full summer program). The assumption is that you will spend your summer at another firm, come back for a few weeks to the 1L firm, and then (ideally) have two post-grad offers to choose from.

The firm I'm summer at didn't say they give offers to 1L summers but they strongly hinted at it. Their 1L from last year will be back for his 2L summer and at least 3 of the attorneys I interviewed with spent their 1L summer at the firm. They even mentioned having a "history of permanent hiring from their summer program" in the offer letter.

My two T14 friends with 1L SAs had what must be unusual experiences then.

One worked for a good biglaw firm in a big city for 1L and then upgraded to a great biglaw firm in the same city, only to be cold-offered. They re-interviewed with the 1L firm, but ended up taking a position as a mediocre biglaw firm in that city.

The other friend worked for a biglaw firm as part of a split summer with a small firm in another market for 1L and was invited back for the entire summer 2L year at the biglaw firm and then no-offered at the end of the 2L summer.

LawIdiot86 wrote:My two T14 friends with 1L SAs had what must be unusual experiences then.

One worked for a good biglaw firm in a big city for 1L and then upgraded to a great biglaw firm in the same city, only to be cold-offered. They re-interviewed with the 1L firm, but ended up taking a position as a mediocre biglaw firm in that city.

The other friend worked for a biglaw firm as part of a split summer with a small firm in another market for 1L and was invited back for the entire summer 2L year at the biglaw firm and then no-offered at the end of the 2L summer.

The first story isn't too surprising; sounds like neither firm liked the guy.

Unfortunately, it depends on the firm and the market. Some midwest firms actually prefer 1Ls and look for the long term. We always will lean to a 1L if we are confident they intend to practice in our area and like the smaller firm environment. We they graduate they really hit the ground running in our firm after those 2 summers. The students also notice our track record in permanent jobs going to summer associates which helps us receive not only a large number of resumes, but some very, very good ones. 152 resumes this year for 1 position.