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General consensus on here is that any legal work will do for 1L summer. I'm curious whether a more policy-geared internship falls into that too. I've had a few interviews with some non-profits that would entail researching certain laws, codes, their effects, etc, but wouldn't deal with litigation. I'd prefer something else, but at this stage in the game I'm not sure if I should take one of these if I get an offer or hold out. Would these not be direct enough as far as legal experience? Would it hurt next summer at 2L OCI? Would it make a difference if they're in DC and I want to work biglaw or government in DC eventually?

You're researching legal issues? That's probably fine. Try to get a usable writing sample, though.

1L summer is mostly about how to spin it. Try to get some research and writing in so you can talk about it.

This might be worth starting a poll over, but only one firm ever asked me for a writing sample, including during the callback and offer stages, so that isn't something that I would get worked up over personally.