R.A. with big deal professor Forum

[Anonymous User]

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[de5igual]

Is getting an R.A. position with a big deal professor an okay job prospect for a 1L? It's from summer into fall semester and paid.

My situation: shamefully low grades, summer internship at family friend law firm just fell through

He is not Chemerinsky or anything but is a pretty big deal at the school and for the city. People's Lawyer. On the radio and news a lot.

If he said, "If you're still interested, come by my office and let's talk" what does that mean? I can just wear a button down and jeans or something, right?

I actually need this so bad.

it doesn't sound like you have other options, right?

[thegrayman]

I showed up to my RA interviews in a suit. You need this, why risk it?

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I have a few other job possibilities but not from career services or anything. From non-family close network. I am concerned about wearing the suit because I hate the way I feel in a suit. I feel funny awkward and clumsy. It detracts from my confidence.

More importantly, it seemed like a very casual email, and it's for a R.A. position. I'm not disparaging the position. This is exactly the thing I would want to do, anything to avoid real life. I am not sure but I don't think R.A.'s have to wear suits.

Also, my cover letter was a little ballsy in terms of just how immature it was. I am trying to play the I-can-be-serious but I-can-be-easy-going card.

So I don't want to be under or overdressed. His email was literally 6 words like "Please come by and talk to me if you're still interested."

I should probably email him back and schedule a time right, instead of just showing up? I have no clue how this works.

[lawschoolftw]

Since the whole situation has been casual up to this point, I would actually avoid an entire suit. I would e-mail him/her back and ask if it's okay to stop by at X time. Then I would make sure you look presentable (i.e. a collared shirt and nice jeans/or khakis). It doesn't sound like a formal interview so I don't think a suit is necessary.

[Detrox]

Showed up to all my ra interviews in standard attire. Collared shirt or something maybe, but nothing super fancy. Didn't seem to harm me in anyway.

[traydeuce]

Is getting an R.A. position with a big deal professor an okay job prospect for a 1L? It's from summer into fall semester and paid.

My situation: shamefully low grades, summer internship at family friend law firm just fell through

He is not Chemerinsky or anything but is a pretty big deal at the school and for the city. People's Lawyer. On the radio and news a lot.

If he said, "If you're still interested, come by my office and let's talk" what does that mean? I can just wear a button down and jeans or something, right?

I actually need this so bad.

I'm not sure if you're into clerking one day or whatever, why you want this credential, but RAing for a "People's Lawyer" will mean nothing to judges and the clerks who read their apps. On the other hand, maybe in your city it will have some weight as far as firm hiring.

[leobowski]

I'm not sure if you're into clerking one day or whatever, why you want this credential, but RAing for a "People's Lawyer" will mean nothing to judges and the clerks who read their apps.

Nobody even mentioned clerking in this thread, so keep your arrogant attitude to yourself, traydouche.

[Anonymous User]

From all the questions I've asked...it doesn't hurt to RA as a 1L summer job. Also it doesn't really matter if your professor is a "big deal" or not.

[Detrox]

RA'ing gets a bad rap on these forums. Plenty of people I know RA'ed for 1L summer and are competitive for some of the best CoA clerkships and are biglaw secure. Again, these are people who had top grades but chose to RA instead of something else and not people who did RA'ing as a last resort, and the two should be distinguished; however, I just want to maintain that RA'ing can be an excellent choice for 1L summer work especially in terms of developping relationships with future recommenders and developping research and writing skills that will be inquired about in almost every interview.

[shepdawg]

RA seems boring. But if it's all you got, go for it.

[Renzo]

I'm not sure if you're into clerking one day or whatever, why you want this credential, but RAing for a "People's Lawyer" will mean nothing to judges and the clerks who read their apps.

Nobody even mentioned clerking in this thread, so keep your arrogant attitude to yourself, traydouche.

Seriously. That was such a douchetastic poast I had to look at his history and make sure he wasn't just trolling.

[top30man]

I'm not sure if you're into clerking one day or whatever, why you want this credential, but RAing for a "People's Lawyer" will mean nothing to judges and the clerks who read their apps.

Nobody even mentioned clerking in this thread, so keep your arrogant attitude to yourself, traydouche.

Seriously. That was such a douchetastic poast I had to look at his history and make sure he wasn't just trolling.

Agreed. So uncalled for.

[20160810]

Unless the professor is one of maybe a dozen BFD scholars (most of whom are at T14 schools, at least), then RA-ing for him or her won't do much for you come OCI time, especially if your grades are bad. (If your grades are good, these kinds of cap-feathers tend to help a little more - a cruel twist of fate, but true nonetheless.)

That said, RA-ing post-1L is a great learning experience and I recommend it to anyone. Plus you get paid while most other 1Ls are doing unpaid internships for the State Department of Boner Regulations. You're totally right to go all-out in your attempt to get the gig.

That said, wearing a suit when you respond to an invitation to stop by his office and chat about options would be (IMO) much, much, much too much. Just don't look like a slob and you should be fine.

[Miller32]

The correct response is to (1) wear business casual and (2) act like a normal human being upon arrival. Unfortunately, this second requirement is difficult for many law students.

I also agree that RAing is a pretty sweet gig. I didn't RA my 1L summer, but have worked for a professor all of 2L year and have really enjoyed it.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. hope this is still anonymous posting.

thanks for all the responses. no, i'm not looking to clerk or anything. i'm just in a shit position and he is 100% not one of the nationally known/read profs. i just need something to pull me through so i can either get good grades to explain my 1st semester gigantic screw up or to carry me through so i can find out i screwed up again and drop out.

either way, i stopped by and asked another prof about proper attire/etiquette with him and the prof said for most of the r.a.'s he's interviewed, they were just dressed normally ("just don't wear a tank top and cut off shorts"). i am male.

i'm just going to wear dark khakis, a nice shirt, nice shoes, and shave, and be chill. and briefly review the textbook we're using.

[ToTransferOrNot]

You're going to have to get over your suit and real-life phobias at some point, but RA positions are perfectly respectable. No one cares what you did for 1L as long as you did something (I interned for the chief justice of the state supreme court. Who cared? No one. Didn't help with.. well... anything, really), and $ > no $.

Business casual is fine.

[Anonymous User]

Are there no legal jobs that don't require suits? I'm getting a tailored suit soon. I thought in California people stopped wearing suits. But yes, I am working on getting over the phobia. I have a suit phobia.

[cantaboot]

east coast: most men are in suits; less formal attire for women.

[Lwoods]

I showed up to my RA interviews in a suit. You need this, why risk it?

Seriously?

A suit isn't necessary. How does the professor usually dress? Mine frequently wears jeans, so I just wear my regular school clothes (nice casual...jeans/slacks and a blouse...no yoga pants) whenever I meet with him. If it's a professor who dresses in business casual or suits, though, I'd stick with business casual.

[cantaboot]

exactly. even when meeting a guy who's always in suit, I wouldn't dress that formally on campus.

[thegrayman]

I showed up to my RA interviews in a suit. You need this, why risk it?

Seriously?

A suit isn't necessary. How does the professor usually dress? Mine frequently wears jeans, so I just wear my regular school clothes (nice casual...jeans/slacks and a blouse...no yoga pants) whenever I meet with him. If it's a professor who dresses in business casual or suits, though, I'd stick with business casual.

Yes seriously. Professor wears a suit 24/7, #1 in his field, wrote the book, wrote the supplement, gets paid in the 7 figures, traditional as they get. All other people interviewing to RA with him wore a suit as well, fancy that

[Anonymous User]

not OP but: T25, top 25% so far, would RA'ing be a bad decision for this summer?

[cantaboot]

not a bad deal. just a little 'mundane' but all work is mundane anyway.

[20160810]

Are there no legal jobs that don't require suits? I'm getting a tailored suit soon. I thought in California people stopped wearing suits. But yes, I am working on getting over the phobia. I have a suit phobia.

When I was a SA, I wore khakis and a polo most days.