Summer PD or Clinic Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I've been interning at a PD, and I've recently realized its not for me (plus the fact that jobs are very scarce). I do have an internship over this coming summer with them as well. Should I try and get into a clinic at my school for the summer, or stay on with the PD? I feel like staying on is boxing me into a career I don't necessarily want.

I'm also going the clerkship route, and I think having different legal experience may be helpful for applications. Thoughts?

[Geist13]

So I've been interning at a PD, and I've recently realized its not for me (plus the fact that jobs are very scarce). I do have an internship over this coming summer with them as well. Should I try and get into a clinic at my school for the summer, or stay on with the PD? I feel like staying on is boxing me into a career I don't necessarily want.

I'm also going the clerkship route, and I think having different legal experience may be helpful for applications. Thoughts?

If you're a 1L, it doesn't matter, just stick it out for the summer. If you're a 2L, um, don't do a clinic as your job over the summer. Think about it this way: which will box you in more, working at a PD office, which many people do, even if that's not their ultimate career goal, or being unemployed and taking something for credit. You may want to say, "but I'm not unemployed, I could had this other job, but I thought the clinic would be the better option." That actually may be true, but it's not how employers will see the situation. They'll see a kid who couldn't find a job his 2L summer.

Also, clerkships: Experience does not matter. Grades matter, then journal, and then how your personality fits with the judge if you actually land an interview. The types of experiences that might, potentially matter are things that very few people have the opportunity to do, which indicate to the judge and his current clerks that you might be a cool dude to work with (and even then you still have to have good grades etc for it to matter). Working a clinic over the summer does not make you look interesting. Again, it makes you look like an unemployed law student.

[leobowski]

PD's office might lead to a permanent job offer. Clinic almost certainly will not. And clerkships are not a sure thing. This is a no-brainer b/c you can't afford to be picky right now.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks! Yeah, I can definitely see employers seeing the clinic as "student couldn't get a job." The reason I was thinking of doing this is that I will be doing a judicial externship in the fall (in addition to EIC duties), so taking credits during the summer would make my life a lot easier during 3L.

[Geist13]

Thanks! Yeah, I can definitely see employers seeing the clinic as "student couldn't get a job." The reason I was thinking of doing this is that I will be doing a judicial externship in the fall (in addition to EIC duties), so taking credits during the summer would make my life a lot easier during 3L.

Clinics are a lot of work for the credits. Just take a regular night class during the summer.