ID vs. Labor/Employment Opportunities, any advice? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on 2 potential jobs for this upcoming summer. I'm currently finishing up my 2L year, and my interest is to do something in litigation (maybe plaintiff's work). I have 2 potential opportunities that I've been looking at, and am unsure which looks more promising. Both of these firms have about 15 attorneys and I'm unsure about prospects for post-graduate employment (but am assuming that it's unlikely). Firm #1 is working at an insurance defense firm, and the opportunity is paid decently well. I don't really have any interest in ID, and I've been hearing/reading a lot of bad things about that particular area of the law, so the subject matter is making me lean away from this, but being paid would also be nice. Firm #2 is working for an employment/civil rights plaintiff's firm. This gig is unfortunately unpaid, although I do have more of an interest in employment law.

Given the fact that I'm unsure about either job leading to any kind of long-term employment, any advice on what I should do/consider? Thanks so much.

[keg411]

I'd be wary of any actual firm that takes unpaid interns if I were you. Take the money at the ID firm. There are worse things.

[Anonymous User]

You can learn a lot at some insurance defense firms. On the other hand you could end up on the phone with angry clients asking them questions off of a form interrogatory all day. "ID" work is very interesting and complex at higher levels, I find it both challenging and rewarding. Only problem is insurance companies avoid paying you at all costs, but as a SA you won't see that.

[Norwood]

go get the money. whatever you do this summer will not limit you to that area of law. ID will give you great skills that are universal to litigation. also, if they are willing to pay you, then you are probably going to get some real work to do. I've interned at a small place for free before, they don't give a damn about your work.