Preparing for the worst: the 2L Summer No Hitter Forum

[Anonymous User]

Well, the problem is that programs like the DOL and FTC are also pretty competitive, so they're not exactly a fall-back for people who strike out at biglaw.

Not true. I recently received offers at 2 DC honors programs after miserably failing at big firm and mid firm recruiting. I know at least one other who had the same experience. They are not as competitive as big law because 1) some (but not all) are less likely to lead directly to full-time employment than big law without doing a clerkship and 2) they are less glamorous than big law and 3) law students are shallow and only care about quick money.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Well, the problem is that programs like the DOL and FTC are also pretty competitive, so they're not exactly a fall-back for people who strike out at biglaw.

Not true. I recently received offers at 2 DC honors programs after miserably failing at big firm and mid firm recruiting. I know at least one other who had the same experience. They are not as competitive as big law because 1) some (but not all) are less likely to lead directly to full-time employment than big law without doing a clerkship and 2) they are less glamorous than big law and 3) law students are shallow and only care about quick money.

Oh, sorry, confusion. I understand "honors programs" to be those that hire students as 3Ls into permanent positions for after graduation. You're talking about internships. Those are different - my bad.

[Anonymous User]

Well, the problem is that programs like the DOL and FTC are also pretty competitive, so they're not exactly a fall-back for people who strike out at biglaw.

Not true. I recently received offers at 2 DC honors programs after miserably failing at big firm and mid firm recruiting. I know at least one other who had the same experience. They are not as competitive as big law because 1) some (but not all) are less likely to lead directly to full-time employment than big law without doing a clerkship and 2) they are less glamorous than big law and 3) law students are shallow and only care about quick money.

Oh, sorry, confusion. I understand "honors programs" to be those that hire students as 3Ls into permanent positions for after graduation. You're talking about internships. Those are different - my bad.

No, I was referring to the honors programs. It's confusing because "honors program" and "pathways internship" often appear to mean the same thing. Both have the expectation of leading to full-time employment, but both sometimes don't. Even the honors programs don't ALWAYS hire summers for permanent positions. Some hire close to 80%, but I am not aware of any that hire 100%, unlike many firms. I think that's one reason why they aren't as competitive as firm jobs - their offer rates are not a guaranteed 99-100%.

[sadsituationJD]

6) City organizations: Certain very large cities, like NYC, will have city departments aside from the DAs office that need interns. NYC Law Department and the MTA have summer programs, for example.

NYC Law Dept. pays basically garbage (50 K or so) but is an easy gig. Back in my day (early 2000s) it was all TTT losers from diploma mills like Brooklyn & 'Bozo. Mostly they defend trip n' fall stuff, auto accidents involving NYC vehicles, etc. Basically a government version of low-end insurance defense. People used to leave here and go to ID mills like Wilson Elser after a few years for slightly better pay, but many ended up coming back because ID dumps like WEMED want biglaw-type hours for like 65-75 K and no bonus. Funny to hear that nowadays T-14 types are gunning for jobs at NYC Law Dept. I honestly can't imagine how a Columbia or other T-14 grad would fare in this type of cut n' paste, low-end gutter type work.

Ditto for the MTA lawyers (which is different than NYC Law Dept). There used to be this one "chief" lawyer for MTA who on trial day would hold the purse-strings and make the "final offer" to all the klutzes and losers who fell getting on/off the subways and buses etc. He'd run around and be like "3500 bucks take it or leave it" and threaten to take everything to trial. What a clown. None of those cases ever go beyond jury selection. Good luck getting other NY'ers who ride the train every day (and manage to do so without slipping/falling) to pony up money for some ghetto plaintiff looking to hit the lawsuit lotto. The one MTA case I tried resulted in a whopping 1500 verdict for some knucklehead who fell on a cracked floor tile. The offer before trial was 5 K but these idiots never listen lol.

Your worst nightmares are true, kids. Outside Biglaw there's just a huge mountain of manure. To the poster who's dropping out after OCI ding: Bravo Sir. Don't look back. Just swing by any NYC courtroom and spend 15 minutes observing the antics of these also-ran losers, and then pat yourself on the back. It takes guts to walk away, but it's the best choice if you miss proper Biglaw.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Well, the problem is that programs like the DOL and FTC are also pretty competitive, so they're not exactly a fall-back for people who strike out at biglaw.

Not true. I recently received offers at 2 DC honors programs after miserably failing at big firm and mid firm recruiting. I know at least one other who had the same experience. They are not as competitive as big law because 1) some (but not all) are less likely to lead directly to full-time employment than big law without doing a clerkship and 2) they are less glamorous than big law and 3) law students are shallow and only care about quick money.

Oh, sorry, confusion. I understand "honors programs" to be those that hire students as 3Ls into permanent positions for after graduation. You're talking about internships. Those are different - my bad.

No, I was referring to the honors programs. It's confusing because "honors program" and "pathways internship" often appear to mean the same thing. Both have the expectation of leading to full-time employment, but both sometimes don't. Even the honors programs don't ALWAYS hire summers for permanent positions. Some hire close to 80%, but I am not aware of any that hire 100%, unlike many firms. I think that's one reason why they aren't as competitive as firm jobs - their offer rates are not a guaranteed 99-100%.

[never mind, realized I was mistaken!]

[Anonymous User]

One thing to remember about fedgov summer programs is that there is a distinct group of students at top schools who specifically wants to work for the federal government. This student could have gotten biglaw, and now that the DOJ has slashed summer hiring, that student is applying first and foremost to the limited number of jobs at other agencies.