2L Summer: Am I f**ked + something corporate-ish

[Anonymous User]

2L, T-14, struck out at big law. At this point, nothing on the table. Am I fucked for 2L Summer? Also, would like to do something corporate/transactional/commercial ish, maybe something in tax. No luck with the audit firms. Applied to IRS. Anything else out there? What's the usual timeline for small firms that may do some kind of commercial work?

[BullShitWithBravado]

Some firms are still hiring, but you'll have to hustle. Mass mail NYC and secondary markets, reach out to alums at firms, and try resubmitting your application to firms after first semester grades come out if your GPA improves (have heard of people getting Biglaw this way). You should also probably apply to public interest jobs. You're not fucked 'til you stop applying.

[Anonymous User]

Different anon here... I mass mailed and still hoping for something but it does not look likely. At this point I have decided to just study for finals since I have ignored all of my classes until now. I do not personally think there is much value to mass mailing big law at this stage... I stopped receiving mass mail leads from NYC in September and secondary markets in October. Try international offices maybe...

[Anonymous User]

2L, T-14, struck out at big law. At this point, nothing on the table. Am I fucked for 2L Summer? Also, would like to do something corporate/transactional/commercial ish, maybe something in tax. No luck with the audit firms. Applied to IRS. Anything else out there? What's the usual timeline for small firms that may do some kind of commercial work?

Been mass mailing international offices. Got mostly responses saying "we've filled our class." At least for Asia, most non-U.S. firms only have grad trainee programs that I don't think JD's are qualified for. I even applied to a few, with no luck. Not sure what it is with other parts of the world, but this seems to be the case with UK as well, in my experience.

[Anonymous User]

You should apply to each F500's general counsel office. I know a 2L (lower T-14, top 33%) who got a job at a F100 in March of his 2L year.

Didn't lead to a full-time offer, but it was definitely corporate work and was paid.

[BeenDidThat]

Dude, corporations have in-house counsel. If you can get on doing due dil for some deals, that'll play well down the road.

[Anonymous User]

Apply to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. It's not paid but they have a 3L Honors program (which I'm sure interning would give you a leg up on) that hires for full time positions paying 100K + bar prep course fees straight out of law school.

[Lincoln]

Definitely reach out to any in-house counsel's office. The SEC is another possibility.

[Anonymous User]

Any advice on in-house other than symplicity + lawstudentjobs? I feel like the HR online postings are just black holes.

[Anonymous User]

Got an offer for a regional dept of interior office but really want biglaw/corp--should I take it or take my chances?

[BeenDidThat]

Any advice on in-house other than symplicity + lawstudentjobs? I feel like the HR online postings are just black holes.

Do you know anything about the big industries where you want to work?

If you're up in Michigan, that's probably various auto-parts manufacturers, some o&g pipeline co's.

If you're out S.F., it's probably some VC firms and all sorts of mid-size tech firms.

If you're down Houston way, it's probably o&g exploration cos.

It takes some knowledge of local industry, but look up the players and shoot out some emails. Local biz journals aren't a bad place to start for researching these companies.

[Anonymous User]

Any advice on in-house other than symplicity + lawstudentjobs? I feel like the HR online postings are just black holes.

Do you know anything about the big industries where you want to work?

If you're up in Michigan, that's probably various auto-parts manufacturers, some o&g pipeline co's.

If you're out S.F., it's probably some VC firms and all sorts of mid-size tech firms.

If you're down Houston way, it's probably o&g exploration cos.

It takes some knowledge of local industry, but look up the players and shoot out some emails. Local biz journals aren't a bad place to start for researching these companies.

Thanks for that tip - it's very helpful. I'm in upstate NY (you can probably guess which school now), but my family is in Maryland/Virginia area.