Why are law students hypocritical? Forum

[bigbirdfly]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to take a public interest position but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

[kwais]

that's not hypocritical. Perhaps they want the money. Perhaps they want public interest in the long term. Nothing wrong with that. Worry about you.

[dingbat]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to do public interest but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

I think you misunderstand. Many people want to do public interest but are applying to firm jobs because they need to pay the bills.

I'd be perfectly content making ice cream for the rest of my life, but I don't want to earn minimum wage

[A. Nony Mouse]

Have you actually surveyed all the 1Ls in your class?

And often, firm jobs are easier to get that PI jobs. Everyone needs a backup.

[ph14]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to take a public interest position but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

Maybe it is part of the law school culture. A lot of people look down at people who want to work a firm job.

[bigbirdfly]

Have you actually surveyed all the 1Ls in your class?

And often, firm jobs are easier to get that PI jobs. Everyone needs a backup.

This seems to be the hypocrisy I'm seeing. Maybe a few PI jobs are harder to get than 1L SA positions, but there are very few of those PI positions. Also, the school I attend guarantees funding for PI work, so it's not that hard to get PI when you work for them for free. It's not hard to sense that most people want 1L SA positions despite what they say.

[bigbirdfly]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to take a public interest position but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

Maybe it is part of the law school culture. A lot of people look down at people who want to work a firm job.

Yeah, but 60-80% of the people end up doing it anyway in their 2L year.

[rinkrat19]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to take a public interest position but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

They're applying to PI jobs because that's what they're likely to get as 1Ls. They're applying to firm jobs for fun and curiosity's sake, mostly, because very few 1Ls get SAs.

Also, why the fuck do you care?

[bigbirdfly]

As I search for jobs for the summer, I can't help but feel that most of my fellow 1Ls (at a T14) are hypocritical. With the exception of about 10% of the class that really do want to take public interest/government jobs (who didn't apply to firm jobs) and another 10% who outright say that they want firm jobs, everyone else says that he/she wants to take a public interest position but is just applying to firm jobs for fun. Why don't those 80% of 1Ls just say that they want firm jobs?

They're applying to PI jobs because that's what they're likely to get as 1Ls. They're applying to firm jobs for fun and curiosity's sake, mostly, because very few 1Ls get SAs.

Also, why the fuck do you care?

I care because all the appointment slots to see a career adviser (at the private sector office) are filled for the next couple of weeks, while the only slots open are those for seeing a pubic interest adviser.

[cinephile]

Because it'd be better to have something that could possibly become permanent rather than something that definitely wont.

[Cogburn87]

I care because all the appointment slots to see a career adviser (at the private sector office) are filled for the next couple of weeks, while the only slots open are those for seeing a pubic interest adviser.

Again, who cares? Career services is shit.

[bigbirdfly]

I care because all the appointment slots to see a career adviser (at the private sector office) are filled for the next couple of weeks, while the only slots open are those for seeing a pubic interest adviser.

Again, who cares? Career services is shit.

I paid for it, and they have some contact lists that I want.

[Cogburn87]

I paid for it, and they have some contact lists that I want.

If you want the list, you might try emailing career services and asking for it instead of whining about nothing on the Internet.

[bigbirdfly]

I paid for it, and they have some contact lists that I want.

If you want the list, you might try emailing career services and asking for it instead of whining about nothing on the Internet.

Except that they haven't responded in over a week, probably because they are too busy advising all the 1L's who want 1L SA positions. Fuck this, I'm just going to the PI office and see if they have access to the lists.

[ndirish2010]

Get over yourself.

[Cogburn87]

Except that they haven't responded in over a week, probably because they are too busy advising all the 1L's who want 1L SA positions. Fuck this, I'm just going to the PI office and see if they have access to the lists.

Probably not. But I'm glad you figured out how to get over this very basic hurdle.

[dingbat]

Except that they haven't responded in over a week, probably because they are too busy advising all the 1L's who want 1L SA positions. Fuck this, I'm just going to the PI office and see if they have access to the lists.

Probably not. But I'm glad you figured out how to get over this very basic hurdle.

I'm hoping OP pursues OCI interviews/callbacks with the same vigor

[20160810]

that's not hypocritical. Perhaps they want the money. Perhaps they want public interest in the long term. Nothing wrong with that. Worry about you.

This. Public interest work is probably more fun, but making $160,000 beats making $40,000 when you have loans to pay.