"No one cares what you did 1L summer." Forum

[Anonymous User]

"No one cares what you did 1L summer."

Can someone please explain this (briefly)? I see the phrase often. Does this mean I can pursue a study abroad program and not work in legal employment?

Or does this phrase mean that no one cares what kind of legal employment you get? Do they not care AT ALL?
Why work if no one cares?

[Danger Zone]

Why work if no one cares?

Because the second half of the phrase is "as long as you did something law related."

[Anonymous User]

You left out the second part of that sentence: "as long as it's legal."

But I question the wisdom of the saying. I am a patent guy, and scored an in-house patent law gig for the my 1L summer. There is no way to ever know this for fact, but I am certain that I would have gotten fewer interviews during 2L recruiting season if say, I had worked at a non-profit doing landlord tenant stuff instead (like some of my friends), especially since my grades were not great.

1L summer job is not a deal breaker, but relevant employment is always better.

[JamMasterJ]

they prefer things that show a commitment to what they do, like if you worked in PI for 10 years before LS, they'd rather you did something more corp focused if you're trying to get a firm job. But as long as you can speak well about any meaningful work you did, and can give a good reason (not necessarily based on what you did in the summer) for wanting the type of work they do, you're fine.

[Anonymous User]

OP: Ah. I actually don't see the second part as much but thanks.

[kryptix]

However, if you are part time and work full time during the year no one expects you to quit your job to do a summer without a real shot at permanent employment down the road. That said, a couple of firms still wanted "that type of commitment to law." Needless to say I didn't end up at one of those.

[Uncle.Joe]

OP: Ah. I actually don't see the second part as much but thanks.

You generally don't see the second part because its said in response to a 1L trying to split prestige hairs that impress no one.

[Anonymous User]

OP: Ah. I actually don't see the second part as much but thanks.

You generally don't see the second part because its said in response to a 1L trying to split prestige hairs that impress no one.

But...but...my COA internship should guarantee me V5 at OCI, right?

[TTRansfer]

Should be

"None cares what you did 1L summer . . . unless you SA'd at a known firm."

[lawyerdown27]

People say this, and it holds true to a certain extent. I have to believe there is at least something to be said for having a preftigious 1L summer gig, i.e. big firm/federal judge internship/super specialty job if gunning for that type of work after law school. However, I think most OCI employers are going to assume you don't know nearly enough to set the world on fire at a 1L summer job, and are mostly concerned with you developing basic research and writing skills and not falling flat on your face. Also, being able to talk about semi-interesting summer work plays well in OCI screeners, as some interviewers are not nearly as good as others at grasping for thinks to talk about.

[Myself]

.

[Anonymous User]

I hear this one a lot too. And this may be a total thread hijack, but...

My school has a pro bono requirement and I am considering taking two summer classes (get some required material out of the way and also for financial reasons) and possibly spending the rest of the time doing some sort of volunteer work with a state agency or non-profit.

IF I can't land a proper internship, and there are some I'm still trying for, do you think the volunteer work in a legal-ish capacity and the summer classes are respectable enough for 1L summer?

I am really limited by my inability to leave this town (no $$$) as far as the internships and clerkships I've been able to apply for.

[stillwater]

Nobody cares about how you don't understand why nobody cares what you did last summer










as long as its law-related.

[Ernert]

As long as you did something legal. That's the caveat. You can't drink beer and smoke your three months away and go to OCI expecting much luck.

Dammit I thought this was what 1L SA's were...

[Anonymous User]

People say this, and it holds true to a certain extent. I have to believe there is at least something to be said for having a preftigious 1L summer gig, i.e. big firm/federal judge internship/super specialty job if gunning for that type of work after law school. However, I think most OCI employers are going to assume you don't know nearly enough to set the world on fire at a 1L summer job, and are mostly concerned with you developing basic research and writing skills and not falling flat on your face. Also, being able to talk about semi-interesting summer work plays well in OCI screeners, as some interviewers are not nearly as good as others at grasping for thinks to talk about.

I don't know if super prestigious really applies to 1L summers, but specialty absolutely does. If you were at a big firm, that'll help with 2L OCI. If you did patent work, it'll help with future patent work. It's not necessary to do anything but something legal, but if you want to move in a particular direction (beyond $160k pls), 1L summer can help shape your resume toward a niche.

[cinephile]

Does this mean I can pursue a study abroad program and not work in legal employment?

No, you should still be working. No one cares, so long as you're doing legal WORK.

Also, I really want to emphasize (from my own experience) that if you have tons of foreign experience and spend your 1L summer abroad and try to get a 2L SA in the US, you may very well face some trouble from employers who doubt your sincerity in wanting to stay in the US. So think about this before running off to work overseas, or even in a region that's not where you want to end up.

[005618502]

Should be

"None cares what you did 1L summer . . . unless you SA'd at a known firm."

Please continue... as in firms look positively on this? I could see it being positive, I could also see it being a, "well then arent you just going to go back to that/those firms?"

[cslouisck]

or even in a region that's not where you want to end up.

I'm assuming that if you want to end up in a particular (second tier) region, that spending 1L summer there ought to help. Correct?

edit: missing words

[TTRansfer]

Should be

"None cares what you did 1L summer . . . unless you SA'd at a known firm."

Please continue... as in firms look positively on this? I could see it being positive, I could also see it being a, "well then arent you just going to go back to that/those firms?"

I had this happen when I interviewed. I had an offer and alluded to that, but if I wanted to be in a different city, I mentioned that. There are a ton of ways to play it. Also creates for a good conversation in the interview (since you WILL be asked about it).

[Anonymous User]

Should be

"None cares what you did 1L summer . . . unless you SA'd at a known firm."

Please continue... as in firms look positively on this? I could see it being positive, I could also see it being a, "well then arent you just going to go back to that/those firms?"

Firms didn't seem to care about my 1L SA at all. Firms also weren't worried about it because if I really wanted to just go back to my 1L firm then I wouldn't be interviewing with them.

[cdelgado]

Should be

"None cares what you did 1L summer . . . unless you SA'd at a known firm."

Please continue... as in firms look positively on this? I could see it being positive, I could also see it being a, "well then arent you just going to go back to that/those firms?"

Firms didn't seem to care about my 1L SA at all. Firms also weren't worried about it because if I really wanted to just go back to my 1L firm then I wouldn't be interviewing with them.

Perhaps it depends upon the region in which you are interviewing. I could see it being a question in a more insular market but probably not asked in a larger one.

[Anonymous User]

I did a summer internship at Google 1L. I expected the red carpets to roll out for me, but at the end of the day this is only 1 piece of the puzzle. Yes, it helped me articulate an interest in media / entertainment, and cemented my interest in IP.

But at the end of the day, the prestige only went so far - I would have done better with a stronger GPA and main journal than w/ Google on my resume. What really matters is how you talk about the experience and relate it to your own resume.

[Anonymous User]

I'm doing a judicial internship with a criminal judge this summer and have no interest in going into criminal law. She said upfront that there was not going to be much, if any, writing or research. Is this going to hurt me at OCI as I am top 20% of my class? Is this type of situation an exception to the rule? Am I dumb for accepting the internship? Am I just being a neurotic 1L? Thanks.

[Law Sauce]

I'm doing a judicial internship with a criminal judge this summer and have no interest in going into criminal law. She said upfront that there was not going to be much, if any, writing or research. Is this going to hurt me at OCI as I am top 20% of my class? Is this type of situation an exception to the rule? Am I dumb for accepting the internship? Am I just being a neurotic 1L? Thanks.

It wont really matter at all. Just play up whatever you do end up doing there. Tons of 1Ls do stuff like this. All you have to do make semi-interesting conversation for 2 mins on the topic and tie it into what you want to do in the future however you can.

[TTRansfer]

I'm doing a judicial internship with a criminal judge this summer and have no interest in going into criminal law. She said upfront that there was not going to be much, if any, writing or research. Is this going to hurt me at OCI as I am top 20% of my class? Is this type of situation an exception to the rule? Am I dumb for accepting the internship? Am I just being a neurotic 1L? Thanks.

Shouldn't hurt you. Just don't go into the interview saying "there was not . . . much, if any, writing or research."