Low GPA but decent summer internship...how to proceed? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi,
1L here w/ 2.8 GPA first semester at tier 2, but was offered an internship with a federal magistrate judge. Writing is my strong point - all As thus far in legal writing and was selected for interview by a popular federal magistrate because of my writing sample. FYI - didn't submit transcript with my initial application and was asked about grades during the interview. GPA raised an eyebrow with the judge but the rest of the interview went really well and was offered the position regardless of grades. Also splitting the summer with a small firm in a different city. If I can write on to law review, will any mid-large size firms come near me 2L summer? Thanks.

[thesealocust]

Hi,
1L here w/ 2.8 GPA first semester at tier 2, but was offered an internship with a federal magistrate judge. Writing is my strong point - all As thus far in legal writing and was selected for interview by a popular federal magistrate because of my writing sample. FYI - didn't submit transcript with my initial application and was asked about grades during the interview. GPA raised an eyebrow with the judge but the rest of the interview went really well and was offered the position regardless of grades. Also splitting the summer with a small firm in a different city. If I can write on to law review, will any mid-large size firms come near me 2L summer? Thanks.

Probably not.

I mean, hustle and network and god speed, but no combination of what you wrote (summer jobs, writing onto LR, etc.) are going to excuse/make up for the GPA. You might get a job, but it'll because you try harder/longer/more earnestly and not because the magistrate judge line item makes people stand up and take notice.

[target]

Hi,
1L here w/ 2.8 GPA first semester at tier 2, but was offered an internship with a federal magistrate judge. Writing is my strong point - all As thus far in legal writing and was selected for interview by a popular federal magistrate because of my writing sample. FYI - didn't submit transcript with my initial application and was asked about grades during the interview. GPA raised an eyebrow with the judge but the rest of the interview went really well and was offered the position regardless of grades. Also splitting the summer with a small firm in a different city. If I can write on to law review, will any mid-large size firms come near me 2L summer? Thanks.

Probably not.

I mean, hustle and network and god speed, but no combination of what you wrote (summer jobs, writing onto LR, etc.) are going to excuse/make up for the GPA. You might get a job, but it'll because you try harder/longer/more earnestly and not because the magistrate judge line item makes people stand up and take notice.

Agree with this.

[rad lulz]

Hi,
1L here w/ 2.8 GPA first semester at tier 2, but was offered an internship with a federal magistrate judge. Writing is my strong point - all As thus far in legal writing and was selected for interview by a popular federal magistrate because of my writing sample. FYI - didn't submit transcript with my initial application and was asked about grades during the interview. GPA raised an eyebrow with the judge but the rest of the interview went really well and was offered the position regardless of grades. Also splitting the summer with a small firm in a different city. If I can write on to law review, will any mid-large size firms come near me 2L summer? Thanks.

Probably not.

I mean, hustle and network and god speed, but no combination of what you wrote (summer jobs, writing onto LR, etc.) are going to excuse/make up for the GPA. You might get a job, but it'll because you try harder/longer/more earnestly and not because the magistrate judge line item makes people stand up and take notice.

Agree with this.

[Anonymous User]

Hi,
1L here w/ 2.8 GPA first semester at tier 2, but was offered an internship with a federal magistrate judge. Writing is my strong point - all As thus far in legal writing and was selected for interview by a popular federal magistrate because of my writing sample. FYI - didn't submit transcript with my initial application and was asked about grades during the interview. GPA raised an eyebrow with the judge but the rest of the interview went really well and was offered the position regardless of grades. Also splitting the summer with a small firm in a different city. If I can write on to law review, will any mid-large size firms come near me 2L summer? Thanks.

Probably not.

I mean, hustle and network and god speed, but no combination of what you wrote (summer jobs, writing onto LR, etc.) are going to excuse/make up for the GPA. You might get a job, but it'll because you try harder/longer/more earnestly and not because the magistrate judge line item makes people stand up and take notice.

Agree with this.

Okay. If I don't get a mid-size firm job 2L summer, what are the backdoor routes for a firm job? Not for first year out of law school, but for 5 yrs. out. I.e. how does networking work?

[thesealocust]

There's really a narrow window to get your house in order. If you land a job as a lawyer, get admitted to the bar, and put in good work, you're kind of 'in the club.' If you don't... I don't know, almost half of all law school grads these days fail to get jobs as lawyers. It's not impossible if you're scrappy to make it, but there's no obvious path. There's no back door.

[rad lulz]

Okay. If I don't get a mid-size firm job 2L summer, what are the backdoor routes for a firm job? Not for first year out of law school, but for 5 yrs. out. I.e. how does networking work?

Yeah it's not gonna be networking

Big/midsize firms primarily like to hire laterals with other big/mid firm experience. Other options include:

1) bigfed, but that's probably gonna out for you too due to grades/school and bigfed hiring freeze

2) a boutique that does similar work to those larger firms, but that's not also probably not gonna happen w your grades/school
2a) You could get a job with a small firm in a specialty area that gets bought out. Not plaintiff's lit though, small-time corporate, or estate planning though. Those practice areas aren't synergistic with large firms and their clients. Think ERISA, tax, or some really specific regulatory stuff.

3) a clerkship, but with your grades/school you're not gonna be competitive for the ones that firms really care about

So yeah that chances are minimal that you work for a big/mid firm bro

[Anonymous User]

Okay. If I don't get a mid-size firm job 2L summer, what are the backdoor routes for a firm job? Not for first year out of law school, but for 5 yrs. out. I.e. how does networking work?

Yeah it's not gonna be networking

Big/midsize firms primarily like to hire laterals with other big/mid firm experience. Other options include:

1) bigfed, but that's probably gonna out for you too due to grades/school and bigfed hiring freeze

2) a boutique that does similar work to those larger firms, but that's not also probably not gonna happen w your grades/school
2a) You could get a job with a small firm in a specialty area that gets bought out. Not plaintiff's lit though, small-time corporate, or estate planning though. Those practice areas aren't synergistic with large firms and their clients. Think ERISA, tax, or some really specific regulatory stuff.

3) a clerkship, but with your grades/school you're not gonna be competitive for the ones that firms really care about

So yeah that chances are minimal that you work for a big/mid firm bro

Thanks. Just trying to figure out best ways to proceed and like input from here. Was also offered a non-paid spot at state attorney general's office but was advised to take the judicial internship and opt for AG next summer if still interested. Inquired with AG office said that it was fine. Not sure what good that would do though since it wouldn't result in job with them. Appreciate the input, just not a bro haha.

[target]

Here is a more optimistic picture for you:

What type of law firms are you interested in?

I can see if your grades keep going up between now and graduation, you may secure a position with local small, mid-sized firms.

Clerkship for a state trial court may not be totally out the door as well if your grades keep going up and you have some other ways to distinguish yourself (e.g. journal, moot court, etc.).

But, these options may be realistic only if your grades keep improving. Understand that you are at the bottom of the barrel and work hard the next two years.

[Myself]

.

[iceman219]

Life isn't over after 1st semester grades... your 2nd semester could easily bump you back over 3.0. It is definitely possible to get back into top 1/3-1/4 by the time you're done with school.

To setup for 2L summer, you need to leverage your Fed magistrate connection as much as possible; find who has worked for him previously, blow things out of the water while there, and at the end of the summer start reaching out to some of the prior people who have worked for the judge. Network network network