How realistic is 1L summer employment? Forum

[grahamkellis]

Currently a 1L, would obviously love to get a paid summer job/internship - how realistic is this. (Live in Twin Cities region)

[mephistopheles]

define 'paid'

[hephaestus]

Firms: very difficult and practically impossible without the right set of circumstances.
In house: easier to get, but tend not to hire until the spring and have sporadic recruitment.
RA positions: very easy depending on the school.

[grahamkellis]

Firms: very difficult and practically impossible without the right set of circumstances.
In house: easier to get, but tend not to hire until the spring and have sporadic recruitment.
RA positions: very easy depending on the school.

Thanks, I think this was what I was looking for.

Classic case of 1L discombobulation

[Anonymous User]

If you're a URM, you could always try and apply for one of the 1L SA positions through either the Twin Cities Diversity in Practice Program or the new Hennepin Bar Association Diversity Program.

But those are still pretty competitive.

A very limited number of URM 1Ls will get those.

[Gorki]

Currently a 1L, would obviously love to get a paid summer job/internship - how realistic is this. (Live in Twin Cities region)

TC is tough to get paid. But seriously if you just go through MJF you will be able to get relatively useful experiences working for legit non-profits... beats "interning" for free at a for-profit where the boss drives a Benz and lives on Minnetonka.

Also, apply to every single thing on Symplicity. MSP has quite a few decent sized companies that hire law clerks... whereas working for the respectable firms in Minneapolis or St. Paul is pretty much a bloodbath both 1L and through OCI.

[BVest]

Also depends on where you're willing to go. A friend of mine sub-median at T1 was making $3500/month because he was willing to go to a part of the state that otherwise has trouble recruiting legal talent. That's a far cry from the biglaw $3077/week, but it was 1L and he wasn't going to get one of those gigs anyway, and it beats the free internship for Gov/Nonprofit. Plus given that it was a smaller city, his summer rent was about 1/3 of what it had been during the school year.

[Gorki]

Also depends on where you're willing to go. A friend of mine sub-median at T1 was making $3500/month because he was willing to go to a part of the state that otherwise has trouble recruiting legal talent. That's a far cry from the biglaw $3077/week, but it was 1L and he wasn't going to get one of those gigs anyway, and it beats the free internship for Gov/Nonprofit. Plus given that it was a smaller city, his summer rent was about 1/3 of what it had been during the school year.

Part of MN? Or just part of the state where his T1 was?

I know its def easier to get work outside of the Metro area in MN, but honestly making $3,500 is unheard of outside of in-house at maybe the Mayo in Roch or potentially some niche company in Duluth or St. Cloud. . . And he won the goldmine if that is the case.

[Anonymous User]

Most of the bigger Twin Cities firms will pay $1,900-$2,100 per week during the summer.

It's a great gig if you can lock it in as a 1L.

[BVest]

Also depends on where you're willing to go. A friend of mine sub-median at T1 was making $3500/month because he was willing to go to a part of the state that otherwise has trouble recruiting legal talent. That's a far cry from the biglaw $3077/week, but it was 1L and he wasn't going to get one of those gigs anyway, and it beats the free internship for Gov/Nonprofit. Plus given that it was a smaller city, his summer rent was about 1/3 of what it had been during the school year.

Part of MN? Or just part of the state where his T1 was?

I know its def easier to get work outside of the Metro area in MN, but honestly making $3,500 is unheard of outside of in-house at maybe the Mayo in Roch or potentially some niche company in Duluth or St. Cloud. . . And he won the goldmine if that is the case.

Not MN. But note the difference time periods ($3500/month vs per week salaries listed at firms).

[Anonymous User]

I was a 1L summer in TC biglaw. It's obscenely difficult to get. There are maybe a dozen firm spots for 1Ls total, and many are diversity oriented (I am non-URM).

[Anonymous User]

I was also an 1L SA in TC BigLaw (non-URM). The number of 1L positions are very limited (<20). My fellow 1L SA's were either: 1) URM, 2) went to T14, or 3) had a PhD in a hard science. Hiring focuses heavily on fit and personality (though good grades are still required).

[Anonymous User]

Some of my URM friends banked on a 1L SA position and did not apply for any other opportunity. They ended up striking out and were scrambling for a 1L position.

Some of my non-URM friends--despite the numbers--also banked on getting a 1L SA while not applying for other positions, and also struck out.

So even though a 1L SA is an awesome position to get, the numbers are just not there to reasonably expect that you'll get one.

If I knew the stats of those who got 1L SAs in the Twin Cities area I would let you now, but sadly I do not.