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Current Situation: I'm very near the top (4th-7th in the class, probably) of a lower T-14 after 1 semester, with no reason to think it'll change. I'm summering with an AUSA while also RAing for a prominent ConLaw professor.

Goal: Assume I want to shoot for a unicorn job in domestic civil rights litigation or international human rights. I know my chances are pretty shit regardless, but my question is how do I make the best go of it? Specifically, what do I try to do 2L summer?

Note: Money isn't an issue (little debt, supportive family), and family/friends probably guarantee some sort of midlaw employment in my home secondary market if I fail, anyway. Plus I assume any advice will include looking for a clerkship, which gives a bit more search time if I change my mind.

Mentally_AFK wrote:Current Situation: I'm very near the top (4th-7th in the class, probably) of a lower T-14 after 1 semester, with no reason to think it'll change. I'm summering with an AUSA while also RAing for a prominent ConLaw professor.

Goal: Assume I want to shoot for a unicorn job in domestic civil rights litigation or international human rights. I know my chances are pretty shit regardless, but my question is how do I make the best go of it? Specifically, what do I try to do 2L summer?

Note: Money isn't an issue (little debt, supportive family), and family/friends probably guarantee some sort of midlaw employment in my home secondary market if I fail, anyway. Plus I assume any advice will include looking for a clerkship, which gives a bit more search time if I change my mind.

I'm sorry, I hate to be this person, but this cracked me up.

If you see worldtravler around, shoot her a message about international human rights. I know one person at my school who has landed there, and she had pre-law school experience in the field and has spent her summers in places like Kenya doing I really don't know what. That person busted his ass to find every possible person/organization/etc to seek out for a post grad position and just managed one recently.

if you really want to improve international human rights, just become POTUS

Mentally_AFK wrote:Current Situation: I'm very near the top (4th-7th in the class, probably) of a lower T-14 after 1 semester, with no reason to think it'll change. I'm summering with an AUSA while also RAing for a prominent ConLaw professor.

Goal: Assume I want to shoot for a unicorn job in domestic civil rights litigation or international human rights. I know my chances are pretty shit regardless, but my question is how do I make the best go of it? Specifically, what do I try to do 2L summer?

Note: Money isn't an issue (little debt, supportive family), and family/friends probably guarantee some sort of midlaw employment in my home secondary market if I fail, anyway. Plus I assume any advice will include looking for a clerkship, which gives a bit more search time if I change my mind.

1. Keep grades up (improve grades, ideally).
2. Write-on to law review.
3. Publish great note.
4. Develop professor connections in your field who are willing to go to bat for you. Ask them for advice.
5. Develop work experience in your field of interest (both during 1L and 2L). Consider a clinic during law school.
6. Obtain clerkship with a prominent judge.
7. Have a great narrative and story for why you want to do "domestic civil rights litigation" or "international human rights" and for why you want to work for the organizations that do those activities. Make sure your resume and everything shows why you would be a really good fit for the position.
8. Pursue the positions aggressively, apply broadly, and be persistent. This means you should apply, for example, without being picky about geographic location, etc.

It's definitely a good thing that you are starting to think about how to pursue these jobs, but at the same time, don't get too cocky about your credentials.

If you want international human rights, start networking like crazy right now. Talk to all the HR profs and ask them to put you in tough with people who work in the field.

Look up every fellowship in existence that is remotely related to what you want and look at the qualifications for who got those. Try and be like those people.

Grades and everything are nice, but I think people have a huge misconception that grades have much to do with getting IHR jobs. Language skills, experience, elite school, and connections are way more important.

.

JusticeJackson wrote:

Mentally_AFK wrote:domestic civil rights litigation or international human rights.

I don't know what this is, except maybe DOJ civil rights. I'd make a list of employers that do whatever this is, and do internships with them. You could probably do a summer at DOJ civil rights pretty easy, if that's what you're looking for. Then you could target that down the line, either through honors program or afer a stint in biglaw or some other gap filler.

I'm assuming he/she is talking about working for something like CCR or RFK center.

JenDarby wrote: I'm sorry, I hate to be this person, but this cracked me up.

Fair enough. My ego needs some deflation.

ph14 wrote:

Mentally_AFK wrote:Current Situation: I'm very near the top (4th-7th in the class, probably) of a lower T-14 after 1 semester, with no reason to think it'll change. I'm summering with an AUSA while also RAing for a prominent ConLaw professor.

Goal: Assume I want to shoot for a unicorn job in domestic civil rights litigation or international human rights. I know my chances are pretty shit regardless, but my question is how do I make the best go of it? Specifically, what do I try to do 2L summer?

Note: Money isn't an issue (little debt, supportive family), and family/friends probably guarantee some sort of midlaw employment in my home secondary market if I fail, anyway. Plus I assume any advice will include looking for a clerkship, which gives a bit more search time if I change my mind.

1. Keep grades up (improve grades, ideally).
2. Write-on to law review.
3. Publish great note.
4. Develop professor connections in your field who are willing to go to bat for you. Ask them for advice.
5. Develop work experience in your field of interest (both during 1L and 2L). Consider a clinic during law school.
6. Obtain clerkship with a prominent judge.
7. Have a great narrative and story for why you want to do "domestic civil rights litigation" or "international human rights" and for why you want to work for the organizations that do those activities. Make sure your resume and everything shows why you would be a really good fit for the position.
8. Pursue the positions aggressively, apply broadly, and be persistent. This means you should apply, for example, without being picky about geographic location, etc.

It's definitely a good thing that you are starting to think about how to pursue these jobs, but at the same time, don't get too cocky about your credentials.

Thanks for the advice and the reality check.

worldtraveler wrote:If you want international human rights, start networking like crazy right now. Talk to all the HR profs and ask them to put you in tough with people who work in the field.

Look up every fellowship in existence that is remotely related to what you want and look at the qualifications for who got those. Try and be like those people.

Grades and everything are nice, but I think people have a huge misconception that grades have much to do with getting IHR jobs. Language skills, experience, elite school, and connections are way more important.

Same as above.

Domestic civil rights work frankly looks much more likely, given everything y'all have said, as well as what I've read elsewhere.