1L Summer Employment Question Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey wondering if you guys can share your opinions on what to do for 1L summer.

Have an interview with a local, family trial court judge coming up for an unpaid summer internship. However, through my school I will most likely be allocated a $400 week public interest stipend. The county is located just outside of a major NE city (NYC/Boston) and theres a good chance I will end up practicing there.

I also have an opportunity to work at a small family/Elder Law office (2 attorneys, 1 assistant) to do basically meaningless tasks. The pay would be around the same, possibly a little less than the internship with the judge. No idea if it would lead to permanent employment down the line.

Along with these two opportunities, I may have an opportunity to "intern" with the General Counsel at a ~700 employee company. I wouldn't know if this was possible until late April/early May. The pay is unknown, but probably a little more than the other two opportunities (in a major city). I also have no idea if these would lea to permanent employment down the line.

What do you guys think? Based on the school I go to, Big Law is most likely not happening unless i'm top 10%, so thats irrelevant. Leaning more towards the internship with the judge because I feel like I would most likely be exposed to more/have more responsibility. Although I don't see myself in public interest after graduation.

Any input would be appreciated.

[mvp99]

Paid whatever legal > not paid

[BigZuck]

Hey wondering if you guys can share your opinions on what to do for 1L summer.

Have an interview with a local, family trial court judge coming up for an unpaid summer internship. However, through my school I will most likely be allocated a $400 week public interest stipend. The county is located just outside of a major NE city (NYC/Boston) and theres a good chance I will end up practicing there.

I also have an opportunity to work at a small family/elder law office (2 attorneys, 1 assistant) to do basically meaningless tasks. The pay would be around the same, possibly a little less than the internship with the judge. No idea if it would lead to permanent employment down the line.

Along with these two opportunities, I may have an opportunity to "intern" with the General Counsel at a ~700 employee company. I wouldn't know if this was possible until late April/early May. The pay is unknown, but probably a little more than the other two opportunities (in a major city). I also have no idea if these would lea to permanent employment down the line.

What do you guys think? Based on the school I go to, Big Law is most likely not happening unless i'm top 10%, so thats irrelevant. Leaning more towards the internship with the judge because I feel like I would most likely be exposed to more/have more responsibility. Although I don't see myself in public interest after graduation.

Any input would be appreciated.

Whatever is most aligned with what you want to do long term/would lead to the best connections/whatever is probably best

Double check and make sure a judicial internship counts for a public interest stipend, at my school it didn't

[Anonymous User]

Hey wondering if you guys can share your opinions on what to do for 1L summer.

Have an interview with a local, family trial court judge coming up for an unpaid summer internship. However, through my school I will most likely be allocated a $400 week public interest stipend. The county is located just outside of a major NE city (NYC/Boston) and theres a good chance I will end up practicing there.

I also have an opportunity to work at a small family/elder law office (2 attorneys, 1 assistant) to do basically meaningless tasks. The pay would be around the same, possibly a little less than the internship with the judge. No idea if it would lead to permanent employment down the line.

Along with these two opportunities, I may have an opportunity to "intern" with the General Counsel at a ~700 employee company. I wouldn't know if this was possible until late April/early May. The pay is unknown, but probably a little more than the other two opportunities (in a major city). I also have no idea if these would lea to permanent employment down the line.

What do you guys think? Based on the school I go to, Big Law is most likely not happening unless i'm top 10%, so thats irrelevant. Leaning more towards the internship with the judge because I feel like I would most likely be exposed to more/have more responsibility. Although I don't see myself in public interest after graduation.

Any input would be appreciated.

Whatever is most aligned with what you want to do long term/would lead to the best connections/whatever is probably best

Double check and make sure a judicial internship counts for a public interest stipend, at my school it didn't

I actually found it on my schools symplicity page, in which it stated it should be eligible.

[GOATlawman]

Since the pay sucks at all of them it's dumb to let a few thousand dollars over 10 weeks be the main factor. Pick the one that aligns with what you want to do after graduation. If you want to do family law, I would probably take the judge over the firm.

Small firms like that usually are not set up to have "summer associates" and you're likely to a bunch of secretarial shit which is not the sort of skills you want to build over the summer. I've never worked for a judge, but hopefully he lets you draft orders and that sort of thing.

[smallfirmassociate]

I interned at a small firm (a bit bigger than yours, but < 10 attorneys) my 1L year. Fast forward some years later, and now I am a partner there. I did no secretarial tasks during the summer. In fact, it was much better substantive legal experience than my 2L gig at a mid-sized firm.

If in doubt, I'd ask the lawyers what you'd be doing. My instinct is that the family court clerk gig would be the worst choice. Granted, you would learn some things, but on a resume it just looks like a "fall-back" type of job that anyone can get. The general counsel job would be the most prestigious / higher paying, but I wouldn't wait to see if you have a job. One in the hand is better than two in the bush, etc. That leaves small firm gig by process of elimination.

Besides, even if you don't get a lot of legal experience, your resume will look like you did. Just need to make sure you get 1-2 legit projects so you have something to talk about in interviews when asked what type of stuff you did.