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How would you rank the following 1L jobs in general if you plan to apply to big law for 2L year? I know that there are specifics that come into play, but in general can we rank these just to help make decisions. Also, I know that "it doesnt matter what you do as long as its legal", but just for shits, what would you say (and everybody loves rankings)? I think assume that private jobs are paid and public ones are not.

Big law summer associate
Mid-law (50+ atty.) summer associate
Small law associate
Federal judicial intern
state judicial intern
DOJ
In House Fortune 500
In House small/private company
DA's office
School's clinic
Research assistant
Library worker
summer camp counselor

1L BigLaw SA is the only one that's relevant. If you could get a 1L SA there's a decent chance you also get a 2L SA since they're obvs looking for the same thing

Other than that, it doesn't matter what you did as long as it's legal. Grades and personality will be far more important

Stop. It doesn't matter at all. Most OCI interviewers won't even ask about your summer gig. There is literally zero value in ranking them.

Do something low key. Use the summer to go to firm events/send out resumes to firms. Firms gave out a lot of offers pre OCI last year. It's seemed like most people has a couple before OCI even started

Outside of working as a summer associate at another biglaw firm, I think what little weight screeners place on your summer job (if any) will almost entirely depend on their own idiosyncratic perception of your job.

Seriously, if you're not getting paid, you should be focusing on doing something [non-controversial] that:

1) you wan't to do and can talk about with enthusiasm at your OCI
2) that's it.

makes very little difference.

if I had to order them: another similar large law firm. failing that, a well paid in-house gig with a reputable brand (in a legal capacity). failing that, a federal government internship with an agency or court of your preference in your target market. failing that, some at least legitimate legal employer in your target market. failing that, a legitimate legal employer anywhere but the law school. failing that, a research assistant or some other position at the law school. failing that, anything at all you can speak to at OCI as a beneficial work experience

To even try to rank them outside of a 1L SA would be misleading and does a disservice to the constant stream of 1Ls who fear that their internship will not be "prestigious" enough for OCI.

1. Any job that can turn into a 2L summer job that can turn into a FT offer
2. Well paid jobs
3. Jobs that qualify for school funding
4. Poorly paid jobs
5. Unpaid

Note that the job must be law related enough to sell it in an interview, which is basically everything.

On a related note: do we have any sense of how often 1L SAs lead to 2L SA offers?

Arrow4Christ wrote:On a related note: do we have any sense of how often 1L SAs lead to 2L SA offers?

I think it varies by firm... at least thats what I've been told. I asked about this point blank at my callback and was told the last three years they offered 100% of 1Ls 2L spots.

1. 1L SA at a big law firm
2. Any legal job in the market you plan to target during OCI
3. Any other legal job

1L Big Law


everything else

Arrow4Christ wrote:On a related note: do we have any sense of how often 1L SAs lead to 2L SA offers?

Very much firm dependent. It's usually pretty low (assume no offer but sometimes an offer for exceptional candidates) or very high (assume offer but no offer for summer fuck ups).

umichman wrote:How would you rank the following 1L jobs in general if you plan to apply to big law for 2L year? I know that there are specifics that come into play, but in general can we rank these just to help make decisions. Also, I know that "it doesnt matter what you do as long as its legal", but just for shits, what would you say (and everybody loves rankings)? I think assume that private jobs are paid and public ones are not.

Big Law Summer Associate
Mid-law (50+ atty.) summer associate
Small law associate
Federal judicial intern
state judicial intern
DOJ
In House Fortune 500
In House small/private company
DA's office
School's clinic
Research assistant
Library worker
summer camp counselor

While I think 1Ls tend to overestimate the importance of getting "the best" 1L summer job, I also think 2L/3L/alums tend to be overly dismissive. Depending on the firm, certain 1L jobs can definitely give you a boost. However, your question cannot be answered in the abstract because it depends on what practice area/firm you end up going for. Also, it's not so much the resume line itself that will help you, but how you use it in the interview.

For example, if you want to work for a Silicon Valley firm doing corporate work for tech companies, you better believe that working in-house at Google 1L Summer will greatly assist in selling a firm on your interest. When you're competing with a bunch of other T14 kids with great grades and various impressive backgrounds, every little bit helps.

That having been said, a 1L SA is definitely the "best" in the abstract. $$$$ + the possibility of future employment = always a good call.

2014 wrote:

Arrow4Christ wrote:On a related note: do we have any sense of how often 1L SAs lead to 2L SA offers?

Very much firm dependent. It's usually pretty low (assume no offer but sometimes an offer for exceptional candidates) or very high (assume offer but no offer for summer fuck ups).

Thanks for the info; seems like a bit of a crapshoot. My 1L SA is at a major SoCal firm, and they were very clear that they wanted to hire someone who was committed to beginning their career in the area, so I'm hoping that bodes well for a more long-term opportunity.

your summers are part of the 3 year vacation you paid to undertake

don't do something you hate; the time for that comes later (so I hear)