Sharing my embarrassment... Forum

[Anonymous User]

This is frankly embarrassing but I have no one else to discuss this with so I figured I'd ask you guys. I am a 3L graduating in May but I have ZERO legal experience. I didn't work for either my 1L or my 2L summer. I did take classes over each summer though. I have my reasons for not working but looking back, I regret it so much.

Now, I am in the process of sending out applications just to intern anywhere immediately and I'm not getting any call backs whatsoever. Even worse, I'm at a TTT school. Considering doing an LLM or MBA right after just so it will give me more time to obtain internships and experience. I come from a pretty hard financial place and there's no one I could turn to for living expenses and loan repayment if I don't find work. Does anybody have any advice? Please don't beat down. I'm already beating myself down so bad over it.

[CanadianWolf]

You have to get work. Many small firms offer work that may be unattractive & low-paying, but it will give you insights into the practice of law & what aspects do & do not appeal to you. Bankruptcy & personal injury firms hire lots of law students & law grads to do paralegal type work or document review of medical records.

Have you taken & passed the state bar exam yet ? If so, then legal temp work is another option. You just have to get to work if you have student loan payments to make & living expenses to cover.

[WestOfTheRest]

Have you taken & passed the state bar exam yet ? If so, then legal temp work is another option. You just have to get to work if you have student loan payments to make & living expenses to cover.

Reading comp fail. OP is a 3L.

OP: Work on getting some unpaid internships ASAP. Get into some clinics for next semester so you can start getting some substantive work under your belt. Start volunteering. Do whatever you can to get some actual experience.

At this point, you're going to have to hustle to get work. Start building a resume that's geared towards landing you a job.

[CanadianWolf]

The advice should be "When you pass the bar, temporary legal work may be an option that will allow you to get experience while getting paid."

[JCougar]

Your biggest problem is that you went to a TTT. You're just going to have to face the fact that you may never become a lawyer.

Your only hope is probably small firms and/or state/local government at this point. The good news is that you haven't graduated yet, and you have the rest of this semester to network like crazy, both in your school's city and in your hometown area. You have about two months to line up some part-time work during your Spring semester.

Hands-on work experience is probably the most important thing to smaller firms and governments. They don't have the budgets to train you how to be a lawyer. You need to be able to handle a case pretty much from day one.

I'd try to find a firm in your school's city that allows you to work half-time during the rest of your 3L year. Doesn't matter what area of law or how little the pay as much as it matters that you get real lawyer experience, and have at least some notion of how to handle a case. It's a bonus if you can find a place that lets you sit in on depositions, draft motions and briefs, and interact with clients.

[pancakes3]

if you've taken classes both summers (and no clinics?) then your 3L spring should be wide open. I'd hustle to find a job/internship position for next semester.