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Hey all,

I'm interested in thoughts and advice with regard to my situation and outlook with regard to employment after law school. I might be on a track that seems unconventional, so I'm interested in feedback and possibly advice on where I should go from here.

I'm a 2L at a T-14 with slightly below median grades (from 1L, no 2L grades yet AFAIK). I also have an HYPS undergrad liberal arts degree, if that makes a difference. For my 1L summer I worked for a state supreme court justice in my home market (not in California). For my 2L summer I've accepted a summer position (with a stipend) at an environmental organization in California.

Thanks to financial aid/scholarship from my school (and a manageable cost of living), savings from working between undergrad and law school, and some assistance from parents, I am anticipating graduating with a total of 60-80k in loans (hopefully less than 70k).

In terms of goals, my dream job would probably be working in public interest at an environmental organization like the one I'll be working at this summer, though I recognize that is quite a reach. I would also be interested in working for government, but again, probably a reach. I don't find Big law particularly interesting, but I wouldn't be totally against working in the private sector for a while to get experience. I'm interested in IP but without strong science background, I realize this is probably another reach. With regard to location, I would like to be in California, and I'm open to both NorCal and SoCal. My mom was born and raised in California and I have family in both areas who I have good relationships with and I have visited the state quite a bit. Family and the weather/quality of life are significant reasons I would want to work in California. However, I recognize that California (both North and South) can be a very difficult market to break into, especially for someone like me who wasn't born or raised there and didn't go to school in the state.

My goals may seem a bit high considering my below median grades, but my backup plan (if I'm unable to find an opportunity in California) is to return to my home market, which is very insulated and where I have strong connections (and where a fellow alumnus who was raised there found employment as a 3L at arguably the top firm without having done a 2L SA).

My plan is probably to try to improve my grades and try to find an opportunity that either leads to my dream job or helps me get the experience to hopefully get there someday. I may not have the job security of classmates with a 2L SA, but I'd like to think I have some financial flexibility (tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I need a particularly high paying job to pay off my loans), and I'm hoping I'll be able to find an employment opportunity that fits for after graduation. Maybe this is being naive or overestimating my opportunities, but I'd like to try to find an opportunity I like in California, and if it doesn't pan out then so be it, but I'd at least like to try.

Please let me know if you have any constructive criticism or advice as to how I should proceed from here. I know this is a bit of a long post, but if you've read up to here and are able to offer advice, I appreciate it! Thanks!

I think youre fine. You'll get public interest in CA if you target it. Try to intern there, maybe take a semester to work there or soethign. Do those public interest career fairs, etc.

IP anywhere or fed gov in CA is about zero percent chance for you though.

gaddockteeg wrote:I think youre fine. You'll get public interest in CA if you target it. Try to intern there, maybe take a semester to work there or soethign. Do those public interest career fairs, etc.

IP anywhere or fed gov in CA is about zero percent chance for you though.

Thanks for the reassurance and the reality check (lol). With regard to taking a semester to work in CA, I'm not sure that's doable, as my school is back east. Are you suggesting taking a semester off and graduating later?

Also, I realize there probably aren't many jobs in environmental law, and California is a tough market, so how crazy would it be to try to find an opportunity that fits both for someone who wasn't raised and didn't go to school in the state? Is there any way to give myself a realistic shot even if it's a job that doesn't pay much?

I'm not super worried about money, as I'm hoping the loan payments on about 70k of debt aren't TOO brutal. I looked at the loan payments thread, and it seems like that should be somewhere around 600-700 a month right? Cost of living in California would probably be a concern though, especially in NorCal...I pay less than 500 a month for rent now, so there might be some sticker shock (2x? 3x? 4x?).

4x

Yeah Rent in CA is gonna be a huge sticker shock, even with roommates.

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HmmmOkay wrote:

gaddockteeg wrote:I think youre fine. You'll get public interest in CA if you target it. Try to intern there, maybe take a semester to work there or soethign. Do those public interest career fairs, etc.

IP anywhere or fed gov in CA is about zero percent chance for you though.

Thanks for the reassurance and the reality check (lol). With regard to taking a semester to work in CA, I'm not sure that's doable, as my school is back east. Are you suggesting taking a semester off and graduating later?

Also, I realize there probably aren't many jobs in environmental law, and California is a tough market, so how crazy would it be to try to find an opportunity that fits both for someone who wasn't raised and didn't go to school in the state? Is there any way to give myself a realistic shot even if it's a job that doesn't pay much?

I'm not super worried about money, as I'm hoping the loan payments on about 70k of debt aren't TOO brutal. I looked at the loan payments thread, and it seems like that should be somewhere around 600-700 a month right? Cost of living in California would probably be a concern though, especially in NorCal...I pay less than 500 a month for rent now, so there might be some sticker shock (2x? 3x? 4x?).

No, a lot of schools have programs where you get school credit for externing somewhere. If you have something liek that, I would take advantage of it.

If not, no big deal.

As for rent, yep. It's going to be a lot. But I dont think it would be too different than say working in Manhattan and then living in Brooklyn (working in SF and then living in Oakland).

source: I'm an SF native, but currently working in DC.

Mockingbird42 wrote:

h2go wrote:4x

+1. Just found an apartment in SF last Sept. You won't find a studio below $2k and any 1bd under $2500 will have a line out the door before the open house started. I got to one open house at 11:03 that started at 11 and it was already out of housing application. Pretty standard.

This is why I left California. I might even buy a house this year.