Page 1 of 1

Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:30 am
by nativtracker
Just writing for peoples input. Not sure what to choose. Mainly trying to decide what to do with my remaining time (on the quarter system at SLS).

For the first part of my summer I'll be at Deb in NYC (super excited-never worked at a private institution, just worked for the government)
But for the second part of my summer, I'm struggling between the FBI OGC and SLIP at DOJ. DOJ is with Antitrust. I guess my hesitation is about SLIP. Is it a great program? Does it lead to funnel offers more often than not? Is Antitrust a good division to work within? Anyones input with Deb or the FBI OGC or DOJ is welcome. Please help me work through this! Also.. leaning litigation (clearly)

Best All.

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:33 am
by Anonymous User
I'm biased but I vote DOJ antitrust. I was a SLIP with ATR and loved it. Interesting work, great people. Also helps to have interned there if you apply for DOJ honors or want to come back later after private practice. (Actually don't know if it helps but I can't imagine it hurts.)

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:10 am
by Anonymous User
As a former Debevoise summer associate (currently doing a clerkship), I can say that you've made a good choice for the first part. I can't comment on SLIP specifically, but I think Antitrust would be a nice complement to Deb. It's an interesting area of law, and antitrust is a relatively small component of Deb's lit practice.

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:17 am
by A. Nony Mouse
It varies a little by component, but I would not say that any SLIP position leads to a funnel offer more often than not these days. That said, a lot of the people I know who’ve ended up getting Honors ATR positions are former SLIP interns, so it certainly seems to help.

As for FBI OGC, I don’t know anything about their specific program for interns, but keep in mind that OGC includes a lot of personnel/labor & employment/contracts etc work - not necessarily all stuff directly about the investigative mission of the agency.

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:12 pm
by nealric
nativtracker wrote:Just writing for peoples input. Not sure what to choose. Mainly trying to decide what to do with my remaining time (on the quarter system at SLS).

For the first part of my summer I'll be at Deb in NYC (super excited-never worked at a private institution, just worked for the government)
But for the second part of my summer, I'm struggling between the FBI OGC and SLIP at DOJ. DOJ is with Antitrust. I guess my hesitation is about SLIP. Is it a great program? Does it lead to funnel offers more often than not? Is Antitrust a good division to work within? Anyones input with Deb or the FBI OGC or DOJ is welcome. Please help me work through this! Also.. leaning litigation (clearly)

Best All.
Whether SLIP leads to a funnel offer is often more dependent on budgetary issues rather than your personal performance. Back when I did SLIP (just after the financial crisis hit), nobody got a funnel offer. I imagine things are a bit better now, but I don't have any direct experience.

Whether antitrust is a good division may be heavily dependent on the administration and what you define as "good." I heard stories from someone who worked at Antitrust during the Bush II administration who said they mostly literally sat around doing nothing all day- in part because the administration wasn't big on antitrust enforcement.

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:55 pm
by Anonymous User
nealric wrote:Whether antitrust is a good division may be heavily dependent on the administration and what you define as "good." I heard stories from someone who worked at Antitrust during the Bush II administration who said they mostly literally sat around doing nothing all day- in part because the administration wasn't big on antitrust enforcement.
Things look all right to me.

They have a fat merger case with AT&T and Time Warner, and I haven't read anything about a drop in criminal enforcement. The CVS/Aetna deal will probably go to second request, if it hasn't already. Plus, the Trump appointee in charge has said he doesn't like consent decrees and would rather simply litigate if the merger is illegal. https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/assi ... erican-bar

They also had a bunch of people leave during 2017, and no clue if they've filled those spots. Even if the volume of work hasn't increased or dropped a lot, there are likely fewer people to give work to. I imagine that makes for some busy attorneys (and SLIP interns).

/s recent-ish ATR slip intern

Re: Need help choosing summer split

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:48 am
by Blindweaponsfumbler
Antitrust would better compliment your firm work and they would both look nice for DOJ Honors if you go that route. FBI and the firm don't have much overlap and might make it seem like you aren't committed to either.