Top Law Schools

I have been offered an internship with a DA's office for the summer between my 1L and 2L year. I can also go to a mid-sized NYC firm (about 90 attorneys) through a family member where I can work in commercial litigation, criminal defense, or other general-liability areas. In the hopes of landing a 2L biglaw SA position, which of the two is the better option? Will Biglaw look negatively at a DA internship?

OP here. I guess what I am asking is if a DA Internship will preclude me from Biglaw. Anybody done a DA internship and went on to Biglaw?

Your 1L summer will have no impact on your ability to get biglaw next year, so long as you're doing some sort of legal work. Either of these options are fine, but of course you should pursue the opportunity you'd find most interesting and/or beneficial to career. Biglaw for next summer will depend almost entirely on your grades and school rank.

Take the midlaw job if you want biglaw. 1L summer in general isn't very predictive of 2L summer, but anything on the margins can help.

What’s your school/rank?

Top 10% at a T3. If this semester goes well I will be transferring. Obviously, at this point in time, Biglaw is unrealistic but depending on where I transfer it may become possible so I’d like to be in as good a position I can be.

I very much doubt any biglaw firm is going to actively look down on a DA summer. If you were more “in the pipeline,” like at a T14 with good OVI prospects, I would say it would be a no brainer to take the DA opportunity now if it interested you.

Since you’re sort of on the outside looking in, though, it makes sense you’d want to get every possible “plus” possible for biglaw apps — I can appreciate that.

That might tip the balance. But only if the midlaw firm is likely to make you a stronger candidate than a DA internship would. I don’t work in litigation, but tbh I imagine a DA internship would look quite good in that context (maybe better than a summer stint in some midlaw shop). I might be speaking out my ass here and defer to the collective wisdom of the board though.

There’s also the fact that you might want to consider what the options will be for you if biglaw doesn’t pan out. Is there a chance this midlaw situation could have long term potential? If so it might be prudent to play it safe..

Good luck!

Would add: I and many of my friends did random government internships 1L (including many in DA offices) and it likely helped, and certainly did not hurt, our biglaw prospects.

Go with whichever gig is going to give you the most substantive work over the summer.

If there's a ANY chance the midlaw firm might hire you post graduation, I would go to the midlaw firm. If you don't get biglaw at least you'd have a job after graduation. You can always do internships geared towards DA during your second and third years.

Thanks for all the input. I think both jobs would offer me a fair amount of substantive work but I have heard the DA can suck if you get stuck with a bad ADA, and I'll get put in whichever bureau they decide needs interns. On the other hand, the firm job is paid and more laid back but I don't see myself working for them after law school. Although I may be able to intern with a partner who does commercial litigation or criminal defense, I don't think I'd be doing that if I got hired after law school as the overwhelming majority of their work is insurance defense.

Anonymous User wrote:Thanks for all the input. I think both jobs would offer me a fair amount of substantive work but I have heard the DA can suck if you get stuck with a bad ADA, and I'll get put in whichever bureau they decide needs interns. On the other hand, the firm job is paid and more laid back but I don't see myself working for them after law school. Although I may be able to intern with a partner who does commercial litigation or criminal defense, I don't think I'd be doing that if I got hired after law school as the overwhelming majority of their work is insurance defense.

So as far as I see it:

DA Pros: substantive work in criminal law
DA Cons: might get stuck working with a bad ADA; unpaid position; lack of certainty regarding expectations; you don't want to work there after graduation

Firm Pros: substantive work in criminal law and commercial litigation; paid position; relatively laid back; work with family friends; relative certainty about expectations
Firm Cons: you don't want to work there after graduation

Is that calculation about right?

Yes, you hit it right on the head.

I think the firm gig is the clear winner, but trust your instincts.

Whichever you choose for your summer, be sure if you do transfer to a school with OCI, that you are eligible to participate. Some schools do not allow transfers to participate from what I've read here.