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I have had a couple of interviews with a dream policy fellowship for my 2L summer, but no offer yet. Meanwhile, I have several firm callbacks coming up, and I don't know how long I will be able to hold offers for. I would rather do the policy job, but I'm assuming the most likely outcome is that, post-2L summer, I don't get policy work post-graduation, and I end up doing some other legal work that I'm not super into, wishing I at least had the $180k to solace my misery. Has anyone here had good advice from current lawyers or experience in getting major policy jobs?

Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

2013 wrote:Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

can you elaborate on the overlap here?

lolo24189 wrote:

2013 wrote:Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

can you elaborate on the overlap here?

Regulatory groups are focused on specific substantive policy areas...

I'm not sure how much more elaboration you could need.

cavalier1138 wrote:

lolo24189 wrote:

2013 wrote:Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

can you elaborate on the overlap here?

Regulatory groups are focused on specific substantive policy areas...

I'm not sure how much more elaboration you could need.

I mean how do you switch over to a policy job? It's because you become an expert in a regulatory subject and then go into that subject in policy? Is this on the Hill? Just wondering how you get into a policy job just from doing regulatory work

lolo24189 wrote:

cavalier1138 wrote:

lolo24189 wrote:

2013 wrote:Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

can you elaborate on the overlap here?

Regulatory groups are focused on specific substantive policy areas...

I'm not sure how much more elaboration you could need.

I mean how do you switch over to a policy job? It's because you become an expert in a regulatory subject and then go into that subject in policy? Is this on the Hill? Just wondering how you get into a policy job just from doing regulatory work

More or less, yes.

These regulatory fields aren't that big. If you work in a regulatory group at a big DC shop, you will inevitably get to know the big players in the government or in lobbying groups. You'll also develop the substantive expertise to make you a strong candidate for those positions.

2013 wrote:Get into a regulatory practice in a firm’s DC office. Then switch over to a policy job when one opens up.

I don't think I'm ending up at any DC firm. OCI was a complete strike-out.