Chances of getting 1L Summer Paid Position Forum

[man2020]

Hello guys, first post!

I just finished my first semester at University of Miami law and did pretty well. I haven’t gotten 1 grade back but I got an A in the other four including Legal Research and Writing and the highest grade in the class award for 3 out of 4 of those.

I was just wondering if i would even have a chance for a summer associate position or if they only take 1Ls from the Ivy League?

Also, in general how likely is it that I could get some type of paid internship?

And last question, what are y’alls thoughts about risking not getting a judicial internship bu chasing firm type internships? I don’t know enough to know if I really should actually only focus on getting a judicial internship.

[nealric]

1L SA gigs in biglaw are becoming more and more rare. In most markets, they are pretty much reserved exclusively for diversity recruiting efforts. They used to be more common in markets like Texas, but they've started to die off there as the old-line homegrown firms get supplanted by national firms.

As far as getting a paid gig: I'm sure you can find somewhere that pays something. It just may not pay much. Not much available to 1Ls pays beyond the normal internship $10-20 an hour outside of biglaw.

What you do 1L summer isn't all that important as long as you do something law related. Bonus points if it's in your desired practice area or in a shop that builds connections that could be useful later.

[Anonymous User]

Your grades are very good. Apply to Podhurst Orseck. You will be competitive there although the pay is half market. Also the County Attorney’s office (also paid at half market). You probably don’t have a shot at any biglaw firms unless you are a URM, and even then it’d be tough to do out of UM barrinf some connection (i.e. a federal judge is your Aunt or something). I am at Harvard with good grades and struck out for summer associate jobs 1L summer. Mods please don’t de-anon as I know people who worked at these places

[nealric]

Your grades are very good. Apply to Podhurst Orseck. You will be competitive there although the pay is half market. Also the County Attorney’s office (also paid at half market). You probably don’t have a shot at any biglaw firms unless you are a URM, and even then it’d be tough to do out of UM barrinf some connection (i.e. a federal judge is your Aunt or something). I am at Harvard with good grades and struck out for summer associate jobs 1L summer. Mods please don’t de-anon as I know people who worked at these places

We certainly wouldn't de-anon a post in legal employment with personally identifiable information like this. Personally, I'm mostly only inclined to de-anon if the poster is trolling, launching personal attacks, or has been warned in the past of anon abuse.

[notinbiglaw]

Diversity recruiting may have tightened up recently but at least of 5 or 6 years ago, as long as you're not non-hispanic white male you had a pretty good shot.

If you are a non-hispanic white male though, you probably need to be a real standout and/or network pretty heavily.

With your grades, I'd apply pretty broadly. I suspect those grades will turn some heads in the Miami market even if you don't end up in biglaw for 1L summer.

[Anonymous User]

Diversity recruiting may have tightened up recently but at least of 5 or 6 years ago, as long as you're not non-hispanic white male you had a pretty good shot.

If you are a non-hispanic white male though, you probably need to be a real standout and/or network pretty heavily.

With your grades, I'd apply pretty broadly. I suspect those grades will turn some heads in the Miami market even if you don't end up in biglaw for 1L summer.

I was a YHS hispanic male and did not get an offer despite good grades (good enough for like W&C/WLRK/etc. at OCI) and dozens of applications. It is tougher nowadays, although to be fair I dropped out of the running with some callbacks on the table, so I may have been able to snag something if I waited or applied to some more 1L-friendly firms (Jones Day, FF, etc.)

[Anonymous User]

Diversity recruiting may have tightened up recently but at least of 5 or 6 years ago, as long as you're not non-hispanic white male you had a pretty good shot.

If you are a non-hispanic white male though, you probably need to be a real standout and/or network pretty heavily.

With your grades, I'd apply pretty broadly. I suspect those grades will turn some heads in the Miami market even if you don't end up in biglaw for 1L summer.

I was a YHS hispanic male and did not get an offer despite good grades (good enough for like W&C/WLRK/etc. at OCI) and dozens of applications. It is tougher nowadays, although to be fair I dropped out of the running with some callbacks on the table, so I may have been able to snag something if I waited or applied to some more 1L-friendly firms (Jones Day, FF, etc.)

It also helps to be at a top school and going back (as in you have solid ties) to a mid-sized market that otherwise rarely has a shot at t14 grads. This is how I got a 1LSA and am aware of a handful of similar people in said market. Miami doesn't seem to meet these credentials, regardless of grades, but I could see you having a good shot at your home market if it were something like St. Louis, KC, Cleveland, Columbus, Pitt, etc.

[Anonymous User]

Diversity recruiting may have tightened up recently but at least of 5 or 6 years ago, as long as you're not non-hispanic white male you had a pretty good shot.

If you are a non-hispanic white male though, you probably need to be a real standout and/or network pretty heavily.

With your grades, I'd apply pretty broadly. I suspect those grades will turn some heads in the Miami market even if you don't end up in biglaw for 1L summer.

I was a YHS hispanic male and did not get an offer despite good grades (good enough for like W&C/WLRK/etc. at OCI) and dozens of applications. It is tougher nowadays, although to be fair I dropped out of the running with some callbacks on the table, so I may have been able to snag something if I waited or applied to some more 1L-friendly firms (Jones Day, FF, etc.)

It also helps to be at a top school and going back (as in you have solid ties) to a mid-sized market that otherwise rarely has a shot at t14 grads. This is how I got a 1LSA and am aware of a handful of similar people in said market. Miami doesn't seem to meet these credentials, regardless of grades, but I could see you having a good shot at your home market if it were something like St. Louis, KC, Cleveland, Columbus, Pitt, etc.

OP does not go to a T14. Not too sure they will wow St Louis firms with stellar grades at a regional school with almost no reach outside of Miami. I was referencing my own experience and am no longer a 1L or in need of a biglaw SA offer.

[man2020]

Sorry for the delay, I had forgot I posted here

Thank you so much for the great advice!! I have applied to the Miami Dade County attorney's office as advised. I also just accepted a judicial internship with a federal district judge. He is open to split summer, and I am hoping something will come through that is paid so I am not doing a 100% free summer.

I know I am getting experience and shouldn't be greedy etc etc but it just hurts me to not have any money coming in for so long.

I guess my question now is, how long on average for a place like the County Attorney's office to get back with me? Should I just tell my judge I definitely want to do a split summer and hope something comes through or is there a better way to handle this situation? Would it look bad if nothing came through and I ended up doing a six week internship and then nothing?

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I’m of the (informed) opinion that nobody cares what you do your 1L summer. It’s a talking point for interviews. Nobody actually thinks externing for a judge is impressive or prestigious. People sleep on small local firms who will pay $15-25 an hour for law clerks.

[Best]

I’m of the (informed) opinion that nobody cares what you do your 1L summer. It’s a talking point for interviews. Nobody actually thinks externing for a judge is impressive or prestigious. People sleep on small local firms who will pay $15-25 an hour for law clerks.

I'm an associate that was recently added to my firm's recruiting committee. From my meetings and discussions with those more experienced and important on the committee, they don't care about 1L jobs as long as you have one related to the legal industry.

[man2020]

Wow that is fascinating and good to know, thanks guys!

I will definitely be looking to split my summer then!

[Anonymous User]

I’m of the (informed) opinion that nobody cares what you do your 1L summer. It’s a talking point for interviews. Nobody actually thinks externing for a judge is impressive or prestigious. People sleep on small local firms who will pay $15-25 an hour for law clerks.

Counterpoint: I worked in-house at a newly-public tech company in SV for not much (like $25/hr, way less than I made pre-law school). I did not go to law school in SV.

This helped me established ties. It was an extremely hot company. I learned how to do commercial work, which most associates don't do in biglaw due to cost reasons (but is a very desirable in-house skillset). Most importantly, when I was looking to change jobs a few weeks ago, I saw the old GC from there was hiring at the company she is at now. I sent my resume on a Friday, was hired on Tuesday, and started the following Monday (six biz days later). This was 100% due to my summer work as a 1L for her.

I'm not saying I'm awesome. I'm saying that you should think strategically about 1L summer jobs. If you're corporate and you don't want to work unpaid for a judge--wait. There are paid in-house gigs that get posted in Feb, March, April and can be very valuable for helping you change geos, demonstrate interest in a particular practice area, or "expose you" to in-house (even though your goal is biglaw post-school).

[trebekismyhero]

I’m of the (informed) opinion that nobody cares what you do your 1L summer. It’s a talking point for interviews. Nobody actually thinks externing for a judge is impressive or prestigious. People sleep on small local firms who will pay $15-25 an hour for law clerks.

Counterpoint: I worked in-house at a newly-public tech company in SV for not much (like $25/hr, way less than I made pre-law school). I did not go to law school in SV.

This helped me established ties. It was an extremely hot company. I learned how to do commercial work, which most associates don't do in biglaw due to cost reasons (but is a very desirable in-house skillset). Most importantly, when I was looking to change jobs a few weeks ago, I saw the old GC from there was hiring at the company she is at now. I sent my resume on a Friday, was hired on Tuesday, and started the following Monday (six biz days later). This was 100% due to my summer work as a 1L for her.

I'm not saying I'm awesome. I'm saying that you should think strategically about 1L summer jobs. If you're corporate and you don't want to work unpaid for a judge--wait. There are paid in-house gigs that get posted in Feb, March, April and can be very valuable for helping you change geos, demonstrate interest in a particular practice area, or "expose you" to in-house (even though your goal is biglaw post-school).

I don't think that is a counterpoint to what LaLiLuLeLo was saying. They were saying that people should try to get paid and that what you do 1L doesn't matter for OCI, which is almost always the case (excluding establishing ties if you are target a region that requires them)

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I’m of the (informed) opinion that nobody cares what you do your 1L summer. It’s a talking point for interviews. Nobody actually thinks externing for a judge is impressive or prestigious. People sleep on small local firms who will pay $15-25 an hour for law clerks.

Counterpoint: I worked in-house at a newly-public tech company in SV for not much (like $25/hr, way less than I made pre-law school). I did not go to law school in SV.

This helped me established ties. It was an extremely hot company. I learned how to do commercial work, which most associates don't do in biglaw due to cost reasons (but is a very desirable in-house skillset). Most importantly, when I was looking to change jobs a few weeks ago, I saw the old GC from there was hiring at the company she is at now. I sent my resume on a Friday, was hired on Tuesday, and started the following Monday (six biz days later). This was 100% due to my summer work as a 1L for her.

I'm not saying I'm awesome. I'm saying that you should think strategically about 1L summer jobs. If you're corporate and you don't want to work unpaid for a judge--wait. There are paid in-house gigs that get posted in Feb, March, April and can be very valuable for helping you change geos, demonstrate interest in a particular practice area, or "expose you" to in-house (even though your goal is biglaw post-school).

I don't think that is a counterpoint to what LaLiLuLeLo was saying. They were saying that people should try to get paid and that what you do 1L doesn't matter for OCI, which is almost always the case (excluding establishing ties if you are target a region that requires them)

Precisely. It’s not a counterpoint because my point is get paid, don’t get suckered into doing some unpaid externship.