Will a Personal Injury Internship Hurt Big Law Chances? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a current 2L at a strong regional law school that places about the top 20-30% of the class into Big Law. I am on the main law review and in the top 20% of the class. I am hoping to go into Big Law through our OCI during January and do transactional work. I was just offered a paid internship at a personal injury firm during this upcoming spring semester and wouldn't mind making some extra money.

Will taking a personal injury internship for the semester hurt my chances at big law? Does something like this look bad on a resume for someone who leans towards transactional work? I appreciate any input.

[Anonymous User]

No. Generally speaking, the more "liberal" shops (like personal injury shops, plaintiff's lawyers, and public defenders) will question your "faith" if you work on the defense side. The defense side (big law, DA, AUSA, etc.) doesn't really give a fuck.

This being said, a better way to get biglaw is to work in big law as a 2L summer.

[Performance1]

I am a current 2L at a strong regional law school that places about the top 20-30% of the class into Big Law. I am on the main law review and in the top 20% of the class. I am hoping to go into Big Law through our OCI during January and do transactional work. I was just offered a paid internship at a personal injury firm during this upcoming spring semester and wouldn't mind making some extra money.

Will taking a personal injury internship for the semester hurt my chances at big law? Does something like this look bad on a resume for someone who leans towards transactional work? I appreciate any input.

No not at all. Blackrock in house counsel love to look up the bios of their attorneys and see TT school + ambulance chaser 2L.

[nealric]

I am a current 2L at a strong regional law school that places about the top 20-30% of the class into Big Law. I am on the main law review and in the top 20% of the class. I am hoping to go into Big Law through our OCI during January and do transactional work. I was just offered a paid internship at a personal injury firm during this upcoming spring semester and wouldn't mind making some extra money.

Will taking a personal injury internship for the semester hurt my chances at big law? Does something like this look bad on a resume for someone who leans towards transactional work? I appreciate any input.

No not at all. Blackrock in house counsel love to look up the bios of their attorneys and see TT school + ambulance chaser 2L.

Nobody puts their 2L part time side gig in their firm bio.

[namefromplace]

It doesn't look bad for BigLaw per se, but it could cause people to question your interest in transactional law. Do you have other points on your resume that indicate an interest in transactional work? Make sure you have a compelling story for transactional work.