Legal Internship while at Big Law Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'd like to get more exposure to environmental law by working as an intern at a environmental group. My hunch tells me this would be prohibited, since associates are not allowed to have outside sources of income or employment at most firms. But, if I wanted to pursue a unpaid internship (say work 5-10 hours/week), do you think big law firm would take issue with it? Would I have to disclose this? I know this is probably firm specific, but I'm assuming most big law firms will have similar policies in place on this topic. Thanks.

[nixy]

I’d imagine you’d have to tell them for conflicts purposes if nothing else, and I don’t know how you could commit specific times to such an endeavor (now that no one is ever in offices that may be less pertinent, but I’d think the environmental org would want you to have some kind of set hours).

But also, I don’t think you can call yourself an intern once you’re an admitted lawyer. An internship is a student thing. You’d just be volunteering (I realize this doesn’t really go to your question, but still wanted to throw it out there).

[Skool]

I'd like to get more exposure to environmental law by working as an intern at a environmental group. My hunch tells me this would be prohibited, since associates are not allowed to have outside sources of income or employment at most firms. But, if I wanted to pursue a unpaid internship (say work 5-10 hours/week), do you think big law firm would take issue with it? Would I have to disclose this? I know this is probably firm specific, but I'm assuming most big law firms will have similar policies in place on this topic. Thanks.

Your best bet is to try and bring a specific pro bono project to the firm with the environmental group as a client and a partner supervising the matter. For liability reasons, the Firm is highly unlikely to let you go out and practice law representing your own clients without those clients being the firm’s clients too.

[deference]

Imagine you own a bread shop and you hired an apprentice baker, which requires time and money to train to get up to speed. This apprentice then tells you they want to spend 5-10 hours a week to intern at a mechanics shop. There is no conflict of interest, but would you be worried that the apprentice would jump?

Optics matter and it really depends on how you spin it even if the move is above board. You may as be better off participating or attending some conferences and learn about environmental issues through there and see if you can somehow tie those issues into what you currently do.

[nealric]

I'd like to get more exposure to environmental law by working as an intern at a environmental group. My hunch tells me this would be prohibited, since associates are not allowed to have outside sources of income or employment at most firms. But, if I wanted to pursue a unpaid internship (say work 5-10 hours/week), do you think big law firm would take issue with it? Would I have to disclose this? I know this is probably firm specific, but I'm assuming most big law firms will have similar policies in place on this topic. Thanks.

Your best bet is to try and bring a specific pro bono project to the firm with the environmental group as a client and a partner supervising the matter. For liability reasons, the Firm is highly unlikely to let you go out and practice law representing your own clients without those clients being the firm’s clients too.

At the very least, you'd need permission to be safe. Agree that trying to get involved through pro bono work is the best bet. I have seen associates ask to take on specific clients pro bono in causes they were interested in.