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I'm a 2L; I have currently have a bunch of internships on my resume, all with local non-profits that mainly work to benefit and provide services to immigrants and/or the poor. I'm proud of these internships because I believe in their cause. I'm worried however that my resume looks too one-track. I'm afraid employers will look at my non-profit heavy resume and think I won't be able to function in any other environment, or know anything about non-immigrant/non-indigent related work.

I am not shooting for a big law job. But I just don't see myself getting my JD and using it for legal work in the non-profit world immediately. I just don't want to pigeonhole myself, especially in this economy.

I like the experience of interning in general, but I don't want to keep doing it in the same field. What should I do to "diversify"? I have 3 more semesters to work with (summer between 2L and 3L, 3L fall, 3L spring). Should I try to do a legal internship with a government agency? Try for a judicial internship/clerkship? Send my resume offering to do unpaid clerkships with non-immigration firms and see if any will take me?

Thanks for any advice.

This really interests me!

I'm having the same problem. One way that I have used this is to say that non-profit work gives you more hands-on experience, that at sometimes lacking in law school.

But I'm also afraid that my school involvement as well as internships are all too one-tracked. Though I wouldn't mind working for a non-profit once I graduate...

sodapop wrote:This really interests me!

I'm having the same problem. One way that I have used this is to say that non-profit work gives you more hands-on experience, that at sometimes lacking in law school.

But I'm also afraid that my school involvement as well as internships are all too one-tracked. Though I wouldn't mind working for a non-profit once I graduate...

Hi sodapop! Yeah I agree about the positives of non-profit involvement, I don't regret my non-profit work at all-- I felt it gave me an opportunity to do some emotionally fulfilling work and gave me a strong connection to the world beyond the law library and my fellow law students. Probably most importantly it gave me a lot of perspective-- pretty much you feel like one of the most privileged spoiled jerks in the world being a law student when you do work with people who are destitute, have no education, are homeless with kids, can't find a job because of a old misdemeanor weed possessions, or whatever, etc.

Just the same, I do want some experience working in other legal fields... Advice, anyone?