Summer Associate before Clerking Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hoping to hear about any and all experiences doing this. Did anyone do a pre-clerk summer with their 2L firm in a different location? With a different firm? When did you apply? When did you interview? How was studying for the bar? Etc.

There isn't much info on the forums so any guidance would help!

[anon2014]

I ended up not doing this so am sharing my semi experience as well as what I've heard from others. So take that as you will.

I had an offer to return to the firm I'd summered at and they sent an email in late fall of the 3L year to those who they knew to be clerking, offering a second summer. They wanted us to commit for at least 6 weeks. I couldn't make the logistics work because of all the moving required.

One of my classmates wanted to try a different city so she applied to firms that she knew were traditionally interested in hiring clerks (post-clerkship) to see if they'd take her in her pre-clerk summer. She got a couple of interviews and offers, and used that as leverage with her 2L summer firm, which then allowed her to do the pre-clerk thing in another office. As far as timing goes, I think you'll want to send letters/applications in the fall once your clerkship is secure and you've finished your 2L summer job. If it's too early, they will say so. (They may put you off while they figure out how many incoming 2L summers they will have).

I think the hours can vary widely. Larger firms with big recruiting budgets are more likely to let you work manageable hours so you can study. Smaller firms may not be able to afford that. My small sample size of knowledge suggests you can expect to put in a solid 9ish hour workday, but some folks manage to get away with studying during that time (at, for example, v20 firms).

[808Law]

Hoping to hear about any and all experiences doing this. Did anyone do a pre-clerk summer with their 2L firm in a different location? With a different firm? When did you apply? When did you interview? How was studying for the bar? Etc.

There isn't much info on the forums so any guidance would help!

interested in this as well

[Anonymous User]

Sorry for anon, but so few people do this I'd rather not out myself. I did this. I asked my 2L firm (v20), which told me they didn't hire 3L summer associates. I then applied to a few other firms in the same location I was interested in and was hired by one for the summer. I applied in the fall and interviewed a few weeks later. It took me a couple months before I heard back from them.

The summer experience was pretty great. Everyone was very understanding about me leaving at a decent time for BarBri (6ish?), no weekend work, etc. I heard from friends that that's not always the case. I studied in the evenings and on weekends, took a couple weeks off to cram before the exam, and passed no problems. If you do this and take BarBri, don't worry about trying to do all the BarBri homework (I just watched the lectures at fast speed and did a little bit of the hw), and try to get a good outline from somebody else. Don't do more than you have to to pass. The extra cash was really helpful for the clerkship year/actually being able to afford a bar trip.

[thsmthcrmnl]

I did it and it was amazing. Firm paid for full time work but explicity let me study half the time. There's no reason to turn down an easy $15,000+. If you have the grades for clerking, you honestly shouldn't even be worried about the bar.

Edit: I did this with my 2L firm, so I didn't interview or apply; I just asked about it.

[Anonymous User]

Did anyone who 3L summered with their 2L firm do so at a different office (I.e., switched cities)!?