Pre-Clerkship Summer Associate Forum

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on these programs from people who have done them? How easy it is to balance with bar prep?

[purplegoldtornado]

What even is this?

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on these programs from people who have done them? How easy it is to balance with bar prep?

I wish I had done one. (I don't think they are very common.)

Summer associate gigs are as cushy as it gets, and they know you're also studying for the bar so they're not going to overload you with substantive work. Best case scenario you get to know the lawyers at another firm and study for the bar on their dime.

[Anonymous User]

What even is this?

They’re uncommon, but some litigation-heavy firms have them. And S&C I believe. Some are ad hoc and put together for individual students, not really “programs” like for normal SAs.

[3pianists]

I worked while studying during my bar summer and I'm glad I did. I didn't overstudy as much as I would have if I'd been studying full-time, I got a great work experience in, and I still passed the bar comfortably. There's something about bar prep that makes people go crazy, and I think having something else to focus on during the day actually helps with that. Would recommend.

[Goldie]

I worked while studying during my bar summer and I'm glad I did. I didn't overstudy as much as I would have if I'd been studying full-time, I got a great work experience in, and I still passed the bar comfortably. There's something about bar prep that makes people go crazy, and I think having something else to focus on during the day actually helps with that. Would recommend.

Same. I worked eight weeks full time and studied mornings and evenings and weekends, then had two weeks between the end of the job and taking the bar. I learned a few months later I had still overstudied quite a bit, but I think that's natural given the stakes.

[Fireworks2016]

I worked while studying during my bar summer and I'm glad I did. I didn't overstudy as much as I would have if I'd been studying full-time, I got a great work experience in, and I still passed the bar comfortably. There's something about bar prep that makes people go crazy, and I think having something else to focus on during the day actually helps with that. Would recommend.

Just to echo this -- I didn't work, and I massively overstudied, even though my schedule was basically to study M-F from 9-3 and then maybe four hours each weekend day. You will have plenty of time to manage any substantive work obligations with bar prep, IMO