Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

[holybartender]

I will be the USC fan everyone loves to hate.

[vexion]

I'll be the Kentucky fan who's irrelevant in football.

[matt386]

I will be the USC fan everyone loves to hate.

I will gladly take you up on that

[CyLaw]

I'll be [strike]the Kentucky fan who's[/strike] irrelevant in football.

Fixed that for me.

[Big Tuna]

How does OCI work... do you bid on interviews or do the firms select who they want?

[fsohn]

How does OCI work... do you bid on interviews or do the firms select who they want?

You bid on firms. Within the bidding system, each firm tells you what they expect--top half, top third, law review, moot court, etc. You rank your bids, and then the computer spits out your interview list each day, accounting for and comparing your ranks against the ranks of others.

That said, if things were that simple, I'd have a firm job. I don't, but I sincerely hope it goes better for you all. And heck, I won't totally give up on it until 3L OCI fails as miserably as 2L OCI did.

[panda]

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dude. seriously stop spreading your bad vibes everywhere.

[fsohn]

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dude. seriously stop spreading your bad vibes everywhere.

Better to be prepared for the worst than surprised by it.

[kn6542]

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dude. seriously stop spreading your bad vibes everywhere.

Better to be prepared for the worst than surprised by it.

True, but you could have pointed out that actually saying "bad vibes" doesn't help the school's image much, either.

[night06]

Does anyone know how well Cornell does with government (specifically federal agencies - Dept. of Labor, SEC, etc.)? Is it difficult to make the necessary connections, given the school's remote location? I know that the placement statistics show only a very small percentage of the class going into government, but I'm not sure if this is just self-selection.

[LeahNic]

I think in the past the lack of people going into government jobs has largely been self-selection. I would not be surprised though if the next few years a much larger percentage are listed as employed by the government because of the decrease in BigLaw hiring.

Obviously, connections wise, Cornell isn't in D.C. or NYC, but I don't think we are necessarily at a disadvantage.

[MURPH]

I am bringing a family to law school with me. I don't want to have to uproot them in the summers or leave them behind. Is there law related work that I can do in the summers within driving distance of Cornell or do you have to go to NYC to find a good summer gig?

[fsohn]

I am bringing a family to law school with me. I don't want to have to uproot them in the summers or leave them behind. Is there law related work that I can do in the summers within driving distance of Cornell or do you have to go to NYC to find a good summer gig?

There is stuff you can do in the Ithaca area for the summer. Some people do an internship with the US Attorney, either in Syracuse or Binghamton (both roughly an hour or so away). Some people do internships with various legal aid groups in Ithaca proper. I'm sure you could swing an internship with a state or Federal judge in the area as well.

[panda]

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dude. seriously stop spreading your bad vibes everywhere.

Better to be prepared for the worst than surprised by it.

True, but you could have pointed out that actually saying "bad vibes" doesn't help the school's image much, either.

lol. touche. i was avoiding profanity.. and have given up hope on helping the school's image, anyway.

[panda]

I am bringing a family to law school with me. I don't want to have to uproot them in the summers or leave them behind. Is there law related work that I can do in the summers within driving distance of Cornell or do you have to go to NYC to find a good summer gig?

There is stuff you can do in the Ithaca area for the summer. Some people do an internship with the US Attorney, either in Syracuse or Binghamton (both roughly an hour or so away). Some people do internships with various legal aid groups in Ithaca proper. I'm sure you could swing an internship with a state or Federal judge in the area as well.

For 1L summer, a lot of students stay and work for Professors.. and most get paid I think.

[mbw]

I am bringing a family to law school with me. I don't want to have to uproot them in the summers or leave them behind. Is there law related work that I can do in the summers within driving distance of Cornell or do you have to go to NYC to find a good summer gig?

Of the four 1Ls ( I can think of) with families, three of us are ostensibly remaining in Ithaca for the summer. I'm doing research (partially in Europe, but my family is staying here,) one is working for a prof, and the other has a federal clerkship w/in driving distance. I have friends w/ partners but no kids who are also staying for the summer, clerking, working for legal aid, interning at the Avon Center, RA's for profs, deans and other regional PI groups. There's definitely plenty to do if you need to stay in Ithaca - which is a possibility for at least part of the summer if your kids are school-aged, as NY public schools don't let out until late June.

[night06]

I think in the past the lack of people going into government jobs has largely been self-selection. I would not be surprised though if the next few years a much larger percentage are listed as employed by the government because of the decrease in BigLaw hiring.

Obviously, connections wise, Cornell isn't in D.C. or NYC, but I don't think we are necessarily at a disadvantage.

Hmm, so people will be using government as a backup plan? I was always under the impression that the good government gigs could be just as hard to get as biglaw.

Do you know if many students manage to get 1L summer jobs at federal agencies in DC? What about full-term externships? I would think that would be the best way to make up for the lack of local connections.

[KMaine]

I will take a stab at a couple of these:

Night - Somebody in my section is working for the DOJ in D.C.. I know she is not the only one. As far as I know, she had no connection to DC (grew up in NYC) and got the job through the NYU public interest fair that all Cornell students have the chance to attend.

Murph - I am a dad too, and I will be working for a professor this summer. It has the advantage of being a paying gig. It seems like it will be very interesting work. Since I eventually want to work in Boston or New England, I will be leaving my family in Itahca for a month or so at the beginning of 2L summer. Not really sure how it will pan out yet. Feel free to p.m. me if you have any Ithaca fatherhood related questions.

[MURPH]

Thanks for all the quick replys. That was my wife's biggest concern about moving to Ithaca. She has never lived anywhere that is cold, so she doesn't know what she is in for. At least I won't have to pack 'em up just when the weather gets nice.

[legallybrunette16]

i received a package today that included information about orientation, the first year schedule, housing, etc. I was struck by one sentence in particular that said something along the lines of... "Classes start on August 24th. Your professors will expect you to be prepared."

I have heard conflicting answers to whether or not we have summer reading assignments... so hopefully you all can give me a definitive answer.

Do we have a reading list that comes out during the summer? What are we supposed to be prepared for?!

[KMaine]

I think that the library sends some sort of list of recommended reading. It is things like 1L and The Common Law (by O.W. Holmes), it is completely optional, and I am not sure that anybody does it. Some of my friends did some substantive reading before school started, I am pretty sure they do not think it helped them very much. I would recommend "Getting to Maybe," but that is about it.

I think by "prepared" they just mean "ready to go."

[mbw]

I think that the library sends some sort of list of recommended reading. It is things like 1L and The Common Law (by O.W. Holmes), it is completely optional, and I am not sure that anybody does it. Some of my friends did some substantive reading before school started, I am pretty sure they do not think it helped them very much. I would recommend "Getting to Maybe," but that is about it.

I think by "prepared" they just mean "ready to go."

IIRC, our first week's assignment comes out in the first edition of Scoops, sometime in early-mid August. You can check back issues of Scoops on the registrar's website. I suggest you do the reading, even for the first day -- I got cold-called in CivPro my first day, and even having done the reading, it wasn't pretty.

LB, you'll probably be invited to AOP (you came to diversity weekend, yes?) If you attend AOP, you'll arrive a week earlier. I strongly recommend attending. You'll have some advanced reading for that week as well.

[legallybrunette16]

IIRC, our first week's assignment comes out in the first edition of Scoops, sometime in early-mid August. You can check back issues of Scoops on the registrar's website. I suggest you do the reading, even for the first day -- I got cold-called in CivPro my first day, and even having done the reading, it wasn't pretty.

LB, you'll probably be invited to AOP (you came to diversity weekend, yes?) If you attend AOP, you'll arrive a week earlier. I strongly recommend attending. You'll have some advanced reading for that week as well.

Yes, I went to diversity weekend. Someone briefly mentioned this AOP. Can you explain a little bit about what that weekend entails (and what AOP stands for )!!! Also, do you know if people who live in Hughes are allowed to check in early if they attend this AOP program?

Thanks for all the help!

[mbw]

IIRC, our first week's assignment comes out in the first edition of Scoops, sometime in early-mid August. You can check back issues of Scoops on the registrar's website. I suggest you do the reading, even for the first day -- I got cold-called in CivPro my first day, and even having done the reading, it wasn't pretty.

LB, you'll probably be invited to AOP (you came to diversity weekend, yes?) If you attend AOP, you'll arrive a week earlier. I strongly recommend attending. You'll have some advanced reading for that week as well.

Yes, I went to diversity weekend. Someone briefly mentioned this AOP. Can you explain a little bit about what that weekend entails (and what AOP stands for )!!! Also, do you know if people who live in Hughes are allowed to check in early if they attend this AOP program?

Thanks for all the help!

AOP is actually an entire week -- about a third to half the class attends, and it's kind of an intensive intro to law school -- classes in the morning, and then events/parties in the afternoon and evening. (I can't even remember what it stands for, sorry.) IIRC, Hughes residents do get to check in early. Last year, AOP started on the 17th, so people could arrive the weekend before.

[fsohn]

IIRC, our first week's assignment comes out in the first edition of Scoops, sometime in early-mid August. You can check back issues of Scoops on the registrar's website. I suggest you do the reading, even for the first day -- I got cold-called in CivPro my first day, and even having done the reading, it wasn't pretty.

LB, you'll probably be invited to AOP (you came to diversity weekend, yes?) If you attend AOP, you'll arrive a week earlier. I strongly recommend attending. You'll have some advanced reading for that week as well.

Yes, I went to diversity weekend. Someone briefly mentioned this AOP. Can you explain a little bit about what that weekend entails (and what AOP stands for )!!! Also, do you know if people who live in Hughes are allowed to check in early if they attend this AOP program?

Thanks for all the help!

AOP stands for Academic Orientation Program.