Unpaid Undergrad Law Clerk Job - Worth Taking? Forum

Paraflam · Post by **Paraflam** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:42 pm

I'm in my junior year of undergrad, planning on applying next cycle, and have just been offered a law clerk job at a solo practice firm for the summer. The only catch is that it's unpaid and full-time, and I could really use the money that I'd make at a paid (though non-legal) job this summer. I'm wondering if this will look good enough on my LS applications to warrant accepting the job for the summer, or if it will probably just be shrugged at. I'd like to take the job for the experience that would come with it also, but my only reservation is the money I'd be giving up by doing so. Any thoughts?

LawIdiot86 · Post by **LawIdiot86** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:44 pm

Paraflam wrote:I'm in my junior year of undergrad, planning on applying next cycle, and have just been offered a law clerk job at a solo practice firm for the summer. The only catch is that it's unpaid and full-time, and I could really use the money that I'd make at a paid (though non-legal) job this summer. I'm wondering if this will look good enough on my LS applications to warrant accepting the job for the summer, or if it will probably just be shrugged at. I'd like to take the job for the experience that would come with it also, but my only reservation is the money I'd be giving up by doing so. Any thoughts?

1. It will be shrugged off. Do something that earns some money to pay your epic future student loan debt.

2. Even if you take it, it won't give you any useful experience. This is the same as undergrads who tell me they know they'll do well in law school because of that fun con law class they aced in their poli sci major.

3. I'm pretty sure there is a better forum for this.

Paraflam · Post by **Paraflam** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:46 pm

Yeah, I wasn't sure if this was the right forum for this topic. Sorry about that.

Thanks for your reply.

Sup Kid · Post by **Sup Kid** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:25 pm

Paraflam wrote:Yeah, I wasn't sure if this was the right forum for this topic. Sorry about that.

Thanks for your reply.

See here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=170603

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:47 am

No. Anything law-related you do before LS is completely irrelevant, unless it's a patent agent or something.

pillowpet · Post by **pillowpet** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:43 pm

i'm sure youre not going to get anything useful out of the job. he probably just wants you around to take phone calls, photocopy, type up an email, etc. you'll be bored out of your mind. you'll be better off going on informational interviews or shadowing attorneys here and there.

if you're just looking someting to put on your app, why don't you just go volunteer for a legal aid? you can just drop by for like 10-15 hours a week and still put it on your resume. this way, you can also find another paid gig too.

Paraflam · Post by **Paraflam** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:37 pm

Actually, I've gotten to do some pretty cool stuff so far. I have been working for her from school for the past few weeks, just to see if I like the kind of work she'll have me doing. So far I've gotten to do some interesting research on integration of securities offerings (under Regulation D), where I was able to come across an SEC no-action letter that went strongly in favor of our client and allowed them to successfully exempt all of their offerings from registration. Lately I've been working on revising an agreement that was originally written strongly in favor of the other party, and I've been using sample provisions that I've found in similar types of agreement contracts in order to shift some of the obligation off of our client and onto the other party. Anyway, I've really enjoyed what I've done so far, especially since it hasn't involved meaningless busy work and I've gotten to do things that actually make a difference. Still, I don't expect to learn anything that will directly apply to anything I'll do in the future, but it's been interesting to get a sense of what lawyers really do (in the area that this lawyer practices, anyway).

Heat · Post by **Heat** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:35 pm

I'm just a 1L but I'd argue that you should seriously consider it.

No it won't help you to get into law school.

BUT if your goal is only getting into law school you may be a bit short sighted. Having jobs that indicate an interest in the legal field, show that you understand basic concepts associated with being an attorney, and (from your second post) the possibility that you might get some work which at least sounds like "legalize" is an asset in applying for jobs later once you are in law school.

pillowpet · Post by **pillowpet** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:06 am

I see, sounds like you are getting some interesting exposure and not just being abused for admin work.

Sure, it's great to have something on your resume that shows that you're interested in the law, but I doubt it's going do miracles for admission purposes. Plus, it's fulltime and unpaid. Is there a way you can ask her to let you volunteer part-time or to just continue shadowing her? I can't imagine how someone who is making you work for free can hold you to such strict standards such as maintaining a full time schedule. Maybe she thinks full time is what you wanted?

Unpaid Undergrad Law Clerk Job - Worth Taking? Forum

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