Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA? Forum

A forum for applicants and admitted students to ask law students and graduates about law school and the practice of law.
Post Reply
Hutz_and_Goodman

Gold
Posts: 1650
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:42 am

Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by Hutz_and_Goodman » Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:07 pm

I'm attending a very strong regional. Ties to the region. Want to practice here when finished. Excellent undergrad cv and substantial/impressive work experience between undergrad and law school. Any thoughts on what to do? Is it a roll of the dice? I'm assuming fall 1L grades are key.

User avatar
soccerfreak

Bronze
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:57 am

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by soccerfreak » Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:12 pm

Get grades in the top 5%, send out apps December 1 to everyone in your market, cross fingers.

User avatar
theavrock

Silver
Posts: 601
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:52 pm

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by theavrock » Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:16 pm

I don't have any advice. This is a very unique topic that has yet to be discussed. I would love to hear more about this though because there are probably not any threads on this sort of thing.

Gorki

Silver
Posts: 772
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:41 pm

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by Gorki » Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:25 pm

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:I'm attending a very strong regional. Ties to the region. Want to practice here when finished. Excellent undergrad cv and substantial/impressive work experience between undergrad and law school. Any thoughts on what to do? Is it a roll of the dice? I'm assuming fall 1L grades are key.
Basically apply everywhere, hope they are interested, and if they are wait to see which firms do not ding you after Fall grades are in.

Hutz_and_Goodman

Gold
Posts: 1650
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:42 am

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by Hutz_and_Goodman » Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:35 pm

soccerfreak wrote:Get grades in the top 5%, send out apps December 1 to everyone in your market, cross fingers.
what kind of networking can I do to help this? (also, obviously i won;t have grades december 1). Is there any way for a 2L or 1L who summered at a firm the previous year to help? I'm trying to think about how to go about this. Also, anyone have advice on 1L OCI?

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


User avatar
Detrox

Bronze
Posts: 410
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:58 pm

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by Detrox » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:15 pm

Are you a URM? If not, be lucky and work any and all connections you can get. Also, put in the work and mass mail everywhere. Even after all of this? Start preparing to find unpaid or minimally paid work.

Hutz_and_Goodman

Gold
Posts: 1650
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:42 am

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by Hutz_and_Goodman » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:31 pm

Detrox wrote:Are you a URM? If not, be lucky and work any and all connections you can get. Also, put in the work and mass mail everywhere. Even after all of this? Start preparing to find unpaid or minimally paid work.
I'm not. My strength is, I guess, that I'm older and have a very impressive resume; its one of the following: purple heart armed services veteran, hero during 9/11 in NYC featured on many national programs, former scientist with a valuable patent, ivy league phd with many important publications, youngest congressman in the state of school, former professional athlete, entrepreneur who started a company worth more than $20 million dollars, community activist whose work led to congressional legislation.

**ps i'm not trying to be a dick at all putting this. I honestly don't think anything I've done is a big deal at all, but I do think it will get me a look in situations where someone else might not.

User avatar
TatteredDignity

Gold
Posts: 1592
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:06 am

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by TatteredDignity » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:32 pm

soccerfreak wrote:Get grades in the top 5%, send out apps December 1 to everyone in your market, cross fingers.
Maybe this is a regional/secondary market thing, but I took the opposite approach. I didn't apply until I had my first semester grades so that I wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. I figured nothing about my resume would distinguish me from the Dec. 1st masses, so I wasn't really gambling by just hoping my grades ended up being good enough. Had multiple offers.

User avatar
soccerfreak

Bronze
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:57 am

Re: Anyone have advice on getting a firm 1L SA?

Post by soccerfreak » Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:28 pm

TatteredDignity wrote:
soccerfreak wrote:Get grades in the top 5%, send out apps December 1 to everyone in your market, cross fingers.
Maybe this is a regional/secondary market thing, but I took the opposite approach. I didn't apply until I had my first semester grades so that I wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. I figured nothing about my resume would distinguish me from the Dec. 1st masses, so I wasn't really gambling by just hoping my grades ended up being good enough. Had multiple offers.
Well I guess that depends on what your grades end up being :)

I didn't have a 1L SA, my advice was going off of what I have been told by firms, and a friend who had a callback which led to offer over winter break, well before his grades were in.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


Post Reply

Return to “Ask a Law Student / Graduate”