1L Summer Options Forum

[KD35]

Hey so I know that there's a lot of discussion out there about 2L summer and that process, and I know you're supposed to work as a 1L on something law-related, but I have yet to see anything about 'the best' 1L options other than the very rare 1L SA. What are the big/prestigious options that are feasible for 1L Summer work?

[UnderrateOverachieve]

Big/Prestigious and feasible?

I mean it is possible to get a judicial externship, or an internship with a large law firm, but these are few and far between.

[KD35]

Big/Prestigious and feasible?

I mean it is possible to get a judicial externship, or an internship with a large law firm, but these are few and far between.

Ok rephrase then: What are some of the better options for 1L summer compared to just doing research? Or is it largely irrelevant for 2L OCI stuff so long as you're doing legal work?

[Nova]

For reference, I go to a flagship T30.

At my school anyone can get a judicial externship and its basically the last resort. People are actually paying an additional 5 grand tuition to do it over the summer. LOL.

IMO, any legal job that pays is a good 1L legal job.

not a BS internship where the private firm takes advantage of you for free.

I cant comment on public sector. Not interested.

[Nova]

Oops. double posted.

[UnderrateOverachieve]

If you don't mind the expenditure, a good legal clinic through your school is an excellent way to gain real hands on legal skills this summer. One of the only ways to guarantee good experience.

You should have a career services that can really lay all this out for you though.

[KD35]

If you don't mind the expenditure, a good legal clinic through your school is an excellent way to gain real hands on legal skills this summer. One of the only ways to guarantee good experience.

You should have a career services that can really lay all this out for you though.

Yea, I just know that I can't talk to them until November, and I'm trying to do some prep work (at least whatever I can) right now before classes begin.

[Nova]

For sure. clinics and externships are legit. Im just bitterly poor.

[UnderrateOverachieve]

I am slightly confused? Are you a 0L?

[KD35]

I am slightly confused? Are you a 0L?

Yea, sorry that's probably an important thing I should've added...

[A. Nony Mouse]

There's a lot of discussion of 1L summer options in the Legal Employment forum - don't post there as a 0L, but poke around and read old threads, especially the "should I do X or should I do Y for the summer?" threads (you could search on judicial externship, externship, that kind of thing). The general consensus is that no 1L position is especially prestigious/big, and that it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do something legal that gives you something to talk about in 2L interviews.

And yes, judicial externships are not hard to get (though it's a bit harder the higher up the judicial foodchain you go, of course). Generally, it is not hard to find something unpaid. Beyond that, what is "best" depends in part on what you want to do (e.g. if you want to go into criminal defense, don't go work for a corporation, find something that has you working with indigent clients. But that's not because one is better/more prestigious per se, just that it's better for what you want to do).

[UnderrateOverachieve]

Don't get too hung up at this point. There is a reason why you aren't allowed to talk to career services until November.

Focus on doing your absolute best your first semester and maybe look up some tips on writing a legal resume.

[Yukos]

Many top schools provide a stipend if you work your first summer in public interest (which includes both government and non-profits). It varies a bit, e.g. at SLS it's $5k, Yale a little over $6k, HLS I think it's around $4k. There's also in-house positions for major corporations that apparently pay anywhere between $12 an hour to over $25 an hour, so you could end up making more or less than the PI stipend. From what I've heard at top schools just about any summer position is easy to get (including the theoretically more prestigious ones like USAO) except SAs, which are still rare. Not sure how true that is for lower-ranked schools.

And yes, the Legal Employment Forum mantra is "it doesn't matter what you do for your summer, as long as it's legal related." 1L SA's are in demand only because they pay an absurd amount and it's often a guaranteed job for 2L summer, lessening the pressure for OCI. This is also why they're so rare.

[JDndMSW]

So how do 1Ls live if their summer work is unpaid?

[KD35]

So how do 1Ls live if their summer work is unpaid?

Loans. Some schools offer small living stipends for nonprofit work.

[traehekat]

As long as it is some form of legal of work it doesn't matter what you do. Sure, getting paid is nice and you have the added benefit that a 1L SA will probably result in a 2L SA offer from the same firm, but there aren't really different levels of "prestige" when it comes to 1L summer positions. Trust me, no attorney you interview with as a 2L is going to be like, "Ohhh, you snagged a 1L SA - how prestigious!" What matters is that you hopefully got some solid legal experience over the summer and, more importantly, can intelligently discuss that experience.

[Nova]

So how do 1Ls live if their summer work is unpaid?

Loans. Some schools offer small living stipends for nonprofit work.

Or old money

[rad lulz]

As long as it is some form of legal of work it doesn't matter what you do. Sure, getting paid is nice and you have the added benefit that a 1L SA will probably result in a 2L SA offer from the same firm, but there aren't really different levels of "prestige" when it comes to 1L summer positions. Trust me, no attorney you interview with as a 2L is going to be like, "Ohhh, you snagged a 1L SA - how prestigious!" What matters is that you hopefully got some solid legal experience over the summer and, more importantly, can intelligently discuss that experience.

This

[guano]

Take the easy route and send your resume and a writing sample to 100+ judges on December 1st.

The big problem is that a lot of more prestigious/paying jobs don't become available until later on, at which point any decent judge has already selected whichever 1Ls they're gonna take, so you won't have much of a fall-back option.

If you miss out on the paying/prestigious jobs, you'll be left hustling for an unpaid position as a free westlaw/lexis portal

[Peyton]

For reference, I go to a flagship T30.

At my school anyone can get a judicial externship and its basically the last resort. People are actually paying an additional 5 grand tuition to do it over the summer. LOL.

IMO, any legal job that pays is a good 1L legal job.

not a BS internship where the private firm takes advantage of you for free.

I cant comment on public sector. Not interested.

Maybe they exist but I have never heard of a zero-pay internship at a law firm. I had a judicial internship last year (1L). While the pay was low ($100 a day and parking was free… which is saying something for the NE) I thought it was an excellent experience. I don’t know why some judicial internships pay and some don’t.

[Nova]

For reference, I go to a flagship T30.

At my school anyone can get a judicial externship and its basically the last resort. People are actually paying an additional 5 grand tuition to do it over the summer. LOL.

IMO, any legal job that pays is a good 1L legal job.

not a BS internship where the private firm takes advantage of you for free.

I cant comment on public sector. Not interested.

Maybe they exist but I have never heard of a zero-pay internship at a law firm.

You would be suprised. EX:

What is your salary? What kind of boutique is it? Any chance they will hire you permanently after you graduate? How many attorneys?

With no legal background, I chose not to expect pay for the time being. I was assured compensation in the near future pending my performance and desire to continue beyond summer. I find that absolutely reasonable.

Its a boutique Family Law firm that also specializes in Real Estate. Yes, there is a decent possibility they may hire me on a permanent basis after graduation. The firm is small, no more than 3-4 Attorneys ATM.

There are actually firms where you pay THEM to work for them, too. (LOL)

[Peyton]

For reference, I go to a flagship T30. There are actually firms where you pay THEM to work for them, too. (LOL)

Let’s hope that model doesn’t catch on. It would certainly redefine SA… where you pay them $30K over the summer!

Out of curiosity, exactly what is a T-30 Flagship? My translation of flagship; a company that has several offices and the main office is the flagship. So unless you attend the McDonalds LS, I figure you meant it as a long time established school, like a W&L or perhaps a regional favorite or maybe the only LS in a fairly large market, or . . . .

[hephaestus]

For reference, I go to a flagship T30. There are actually firms where you pay THEM to work for them, too. (LOL)

Let’s hope that model doesn’t catch on. It would certainly redefine SA… where you pay them $30K over the summer!

Out of curiosity, exactly what is a T-30 Flagship? My translation of flagship; a company that has several offices and the main office is the flagship. So unless you attend the McDonalds LS, I figure you meant it as a long time established school, like a W&L or perhaps a regional favorite or maybe the only LS in a fairly large market, or . . . .

School that is too in it's region. So Minn would be a flagship T30. Fordham would not be.

[Nova]

My understanding of the term is the basically the same as ImNoScar's.

By flagship I meant best school in its state/market (usually its public). So like Minnesota/Alabama/Iowa.

Not W&L cause Virgina is crowded.

[KD35]

My understanding of the term is the basically the same as ImNoScar's.

By flagship I meant best school in its state/market (usually its public). So like Minnesota/Alabama/Iowa.

Not W&L cause Virgina is crowded.

So basically flyover states...