Would anyone give me a rough timeline in law school? Forum

[ihenry]

Probably this has been asked before but I couldn't find it in due time. Like, starting from 1L August up until embarking on the job, what needs to be done as measured by calendar months and roughly how busy and stressed these times are? From what I read, especially things related to legal employment, the schedule is quite rigid and if you miss the train you are in trouble. Assuming T14, IP/biglaw, and no regional ties and preferences. Thank you.

[iamgeorgebush]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?

[acr]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?
4. May through July: bar

[ihenry]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?
4. May through July: bar

Thanks. Edited OP.

Is it easy to land a 1L SA gig? It seems at the time you send out the applications you haven't taken your first law school exam yet. And do they pay the same as 2L SA? How many 1L SA are offered 2L SA automatically in the same firm?

[acr]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?
4. May through July: bar

Thanks. Edited OP.

Is it easy to land a 1L SA gig? It seems at the time you send out the applications you haven't taken your first law school exam yet. And do they pay the same as 2L SA? How many 1L SA are offered 2L SA automatically in the same firm?

It is not easy to land a 1L SA gig. Most firms don't even hire first years. Now just because you don't get a 1L SA doesn't mean a 2L SA isn't happening. I know tons of people who couldn't even get an INTERVIEW for a 1L SA and summered at V10's the next summer. Best case scenario would be to get a 1L SA but doing anything legally related to talk about at OCI is fine

[TheoO]

Unless you're URM, you probably have a big uphill battle in getting a 1L SA. It will come almost entirely down to grades (although some people with good, not great greats, did get them through regional connections). I wouldn't bank on getting one.

[ihenry]

Unless you're URM, you probably have a big uphill battle in getting a 1L SA. It will come almost entirely down to grades (although some people with good, not great greats, did get them through regional connections). I wouldn't bank on getting one.

Got it. Does it help if I have a, um, patent-bar-eligible undergrad degree?

[TheoO]

Speak to your school's OCS. I would guess that it would.

[totesTheGoat]

Does it help if I have a, um, patent-bar-eligible undergrad degree?

Depends primarily on 2 things. 1) Do you want to practice patent law? and 2) Do you have more than just the degree?

Regarding 2: a BS in chemistry or biology or engineering isn't going to be enough to get you over the hump. Either you need a PhD or a few years of technical work experience to be considered for a 1L SA.

[Clearly]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?
4. May through July: bar

Thanks. Edited OP.

Is it easy to land a 1L SA gig? It seems at the time you send out the applications you haven't taken your first law school exam yet. And do they pay the same as 2L SA? How many 1L SA are offered 2L SA automatically in the same firm?

It is not easy to land a 1L SA gig. Most firms don't even hire first years. Now just because you don't get a 1L SA doesn't mean a 2L SA isn't happening. I know tons of people who couldn't even get an INTERVIEW for a 1L SA and summered at V10's the next summer. Best case scenario would be to get a 1L SA but doing anything legally related to talk about at OCI is fine

I'm not even sure I'd call a 1L SA universally a best case scenario. It comes with risks too.

[scone]

I'm not even sure I'd call a 1L SA universally a best case scenario. It comes with risks too.

What risks are you thinking of?

[acr]

I'm not even sure I'd call a 1L SA universally a best case scenario. It comes with risks too.

What risks are you thinking of?

interested as well

[emkay625]

With the caveats that these things may differ slightly from school to school and I am but a 2L.

1L:

1. August through December: read, study, take practice exams
2. December 1 (optional): send out applications to federal judges if you want a summer judicial externship or firms if you want a 1L BigLaw SA
2. December: real exams
3. December (after exams) through February: chill, interview for jobs if you applied on December 1, apply to more jobs
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: read, study, take practice exams, keep interviewing for/applying to summer jobs if you haven't found one yet
6. May through August: summer job, research firms for OCI, chill, take vacation at some point
7. August sometime: OCI, callbacks

2L:

1. September sometime: start classes, continue doing callbacks if necessary (hopefully get a job)
2. September through December: chill, read a little, study a little, take some practice exams maybe, chill, maybe do an externship or something, maybe do a journal or something, maybe run a student org for the lols or something
3. December through February: chill, maybe work on Note for journal
4. February sometime: start spring classes
5. February through May: do similar things to fall semester
6. May through August: summer job, chill, etc.

3L:

1. September through December: chill?
2. December through February: chill.
3. February through May: chill?
4. May through July: bar

Thanks. Edited OP.

Is it easy to land a 1L SA gig? It seems at the time you send out the applications you haven't taken your first law school exam yet. And do they pay the same as 2L SA? How many 1L SA are offered 2L SA automatically in the same firm?

If you want to practice in Texas, 1L SAs are common in Texas. You can usually get one if you are median or above at a T14 with ties to Texas or if you are in the top 25% or so at UT.

[AReasonableMan]

I'm not even sure I'd call a 1L SA universally a best case scenario. It comes with risks too.

What risks are you thinking of?

interested as well

S/he's implying that there's a risk of being no offered, which would likely be worse than not having had the 1L SA in the first place, because now you have a red mark that would not otherwise exist. However, the risk of being no offered based on performance or fit (the only times it will hurt you) is small enough that it's overly conservative and probably foolish to turn down such an opportunity. Of course, this all assumes you want to work at a firm.

[whats an updog]

I'm not even sure I'd call a 1L SA universally a best case scenario. It comes with risks too.

What risks are you thinking of?

interested as well

S/he's implying that there's a risk of being no offered, which would likely be worse than not having had the 1L SA in the first place, because now you have a red mark that would not otherwise exist. However, the risk of being no offered based on performance or fit (the only times it will hurt you) is small enough that it's overly conservative and probably foolish to turn down such an opportunity. Of course, this all assumes you want to work at a firm.

why is it that big of a problem to be no offered as a 1L (unless you really wanted to work at that firm)? i know about 5 people who had 1L SA and all of them are going to different firms for 2L SA despite all being offered (or at least so they say) at their 1L SA. if anything, it might help you avoid the same mistakes the next time around.

[A. Nony Mouse]

The idea is that firms will ask if got an offer from your 1L firm and if you have to say no, 2L firms may not want to hire you.