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So, from what I have seen from various posts, job prospects for 1L summer are very bleak.

If you go to a non T-14, it seems that the chances of landing a paying job for 1L summer are very poor (and yes, the chances for T14 even seem poor).

It seems that a lot of students beg and scrape for any sort of non-paying legal job just so that they have legal experience for that summer, but.........what does everyone do for money?

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I should max out my student loans and get roommates instead of an apartment during the school year so I have enough money to last me through the summer.

polycom01 wrote:So, from what I have seen from various posts, job prospects for 1L summer are very bleak.

If you go to a non T-14, it seems that the chances of landing a paying job for 1L summer are very poor (and yes, the chances for T14 even seem poor).

It seems that a lot of students beg and scrape for any sort of non-paying legal job just so that they have legal experience for that summer, but.........what does everyone do for money?

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I should max out my student loans and get roommates instead of an apartment during the school year so I have enough money to last me through the summer.

Shoot for an RA position. The pay is low but would get you through the summer and makes a decent resume line. Maxing loans would also work but if that's your plan you might want to wait until late in the term to request your summer cash stash in order to ensure you don't burn through it buying name brand cereal during the year.

[/quote]
Shoot for an RA position. The pay is low but would get you through the summer and makes a decent resume line. Maxing loans would also work but if that's your plan you might want to wait until late in the term to request your summer cash stash in order to ensure you don't burn through it buying name brand cereal during the year.[/quote]

Thanks. How do I "shoot for an RA position"? Get to know one of my professors during the year and build a rapport?

If your legal job isn't paid, find other paid work to do on nights/weekends. Also you can work a little during the school year.

polycom01 wrote:
Thanks. How do I "shoot for an RA position"? Get to know one of my professors during the year and build a rapport?

Yeah.

A lot of schools have student organizations that make public interest awards and stipends available. They can be somewhat competitive to get, but they help a lot.

Yeah if you can't find paid work, do something that is strictly unpaid like PI, because there are tons of scholarships floating around for PI you can apply for and I think most law schools have scholarship money set aside for students doing summer PI. Its possible to make "bank" for unpaid work.

Suck it up and wait tables/bartend/etc. like every other student ever?

ToTransferOrNot wrote:Suck it up and wait tables/bartend/etc. like every other student ever?

It's a little funny to me that this isn't the obvious answer. Every (non-law) grad student in the world knows about piecing together grants, fellowships, tutoring gigs, and cab-driving to "fund" a summer.

ToTransferOrNot wrote:Suck it up and wait tables/bartend/etc. like every other student ever?

What about the argument that you need substantive legal experience to compete ITE? OCI is a week after 1L summer ends.

Kohinoor wrote:

ToTransferOrNot wrote:Suck it up and wait tables/bartend/etc. like every other student ever?

What about the argument that you need substantive legal experience to compete ITE? OCI is a week after 1L summer ends.

I assume he means nights & weekends.

Aeroplane wrote:

Kohinoor wrote:

ToTransferOrNot wrote:Suck it up and wait tables/bartend/etc. like every other student ever?

What about the argument that you need substantive legal experience to compete ITE? OCI is a week after 1L summer ends.

I assume he means nights & weekends.

This, obviously.

.

mardimar wrote:Take summer classes. FinAid is available if you take 6 credits. Summer classes are generally at night.

I'm working (unpaid internship) and taking classes.

as long as you also working in a legal capacity it's probably fine to do this, but i've heard (purely anecdotal/speculative, and i will do absolutely nothing to try to substantiate) only taking summer classes can be a real shot in the foot.

If you are diligent and flexible, you should be able to find a paying law job for 1L summer. A lot of small firms don't post summer jobs until beginning/middle of spring semester. I go to a TTT in a declining, over-saturated legal market and was able to find a paying job with a small local firm that will continue through the school year and next year if I want. My husband, who is also a 1L, has a paid job working with general counsel of an insurance company.

My advice...if you haven't found a job by mid spring semester, look into clinical programs where you can get course credit, or start reaching out to small firms. Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

findlayswimmer28 wrote:Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

I hear your [strike]Lexis and WestLaw passwords[/strike] knowledge and experience gained during 1L makes you very attractive to small firms and solos.

TipTravHoot wrote:

findlayswimmer28 wrote:Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

I hear your [strike]Lexis and WestLaw passwords[/strike] knowledge and experience gained during 1L makes you very attractive to small firms and solos.

I hear abusing that "knowledge" is an honor code violation at most schools...

hombredulce wrote:

TipTravHoot wrote:

findlayswimmer28 wrote:Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

I hear your [strike]Lexis and WestLaw passwords[/strike] knowledge and experience gained during 1L makes you very attractive to small firms and solos.

I hear abusing that "knowledge" is an honor code violation at most schools...

And being expected to do so is your first introduction to "legal ethics"

Renzo wrote:

hombredulce wrote:

TipTravHoot wrote:

findlayswimmer28 wrote:Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

I hear your [strike]Lexis and WestLaw passwords[/strike] knowledge and experience gained during 1L makes you very attractive to small firms and solos.

I hear abusing that "knowledge" is an honor code violation at most schools...

And being expected to do so is your first introduction to "legal ethics"

lol touché

Renzo wrote:

hombredulce wrote:

TipTravHoot wrote:

findlayswimmer28 wrote:Small firms may not pay spectacularly, but they are loyal and you will get a LOT more legal experience.

I hear your [strike]Lexis and WestLaw passwords[/strike] knowledge and experience gained during 1L makes you very attractive to small firms and solos.

I hear abusing that "knowledge" is an honor code violation at most schools...

And being expected to do so is your first introduction to "legal ethics"

It's a lovely profession we're entering.

Kohinoor wrote:

polycom01 wrote:So, from what I have seen from various posts, job prospects for 1L summer are very bleak.

If you go to a non T-14, it seems that the chances of landing a paying job for 1L summer are very poor (and yes, the chances for T14 even seem poor).

It seems that a lot of students beg and scrape for any sort of non-paying legal job just so that they have legal experience for that summer, but.........what does everyone do for money?

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I should max out my student loans and get roommates instead of an apartment during the school year so I have enough money to last me through the summer.

Shoot for an RA position. The pay is low but would get you through the summer and makes a decent resume line. Maxing loans would also work but if that's your plan you might want to wait until late in the term to request your summer cash stash in order to ensure you don't burn through it buying name brand cereal during the year.

what can an RA expect to make over the course of the summer? more than 2k/3k?

Certain schools (NYU and Columbia, for example) guarantee a PI stipend for the summer ~4,000 (I think). It's not much, but it's something

najumobi wrote:what can an RA expect to make over the course of the summer? more than 2k/3k?

The job pays anywhere from $8-$16/hr usually. I'm sure many professors have 40 or more hrs/week of work for their summer RA's, but I wouldn't assume this without an up-front discussion.

KG_CalGuy wrote:Certain schools (NYU and Columbia, for example) guarantee a PI stipend for the summer ~4,000 (I think). It's not much, but it's something

yeah that's good of those schools.

Aeroplane wrote:Certain schools (NYU and Columbia, for example) guarantee a PI stipend for the summer ~4,000 (I think). It's not much, but it's something

thanks