Jobs for 1L Summer

mcglz_64

I know it's early to think about this, but what are some typical/ideal jobs for the 1L summer? I know for your 2L summer you should be looking at law firms, but I heard firms are increasingly hesitant to hire 1Ls. Just trying to get idea since I really haven't heard much about the 1L summer.

Seeking Perfection

@mcglz_64 said:
I know it's early to think about this, but what are some typical/ideal jobs for the 1L summer? I know for your 2L summer you should be looking at law firms, but I heard firms are increasingly hesitant to hire 1Ls. Just trying to get idea since I really haven't heard much about the 1L summer.

I think it is a much wider range, but they are generally unpaid which is why it is important that your school provides some 1L summer funding.

btownsquee

I've spoken to a lawyer about this--and yes, it's a wide range; students do research with professors, intern with companies/the federal government/nonprofits. I would suggest doing something in line with what you potentially want to do during your 2L summer (like employment law/corporate law, etc). If you don't know what you want to do, do something (do not take the summer off) and you'll be on the way to figuring it out.

mcglz_64

@btownsquee said:
I've spoken to a lawyer about this--and yes, it's a wide range; students do research with professors, intern with companies/the federal government/nonprofits. I would suggest doing something in line with what you potentially want to do during your 2L summer (like employment law/corporate law, etc). If you don't know what you want to do, do something (do not take the summer off) and you'll be on the way to figuring it out.

Like I said, I know it's early but I'm already excited to plan this out! I have a good idea of what I want to practice in the future and a 1L will be a good way for me to get more hands-on exposure to it with more legal knowledge (I am a paralegal now so it's not exactly the same as having gone through 1 year of LS and working on cases with that background).

Leah M B

I've heard that a lot of students do intern/externships with government or non-profits in 1L summer. And yes, typically those are all unpaid. I have seen anecdotally people who hustle and are able to getting positions at firms during 1L, but that is uncommon. Probably likely to be a small firm if so. But at least it'd be paid!

LSATisland

Yes there is quite a range for 1L summer. While optimally you want to gain legal experience in your field of interest, many even try non-legal positions and some fill their summer with travel and other interesting things to speak of on interviews for 2L positions.

lTexlawz

I will give my own experience. Generally, when you are 2L you are looking for jobs where you are interning. Some are very competitive. the jobs that go the quickest are clerkships with a federal or district court judge or a big firm.It is super aggressive and super crazy at the same time. I had to fight like crazy for it. I got intern for the same judge that swore me as in as student. One student had to fight for the bailiff position as 1L. It was very crazy.

testfromaway

I met a lawyer who worked on the trials for the Rwandan genocide during his 1L summer, which was awhile ago but also strikes me as the most interesting thing a person could ever do during that time