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GRADES ARE OUT | FIRST YEAR JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES Most law students seek either paid or volunteer summer employment opportunities following their first year of law school. For 1L students, the job search begins in the second semester following the receipt of first year grades. Job offers are typically extended between March and May. First year law students still recovering from the stress of first year exams, experiencing panic over grade curves, and preparing for the second semester, must now also focus on the very competitive first summer job search. Don’t get too bogged down in the hunt for a big firm summer associate post. While money is a great motivator for starving law students in the immediate term, valuable government, public interest, academic or small firm experience may prove more valuable in the long term. The possibilities are endless, so don’t get discouraged. Career Services Office Your law school career services counselors are a valuable resource in directing your job search. The majority of law school career services offices offer resume writing assistance, online job search tools, on campus interviewing and one on one counseling. It is your job to take advantage of the resources your law school tuition is paying for. Whether your first semester grades were great, average, or not so great is insignificant – your law school wants you to succeed. And success starts with good summer placements. Legal Opportunities Available to First-Year Law Students First-year law students typically spend their first summer in one of the following areas: ■ Summer Associate at large law firm ■ Clerkship at smaller law firm ■ Judicial Internship ■ Public Interest Internship ■ Government Internship ■ Research assistant positions with Law Professor Summer Associate at Large Law Firm Most large law firms have summer associate programs geared toward second year law students. Some firms extend limited summer offers to first year law students. Grades matter. Recruiting for the summer program is typically done through on-campus interviews and a local job fairs. These positions typically pay about $2800 per week. These summer positions should be treated as a summer-long interview in which your work-product, professionalism and social skills will be evaluated and the prospect of post-graduation employment is the reward. Clerkship at Smaller Law Firm While small firms tend not to offer big law money, they do provide summer clerks with hands-on experience. Many smaller firms do not participate in on-campus recruiting, but rather find clerks through personal relationships and word of mouth. The more bar association and other legal profession events you attend, the greater the likelihood to finding these unadvertised opportunities. Relationship building is a skill that will follow you throughout your career. Judicial Internship Many federal and state level judges offer volunteer internship opportunities for the summer. Judicial internships are a great way for students to gain excellent research and writing experience in addition to valuable insights into the judicial process. Watching court proceedings gives students a first hand understanding of the courtroom that often cannot be replicated in the classroom or other settings. Public Interest or Government Interest Internship By far, the most extensive list of summer opportunities is in the public interest and government sectors. Although these positions are unpaid, they look great on your resume, demonstrate an interest in public service, and usually prove to be character building experiences. Check out the U.S. Attorneys office, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other government, non-profit and advocacy groups. Some law schools have public interest fellowship programs that may offer students a stipend for their summer work in the community. Law students working in public service can create and maintain goodwill between the community and the law school. Research Assistant Position with Law Professor Most law school professors hire research assistants during the summer. Some of these positions may continue during the second and third year. These positions help law students to focus their legal research skills, to develop a greater understanding of the academia, and to develop close relationships with professors. These positions are often paid, but may be flexible enough to be combined with another unpaid opportunity. If you have excelled in a particular course, don’t be timid about discussing the research assistant possibility with your professor. All summer opportunities for first year law students can be as valuable as you want them to be. Remember, the successful practice of law requires practical excellence, relationship building and visibility in your field and community. All summer opportunities can help you on this path.
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