Which firms hire 1ls

Firms to target for 1L SA? Search Advanced search. Post by lawschooladdict » Mon Jun 22, am I am attending a T19 this fall, so there is a potential to go outside of the market my school is located in. If my goal is a 1L SA and I have no preference for location. Is it worth targeting firms who hire a relatively large 1L SA class? Does anyone know some firms who do have an unusually large 1L SA program? Most 2L summer associates did something else during their 1L summer—again, the key is to do something that allows you to discuss the legal experience you gained with future interviewers.

Small and midsize firms often hire summer law clerks, and these are usually paid positions. When it comes to these positions, networking is key. Some firms seek students from a specific school e. Many government agencies hire 1Ls for the summer, though the positions are often unpaid. Your school may offer funding, however, so be sure to pay attention to the programs that are available to you. A summer position with the government is a great foundation if you are interested in a post-graduate government role, but it is also a highly regarded resume item for other legal employers and could even pave the way for your future practice area niche.

Unsurprisingly, many of these jobs are unpaid; but again, your school or another program may offer funding for public interest positions. Interns may have an opportunity to do legal research, draft briefs, observe arguments, and make arguments themselves—under supervision. Check for opportunities within local counties in your state regarding any summer internships they may offer.

Another good use of your 1L summer could be an internship with an in-house legal department. Of course, if you are hoping to land an in-house position someday, this summer experience will be a valuable introduction to in-house life. In-house internships are usually paid positions, which is a great perk, although just how much will vary by the organization. The first decision most people make is to choose between litigation and transactional work, which are two very broad areas that each encompass many specialty practices.

Know your strengths and how they can be applied to making you successful in whatever specialty you choose. Q: Once I have done my self-assessment and explored the various legal career options, how do I go about marketing myself?

A: You will need a polished resume and cover letter and you will also need to hone your interviewing skills. CDO can help you with all of these things. The CDO provides guides via the Career Development and Job Search Skills webpage that will take you through the process of building and drafting resumes and cover letters.

Read the guides carefully before you begin to prepare your resume and cover letters. CDO career counselors are available by appointment to review resumes and cover letters with students individually.

CDO panel presentations on interviewing and the Mock Interview Program, a version of which is held at the beginning and towards the end of the Spring semester. Counselors are also available, by appointment, to conduct individual mock interviews. Q: What are some good places to look for summer job opportunities as a 1L?

Q:What is the timeline for the first year job search? A: Here are the general timelines on which legal employers do the bulk of their hiring. Summary Timeline more details follow :. Applications for Berkeley Law Summer Public Interest Fellowships to fund your summer public interest or public sector work are due generally in late March or early April.

Outside funders of summer public interest work have application deadlines as early as mid-January to as late as mid-April. Consult the Summer Public Interest Fellowship section of the Fellowships page for additional details. First year students can have their resume reviewed and begin to attend career-related events in October. Students may want to start preparing other job application materials as well, such as a list of references and a writing sample.

A generic job application is unlikely to be noticed in the deluge of applications received by employers early in December. Students should remember that large firms hire a very small number of first year students, and some large firms do not consider first year students at all.

However, it is unusual to get a job with a big firm in your first summer. Small firms hire on the basis of a short-term assessment of their needs, and while you may want to make an initial contact with small firms in December or January, you should be prepared to hear they have not yet decided on their needs for the summer or to hear nothing at all. Then, you can follow up with the employers later in the spring sometimes, the availability of your transcript will provide a good occasion for doing so.

If you are interested in doing research for a professor over the summer, be proactive and contact professors doing research in areas of law that interest you. Research assistant positions are also posted on the BBB. Do not be discouraged if you find that spring has arrived and you have not yet finalized arrangements for the summer: opportunities continue to become available during the spring and even the early summer.

Q: What do 1Ls typically do during their first law school summer? A: Few large law firms have 1L positions and even those that do only have one or two positions available. Put together some thoughts or stories illustrating circumstances where your potential became evident over a period of time. Perhaps you were able to acclimate to a job or situation quickly and become a valuable participant in that setting. Maybe you were surprised when you were asked to help the little league basketball coach when she had to miss three games.

Coaching was not something you had done before, but you dove in, gave it your best and led the team to victory. Put some thought into this and you should have no problem coming up with some illustrative examples of your own. This is a terrific resource that unequivocally should be put to use. I often hear from my career services friends that far too many students never even show their faces in CSO. This is insane. The career services staff knows the market and they have a solid handle on where the 1L jobs are.

Career services can help guide you through the various decisions that continually come up as you progress through the multi-layered hiring process. An added bonus is they know people. It is not unheard of for a CSO member to place a call on your behalf or, in some cases, even assist with setting up an informal meeting with a practicing attorney.

When you make that first visit to CSO, tell them you would like to take advantage of as many mock interviews as allowed. The obvious reason for this is to give you vital interviewing practice. Keep in mind, however, at the same time you are putting yourself in a position of potentially getting a job.

It is not unheard of for a law student to receive an invitation to the office of a mock interviewer at the end of the interview. Network, Network, Network Building your network is yet another critical step you must take as you embark on your job search. Begin networking immediately and never stop.