The Summer Job Search

February is coming to a quick end which means that spring is coming soon and so is summer. (It can't come soon enough). With that comes the common question of 

"What should I do for my first summer as a law student?"

Long gone are my days of only working part time jobs to save up money to spend during the undergrad year. While you are limited to what you can do during your 1L summer, you should try to keep it law oriented. 

Where to look?

Well first and foremost, it really doesn't matter what you do during your 1L summer so long as it is law related. I am still completely undecided about what area of law I want to pursue so I've decided not to limit myself this summer especially with my DC externship coming up this fall( more on this later). I've made a list of areas of interest to keep in mind for summer internships:

1. Criminal Law
2. Real Property / Estate Planning
3. Corporate Law

If you know exactly what you want to do in terms of law, then go for it. The only way you will ever find out if you like something is by trying it but don't limit yourself. You may pass up on an opportunity in an area you really like. 

Do Summer Internship's Pay?

It really depends, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. You may get lucky and land a summer internship that pays. I know one classmate who recently accepted a summer internship with a major air line which is a paid position, and he gets free flights.. lucky duck. But I also know another classmate who went to interview for a summer position that is 45 minutes away and unpaid for a minimum of 8 weeks. It really depends on for who, what and where you are looking. It's something to keep in mind, especially if you do need a source of income for the summer and might have to take on a second job part time job. 

This is actually something I am considering while looking for summer internships. I don't mind working two jobs, I actually enjoy keeping busy so I've considered either bartending or serving over the summer just because I know that the location I am in is pretty limited to paid summer internships for 1L's and I do need to save up money for the fall. From what I have been told, summer employers understand this when you are job searching so don't be afford to inquire about payment and setting hours that will work with a second employment if necessary.

Does GPA matter?

Potentially. If you are attempting to get a paid internship or its a competitive placement, GPA/ Class Rank is something that may be taken into consideration. Though from what I've been told, GPA isn't the end of the world and is not weighed as heavily against you for the 1L summer placements versus 2L (2L summer is the time when post-grad employment opportunities start to fall into place so GPA is weighed against you heavier than before). 

What do you need?

Typically the documents you need are:

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume
3. Writing Sample
4. Transcript

Last Minute Tips

Resume:

• Keep it to one page. 
• Be accurate
• Focus on skills such as research and writing, negotiating, analyzing data, decision-making, communicating and supervising
• Action verbs, such as “directed,” “managed,” and “negotiated,” create the image of an achiever 

Cover Letter:

• Research the employer and demonstrate that you have done so by referring to something you learned about the employer 
• Tailor your letter to the place of employment/ ad. There may be an indication as to what past experience is preferred, what skills are necessary, or what the job responsibilities are.
• Apply the skills you have used in legal writing and analysis to “interweave” or match your experience, skills, etc. to those desired by the employer.

Writing Sample:

• Meet with Professor that graded your piece and review it
• Make the suggested changes
• Review for any grammatical / mechanical errors
• Review citations

Final Tip

• Have someone else look over all the documents you are going to submit. It can only help.