Can you split PI with Firm work? Forum

[Anonymous User]

1L here.

I've got an interview coming up with a public interest organization. I'd really like to work there this summer, and I might want to do PI after graduation. At the same time, I think I'd like to work in a firm after graduation too. I know that I'll need to pick one or the other over the next year or two, but I don't know enough right now to decide one way or the other.

Ideally, I'd be able to split my 1L summer between a PI job and a firm job. After seeing both options from the inside, I'd be much better equipped to make some decisions come 2L fall OCI.

On the other hand, PI people are as obsessed with your commitment to PI, the less fortunate, etc. as firms are with grades. If I get the PI job, would they forever doubt my commitment to the cause if I wanted to split the summer with a (gasp!) private, for-profit firm? This is probably much ado about nothing, but do many people have PI-firm split summer experience? Exactly how do most PI attorneys look at prior firm jobs as they relate to that person's commitment to PI?

I appreciate your help. I'm trying not to get a good job in an area of law I may really like just to end up slamming the door shut as soon as I get my foot in it.

[nealric]

Many big firms actually have programs for this. Many of them have short summer programs for 1Ls anyways.

Small firms will be totally case-by-case.