Top Law Schools

Hi,

First post. Hoping you can tell me whether there's any hope I find a legal job after I graduated and purposely sat out the July '17 NYS bar exam (had a lot in my life to deal with apart from school and jobs and studying). I know it may have been foolish, but I'm in a better place now.

Now, I'm registered for next Feb. and searching for short-term legal employment, ideally with a DA/PD's office (no real preference---both do good, IMO). Would I be attractive to any offices as a recent grad who hasn't even sat for the bar? I'd like to work 2-3 days a week, both to learn, since I've never worked in a DA/PD office, and to avoid having a resume gap. Pay would be nice, a small stipend, but I don't expect anyone would offer it.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Hoping you can share whether I'm fuct until bar results come out and if my lack of anything but a degree will screw me over short-term.

No specific advice... but good for you for doing what was right for you at the time. I'm sure you'll look back on skipping the bar as a blip on the radar and will be doing just fine.

Good luck!

You might look into the Philly DA's office. I did an externship as 3L but there were several recent graduates that were also int he program for the fall semester. Not sure that's what you are looking for though.

RaceJudicata wrote:No specific advice... but good for you for doing what was right for you at the time. I'm sure you'll look back on skipping the bar as a blip on the radar and will be doing just fine.

Good luck!

Thank you! I feel 9 months behind my classmates and it's depressing. Your encouragement helps.

Anonymous User wrote:You might look into the Philly DA's office. I did an externship as 3L but there were several recent graduates that were also int he program for the fall semester. Not sure that's what you are looking for though.

Unfortunately I'm tied down to one geographic area, but it's good to know that offices will take recent grads, although (as you suggest) I may feel funny being part of an internship program---a little more independence might be nice. Beggars, choosers....

Bumping to see whether anyone else has feedback.

Not sure what you want to hear. You're obviously in the hole.

You can definitely find legal work still but it will take some hustle. Do all the things that people advise unemployed 3Ls do, and do it extra hard because theyre honestly in a better position than you are.

Do you have good stats? I'm guessing no but that would help.

You may be able to get a volunteer/unpaid internship position in NYC DA's offices (particularly the less popular offices) but I've never seen it in practice.

You can also try contacting non-profits with legal components and see if they'll let you intern with them. Safe Horizons is one off the top of my head that didn't seem to have a formal internship program but definitely did take interns; if you shoot them an email and explain that you're a recent grad looking to intern while you take the bar, they may be willing to let you intern there.