1L summer, Public Defenders Office v. private firm Forum

[mikec0824]

I currently have 3 internships lined up for my 1L summer. I plan on splitting them 6 weeks each throughout the summer. The one internship I will be doing during the second half of the summer is a private firm dealing with personal injury, labor and union rights, and criminal law which, I know I am keeping. The first half of the summer I need to pick between working for the public defenders office or for a private law firm. They are both in the area I want to practice. The private law firm deals with personal injury and labor and employment law. I have an interest in criminal law, as well as in personal injury and employment law. My goal once I graduate is to get a job at a law firm which pays the highest salary, in order to pay back the enormous debt I will be in. Although I am interested in criminal law, I do not want to end up working for the public defenders office or at any level that I will not be making a substantial salary. I have heard that working for a public defender looks good on your resume because you deal with a lot of cases and clients. However, I am worried that if I take that job it may not look as good during OCI next semester as if I would have another private firm on my resume. I attend a school in the 50-60s in rankings. If anyone has any informtion or advice on what internship would be most condusive towards my goals I would appreciate it. Thanksss.

[vanwinkle]

Don't start duplicate threads.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &p=4374695