Summer at a firm or summer at Yosemite NP Forum

[blackacre10]

I did not pose this question to ask what someone else should do; I posed it to ask what I should do.

if you're going to reject the objective response (i.e., "what someone else should do"), does your subjective question have any place in an anonymous forum? looks like this is something you should decide for yourself.

[ffemt107]

I did not pose this question to ask what someone else should do; I posed it to ask what I should do.

if you're going to reject the objective response (i.e., "what someone else should do"), does your subjective question have any place in an anonymous forum? looks like this is something you should decide for yourself.

I was unaware that "you are so dumb" is an objective response.

[Holly Golightly]

OP, congrats, it sounds like you made the right decision for yourself. And that job sounds pretty badass.

[goldenflash19]

You made the right call, OP. Living at Yosemite for a summer, getting courtroom experience representing the US gov't, and sticking to your ideals beats the hell out of an at most 5% chance at a firm job you're not really that interested in.

LOL at the littering comments, though. Yosemite gets over 4 million visitors a year, and a lot of serious stuff does go down there. The work is definitely more consequential and interesting than random comma checking, that's for sure.

[beepboopbeep]

On the one hand, I have an opportunity to serve the purpose that I went to law school for with free housing in the most epic setting in the country, and, on the other hand, a paid temporary position at a firm in a practice area that is only mildly interesting to me. Long term, I don't want to be at a firm- I want to work in the government or for a non-profit. Also, I'm in no debt, so I don't care how much I make for a summer.

I did not pose this question to ask what someone else should do; I posed it to ask what I should do.

Sounds like a dope summer, no debt + doing fun shit is what everyone on TLS always talks about envying, not quite sure why you're getting jumped on

That said, like, if yer serious about wanting gov work, firm -> gov prolly happens way more often than park ranger, esq -> gov on a per capita basis

Iunno, picture would be really different if you had debt or, like, the appearance of definite life goals

Do some drugs, figure that shit out, etc. Will have lots of time and a great setting to do so this summer, sounds like

[sparty99]

I'm going to Yosemite. The firm was chill about it. Maybe it's the best choice, maybe it's not- who cares I'm going to spend a summer as a federal criminal prosecutor for the National Park Service in Yosemite. Under the local rules there, law students can make appearances without attorneys.

It helps not having loans to pay back, it gives me freedom to do things like go to Yosemite for 10 weeks.

You are so dumb

+10,000

[bearsfan23]

Not sure why people on here are giving OP such a hard time, if OP wants to do Gov work, this sounds like a really good choice.

People on here idolize fed gov work, and OP has the chance to do that, and to get legitimate prosecuting experience, while working at one of the most amazing places in the US.

Also, its not like OP is deciding between Wachtell and Yosemite. Regional NJ midlaw is hardly a guarantee of a post-grad offer.

Congrats OP, sounds like it'll be a great experience

[Stevoman]

LOL, I love TLS.

>Guys, should I do X or Y?
>You should do X. It's the better choice for these reasons. Y is a really bad idea for these other reasons.
>Okay thanks. I'm going to do Y!

[MarkfromWI]

OP, dude, props to you. With no debt, you made the right call. "Dream job" (or close to it) >>>>> some firm in NJ that probably won't employ you full time anyway. Enjoy it. I, OTOH, will be working for the next 10 yrs or so just so I can pay off my loans, quit my job, and find something like what you're doing right now. You're way ahead of the game.

[ffemt107]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

[North]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

Yeah but do you have a job for after graduation

[sanjola]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

Yeah but do you have a job for after graduation

Who needs long term employment when you can go camping for 10 weeks?

[A. Nony Mouse]

TBF, if they want to be a prosecutor they wouldn't have a job yet regardless, and they got decent experience. (If they don't want to be a prosecutor, then never mind.)

[stego]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

Yeah but do you have a job for after graduation

He most likely wouldn't have had a job after graduation if he'd taken the SA position either.

Incidentally, if somebody gets murdered in a national park, who has jurisdiction over the case? The federal government?

[bearsfan23]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

Yeah but do you have a job for after graduation

Why is that relevant?

He climbed Half Dome and went for a boat ride!

[Dexter97]

holy cow I want to be a park prosecutor, prosecuting yogi bear for stealing pic-a-nic baskets

It's the most preftigious outfit in BigPark work.

LMAO. BigPark or bust! Congrats on the V5 park OP

[LeDique]

stasg if u commit a crime in the right part of yellowstone no one has jurisdiction fyi. please go there.

TBF, if they want to be a prosecutor they wouldn't have a job yet regardless, and they got decent experience. (If they don't want to be a prosecutor, then never mind.)

yea, it's p. weird b/c you wouldn't see these posts if he interned as a 2L w/the a gov't agency in a city, when he'd be in exactly the same situation. folks are just having a kneejerk reaction to the fact its yosemite. i mean kind of dumb to give up the money for the summer but that's kind of a drop in the bucket and no longer what anyone is berating this guy over.

i really don't get it - he had almost no chance of getting employment from the firm and he has relevant work experience to talk about in legal interviews, a writing sample (maybe?), etc. and tbh, if i'm interviewing two fairly similar candidates, and one is telling me about the brief he wrote while interning in yosemite and the other is telling me about the brief he wrote at some random firm in newark, i'm prolly hiring the first guy for being cooler.

[jchiles]

Yeah this sounds like an awesome thing to talk about in an interview, I'd rather have done this and be stuck in the 3L job hunt than make a few bucks working midlaw all summer and in all likelihood be in the same situation.

[rpupkin]

tbh, if i'm interviewing two fairly similar candidates, and one is telling me about the brief he wrote while interning in yosemite and the other is telling me about the brief he wrote at some random firm in newark, i'm prolly hiring the first guy for being cooler.

There is truth in this.

[TransferHopeful17]

you wouldn't see these posts if he interned as a 2L w/the a gov't agency in a city, when he'd be in exactly the same situation. folks are just having a kneejerk reaction to the fact its yosemite.

if i'm interviewing two fairly similar candidates, and one is telling me about the brief he wrote while interning in yosemite and the other is telling me about the brief he wrote at some random firm in newark, i'm prolly hiring the first guy for being cooler.

Fair points here. This would have been more ideal as a rising 2L but it's unique and if govt is a goal, I don't think it's a terrible option given that there are few guarantees there anyway.

[trey ohh five]

I thought I'd update this post so, if anyone was/is interested, he/she could see what happened with my decision. I obviously decided to go to Yosemite National Park and I do not regret that for a second. It was the best experience of my life by any measure. I appeared in court and personally prosecuted defendants, I went on a boat ride in Hetch Hetchy, I investigated crimes with NPS special agents, I climbed Half Dome, I wrote an appellate brief that was filed unedited by the USAO, and I spent hours and hours in the wilderness. Best legal internship of all time.

Yeah but do you have a job for after graduation

He most likely wouldn't have had a job after graduation if he'd taken the SA position either.

Incidentally, if somebody gets murdered in a national park, who has jurisdiction over the case? The federal government?

This is the forum for law students. Enroll in law school and maybe you'll find out.

[AReasonableMan]

if it's five percent it's not a typical firm position. you will also have to answer the why you're not going back at every interview. the park may be a better option with the hands on experience, and seemingly high quality of life.

Yes, the federal government would have jurisdiction but they seem to have designated it to an agency, which hired the original poster.

[Sideshow Raheem]

That honestly sounds like a kickass job. Not everyone has to work in a law firm, least of all someone with zero debt. I think you made the right choice for you.

[ffemt107]

Subsequent Update:

My Yosemite internship landed me the job I went to law school for: I've been hired as a deputy attorney general; I will be an environmental prosecutor for my home state following the conclusion of my clerkship. During my three interviews for the DAG job (which saw hundreds of applicants), the interviewers' questioning focused on Yosemite. Discussing the internship allowed me to convey my passion and my unparalleled substantive experience in the park impressed my interviewers.

If you get the opportunity, can afford it, and are so inclined to dedicate your career to public interest law, go to Yosemite.

[rpupkin]

Congrats. This is one of my all-time favorite success stories on TLS.