1L summer preparation for 0Ls Forum

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Giro423

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by Giro423 » Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:59 am

A. Nony Mouse wrote:If you're applying for real clerkships (post-grad jobs) via Oscar, you type all that into a webpage. If you're applying for a summer internship with a judge (or sending a paper app to a real clerkship) you'll need to provide copies of transcripts, sometimes undergrad.
Gotcha. Thanks Nony

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emkay625

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by emkay625 » Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:17 am

carsondalywashere wrote:
emkay625 wrote:For the record, I think this is a much better use of your time then trying to prep for classes.

You can do a lot of things:
1. Update your resume.
2. Make a spreadsheet with names/contact information for everywhere you want to apply.
3. Go ahead and draft your cover letters for each of these places so you're ready to go December 1.

Most importantly:
4. If you happen to live in your target market, do some networking. Email alums of your school. Explain that you're starting at their school in the fall and you're trying to talk to some people to get a feel for what type of practice you'd like to have, and ask if you could take them for coffee. 90% of people won't respond, 5% will respond and say they're too busy, but 5% will respond and say yes. Go to coffee prepared with good, genuine questions. Then apply to those people's employers on December 1, and shoot them a note telling them you've applied.

I actually disagree with the buy a suit advice posted above. People tend to either lose or gain weight during law school (depending on how you respond to stress). Wait and buy a suit closer to interviews.
Will 1L's need a suit during the fall semester for any reason?
This will depend on your school and what extracurriculars you choose. I didn't.

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PeanutsNJam

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by PeanutsNJam » Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:40 am

You might need one for a particular day of orientation or something.

It's good to have one suit.

mrtux45

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by mrtux45 » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:27 pm

This is a really basic level question, but if you're supposed to have cover letters and resumes ready to go by the 12/1 start date, how do grades fit into the equation? Do you not actually apply anywhere until your grades come out, or is it more of a shotgun approach and you just hope your grades fall into place?

Trying to map out the timeline

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UVA2B

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by UVA2B » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:37 pm

mrtux45 wrote:This is a really basic level question, but if you're supposed to have cover letters and resumes ready to go by the 12/1 start date, how do grades fit into the equation? Do you not actually apply anywhere until your grades come out, or is it more of a shotgun approach and you just hope your grades fall into place?

Trying to map out the timeline
Typically you apply to jobs with just a resume and cover letter, and your resume won't include your GPA since you don't have one yet. The firm will typically ask you to provide a copy of grades once they become available, but it's been known to happen where people land jobs before every providing grades. It's highly dependent on the firm/market/school you're coming from of course, but it does happen. Otherwise they'll wait on interviewing/hiring decisions until January when your grades are available.

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emkay625

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by emkay625 » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:45 pm

mrtux45 wrote:This is a really basic level question, but if you're supposed to have cover letters and resumes ready to go by the 12/1 start date, how do grades fit into the equation? Do you not actually apply anywhere until your grades come out, or is it more of a shotgun approach and you just hope your grades fall into place?

Trying to map out the timeline
You apply on Dec. 1; you won't have grades until early/mid-January. Typically you just include a line in your cover letter that you will supplement your application materials with your grades once you receive them. Then make sure you supplement asap, as soon as grades are available.

mrtux45

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by mrtux45 » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:52 pm

UVA2B wrote:
mrtux45 wrote:This is a really basic level question, but if you're supposed to have cover letters and resumes ready to go by the 12/1 start date, how do grades fit into the equation? Do you not actually apply anywhere until your grades come out, or is it more of a shotgun approach and you just hope your grades fall into place?

Trying to map out the timeline
Typically you apply to jobs with just a resume and cover letter, and your resume won't include your GPA since you don't have one yet. The firm will typically ask you to provide a copy of grades once they become available, but it's been known to happen where people land jobs before every providing grades. It's highly dependent on the firm/market/school you're coming from of course, but it does happen. Otherwise they'll wait on interviewing/hiring decisions until January when your grades are available.
Thanks for the reply. So would this be an instance where there's an advantage for non k-jds or people who have worked at a big firm in the past? Or is it assumed that you're a 1L so you don't know anything, making school/network/luck what matters

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UVA2B

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by UVA2B » Tue Aug 01, 2017 4:07 pm

mrtux45 wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
mrtux45 wrote:This is a really basic level question, but if you're supposed to have cover letters and resumes ready to go by the 12/1 start date, how do grades fit into the equation? Do you not actually apply anywhere until your grades come out, or is it more of a shotgun approach and you just hope your grades fall into place?

Trying to map out the timeline
Typically you apply to jobs with just a resume and cover letter, and your resume won't include your GPA since you don't have one yet. The firm will typically ask you to provide a copy of grades once they become available, but it's been known to happen where people land jobs before every providing grades. It's highly dependent on the firm/market/school you're coming from of course, but it does happen. Otherwise they'll wait on interviewing/hiring decisions until January when your grades are available.
Thanks for the reply. So would this be an instance where there's an advantage for non k-jds or people who have worked at a big firm in the past? Or is it assumed that you're a 1L so you don't know anything, making school/network/luck what matters
Advantage? Maybe a little bit, but it's equally competitive for pretty much everyone. 1L hiring is pretty idiosyncratic and heavily dependent on which market you're targeting and your ties to that market. If we're talking NYC, there's probably a minor bump by having significant work experience if you're also coming from the right school. If it's a secondary market, it'll probably be less about the work experience and more about the ties to that market. If it's DC, good luck in general.

You can plan for the schedule of hiring, but just realize that a great deal of people follow a good schedule for hiring and don't get anything, while others apply later and still manage to land something. It's just a bunch of dumb luck combined with a smart application strategy.

tomwatts

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by tomwatts » Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:23 pm

If a place is hiring people before grades are in, the interview probably matters quite a lot. I'm pretty sure I interviewed myself out of a 1L SA position at one point. If you land an interview, before you go in for the real thing, do a mock interview (or even two) with your school's career services office if you possibly can.

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UVA2B

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by UVA2B » Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:27 pm

tomwatts wrote:If a place is hiring people before grades are in, the interview probably matters quite a lot. I'm pretty sure I interviewed myself out of a 1L SA position at one point. If you land an interview, before you go in for the real thing, do a mock interview (or even two) with your school's career services office if you possibly can.
This should not be an anecdote people rely on, but I know a person who got a 1L SA because they drove a few hours to show up to a holiday firm reception in a nearby state. No interview, CB, and the more traditional hiring processes. Showed up to the firm event, was apparently cool enough/demonstrated enough interest that they called and offered a position in the next couple of days without grades.

To be entirely clear, this is ATYPICAL.

carsondalywashere

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by carsondalywashere » Wed Aug 02, 2017 7:52 pm

Anyone know of a good resource to check out cover letter and resume formats? I have a regular work experience one, but I don't know how much it differs for law

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Talarose

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by Talarose » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:40 am

carsondalywashere wrote:Anyone know of a good resource to check out cover letter and resume formats? I have a regular work experience one, but I don't know how much it differs for law
Check the career services website at your school. They might have sample cover letters and resumes available.

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cavalier1138

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Re: 1L summer preparation for 0Ls

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 6:21 am

Talarose wrote:
carsondalywashere wrote:Anyone know of a good resource to check out cover letter and resume formats? I have a regular work experience one, but I don't know how much it differs for law
Check the career services website at your school. They might have sample cover letters and resumes available.
This. And if they don't, then they will tell you how to format your resume when you get to school.

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