|
Written by Guest Author
|
|
Thursday, 06 March 2008 12:25 |
A summer legal internship provides you with invaluable real life experience. You will be given the opportunity to learn more about the substantive area of law they are interested, to help you decide if it is the right area for you to pursue a career in.  By mackers3 on Flickr
Judicial Internships
Judicial internships are nonpaying summer jobs working for federal or state court judges. These positions allow students to learn much about the courts’ inner workings. These positions focus heavily on writing and research. Judicial internships will engage in such duties as: reviewing appellate briefs and other legal documents, researching and analyzing case law, assisting the court in drafting bench memoranda and opinions, and briefing the judge on matters before the court.
Judges are looking for students with excellent research and writing skills. For this reason, it is a good idea to take classes in which you have the opportunity to hone your writing skills (and create writing samples) by writing papers, as opposed to taking examinations. It is also a good idea to get to know your professors well (particularly ones who are famililar with your writing) who can serve as references. Working on a school law journal will improve your skills and be an important asset on your resume.
Federal judicial internships are more prestigious and competitive than those with state courts. Check with your career planning office or the court’s website to learn more about how to apply for these positions.
Public Interest Organizations and Government Agencies
Many government agencies and public interest organizations offer summer internship programs for law students. Some popular ones include the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the AFL-CIO, the Legal Aid Society, and Public Defenders Offices.
These entities not only allow for the personal satisfaction derived from contributing to public service and assisting the disadvantaged and disenfranchised, but often provide valuable hands on experience that you might not find in the private sector.
Many of these organizations offer no compensation, however there may be grants available. Your law school should be able to provide you with information on public interest and governmental opportunities, as well as funding sources.
Law Firm Summer Associateships
Law firm summer associateships are typically available between your second and third year of law school, though a small number are available after your first year of law school. These positions are typically at large law firms, are extremely competitive, and pay well.
The NALP directory, available at www.nalpdirectory.com, provides listings for the large firms that recruit first and second year law students. It also provides useful information such as what practice areas a firm has, the number of associates a firm has, how many summer associates it has, whether it hires first year associates, hours worked by its associates and salary information. Large firms who hire summer associates via on-campus recruiting who are NALP members, are governed by NALP’s guidelines regarding interviewing and offers, which can be found on their website.
 These firms typically interview students on campus between August and September of each year. Your law school’s Career Planning office should have a listing of what firms will be on campus and when. Selection for interviews varies depending on the school.
Firms who hire summer associates usually hire for their first year class from their pool of summer associates. For many firms, this is only way of obtaining employment as a new associate. After the summer program, the firms evaluate their summer associates, and extend offers at the end of the summer or the early fall.
Research Assistantships for Professors
Professors often hire students to assist them with a variety of tasks such updating casebooks, or doing research for law review articles for publication. Such a position will provide you with strong writing and research skills, as well as a good professional reference for the future. Whether or not these positions pay depends on your school. You can check with your Career Planning Office, or reach out to professors whom you have an interest in working for.
Small to Midsized Firms and In House Corporate Legal Departments
You should not forget about small to midsized firms and in house corporate legal departments in your search for a summer legal internship. Many of them are happy to hire summer interns, though it may take a bit more digging to uncover such opportunities. Internet searches, consulting with your Career Planning office, or simply contacting firms and companies of interest could lead you to information about such opportunities.
|
