Job Tuition

How To: Find a Summer Law Firm Job

December 11th, 2006 by Andrew

Do you want to find a summer law firm job? If so, this is the article for you. You should not take this question lightly, though; there are many different summer opportunities for law students. You could do pro bono work, study abroad, work for the government, clerk for a judge, and the list goes on. The point is that you should take some time to explore your options, consider what you want out of your career, and try to tailor your summer goals accordingly.

The Timeline

Before we head off to law-firm-land, you must understand the timeline. Fortunately for you, some things are set in stone.

November 1 - This is the date when your career services office can actually begin talking with you about jobs. The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) sets this date, and law schools are supposed to comply with it. If you keep an eye on your school calendar or bulletin boards, you should see different job meetings and discussions for first years cropping up in the beginning of November.

December 1 - Prior to December 1, employers and law students are not supposed to contact each other. Once again, this date is set by NALP. Thus, you really do not need to worry about speaking with employers until December. For now, you have time to think about what you want out of your career.

January, February - Most likely your law school will host interviews with employers on campus. You should be able to sign up with employers in which you have an interest, and hopefully you will receive some interview offers. Your career services office will publicize all the information you need for this process.

April - By this time, you really want to have firm job plans. Interviews should be over, offers made and decided upon, jobs in hand. You don’t need to have your dream job for your first law school summer. But by April, you should have something. With that said, do not let that keep you from looking for something in addition to, or instead of your current job prospect. However, be honest with employers if you are still looking, or if you are waiting on offers from other employers.

May - Finals, then work!

Tools You Need

Resume - You really should begin compiling an appropriate legal resume before November. Your resume might be tailored a little to different types of jobs, but most likely it will be the same for all employers. Thus, you don’t need to know anything about your job desires to have your resume 95% done. Get it ready and keep it updated.

Writing Sample - Some employers are going to request a writing sample. Be prepared by working hard in your legal writing course and really doing your best on the writing. Save a digital copy of your best memo or brief, make some final edits, and you have your writing sample nailed.

Transcript - Grades are funny your first year. At many schools you won’t have grades from the fall semester until February. Employers understand this, but they will want to see your grades ASAP. As soon as you get them, you can compile a “Grade Sheet” on your own, or you can probably get an unofficial transcript from your career services office.

Cover Letter - Part of the application process will be to send your best image to future employers, in the hopes that they will ask you for an interview. The cover letter is your chance to talk about what’s not on your resume. You will want to keep it short, make it professional, but try to show genuine interest in the firm and area(s) of law in which you are seeking to work.

Suit - Yep, it’s time to dress like a professional. For you guys out there, go to a men’s dress clothes store, and they will outfit you. Ladies, I’m sure you know what to do. Personally, I would advise having at least two different suits, in case you have lots of interviews together and can’t get to the cleaners in time. Plus, you’ll need the suits later on anyway.

The First Wave: Resume Blast

By December 1st, you should be ready to descend upon employers with your resume. The process is quite simple.

Determine the city or cities in which you would like to work. Lookup firms in those areas that seem interesting to you. Make a spreadsheet of all the pertinent info (address, phone number, etc).

Now you take your cover letter (see above) and mail merge it using your spreadsheet. You can instantly transform one letter into 200 using this quick tool.

The method of sending your letters is up to you (or the firm, if they specify). These days, most firms accept (indeed, some encourage) resumes by email. However, there is an air of formality and professionalism in printing resumes on heavy paper and mailing them out. Do what suits you best.

Manning The Phones

After your resumes go out, employers will begin to contact you. If they are interested in you, they might send an email or give you a phone call. From what I have seen, any mail–that isn’t prefaced with a phone call or email–is not a good sign.

A couple weeks after mailing your resumes, start calling (or emailing) the firms that have been silent. You want to maintain contact, to show your interest, but not annoy them to death. A simple voicemail that says “Hi, this is Bob; I’m calling to follow-up on my resume…” should be fine.

One key point to remember at this early stage (December - early January) is that firms might want to see you but might not want to pay your transportation. This especially applies if you need a plane ticket to visit the firms. Thus, if you are planning to be in their area around Christmas, let them know when you call. You will likely be able to get more interviews this way.

Show Your Pretty Face

Hopefully you will have a number of great interviews setup for December and January (and February). Now is the time to cut your hair, polish your shoes, shave, and put on that nice suit you bought.

For your interviews, be sure to bring copies of your resume, transcript, and writing sample. You may never need these, but you don’t want to be without them. Not having a writing sample on hand is forgivable, but you definitely want to have resumes at the ready.

The interview is your chance to get the job. One trick to use here is to interview them. Instead of trying to “perform” your best or be someone you’re not, show genuine interest by asking questions about the lawyer, the firm, etc.

If You’re Called Back

Firms tend to differ regarding second interviews for first year law students. If you visit the firm over Christmas break, you might interview with several attorneys during your visit; thus, you will probably not be asked to come for more interviews later. However, if you interview on campus with one or two attorneys, you might be invited for further interviews at the firm.

The same advice applies for second (and third, fourth…) interviews. Be professional, show genuine interest, and be yourself. Attorneys are trying to find people they like. Be likable.

Keep It Up

Hopefully you will have a great offer from a wonderful firm after a few interviews. You can keep interviewing until you get the perfect offer, or you can accept now. Be sure to keep your options open, though, and don’t burn any bridges.

If you haven’t found the perfect job, keep looking. Even though a firm may not hire you for your first summer, they may want you next year. Opportunities aren’t over until you decide they are. Don’t give up.