1L Summer Employment Schedule

[AgentRHE]

Hi there:

I've recently gotten engaged, AND I'll be starting out as a 1L this year.  Obviously, there will be no time whatsoever for a wedding during the school year (unless we slip it in quickly in Decemeber), so I was wondering if anyone knows when the Summer Internships/Externships for 1Ls generally begin.

Do they start immediatly after school ends?  Are there generally a few weeks in between?  What about the end of these postions?  Do they run through the ENTIRE length of the summer, or are there a few free weeks on the backend as well?

Any information anybody can provide will be greatly appreciated.

(Oh, and in case anybody was worried about how on Earth I'd plan a wedding during law school... I'm the groom.  I just need to show up.   )

[Boxergirl]

Agent...it depends on the job...the job that I got is with the DA's office, and it is a full year job/2 year commitment...it's full time during summer and part time during school year...they said i can start as soon as i recover from finals...so the actual starting date is a little flexible. 

if i were you...unless i could land a REALLY sweet job,...i would take your first summer to have a nice wedding and honeymoon and spend quality time with your soon-to-be-wife...and get any job you can that will be flexible, even if it is waiting tables...and for law related stuff, you can volunteer...doing pro bono stuff looks really good on the resume too...so it won't be a bad move...also, depending on how well you do in your Legal Research and Writing class, you might be able to get a job doing research assignments, etc...for a professor...that would probably be flexible....

If you are out in the game for a top job and a big law firm...that's another story...clerking for one of those firms (other than being near impossible to get unless you are at a top ten school) is about an 80 hour a week commitment. your wife will want to divorce you by the end of the summer.
 

[IrishAces]

I'm a 1L and getting married in May of next year.  My job this summer allowed me to start anytime between May 9th and June 1st, but different jobs have different rules.  I'm working for a firm.  Regardless, I'm told that people are generally understanding about weddings.  If you want a suggestion for when the best time to do it would be, I say early August.  You'll be able to leave your job at the end of July in most cases and probably won't have early interview week until the end of August.  That'll give you time for the wedding and a week or two for a honeymoon.  Hope that helps.  And congrats on the engagement.

Disclaimer:
I'm also the groom, so I don't really know anything about weddings.  This advice is based solely on what would work best with summer work schedules and not whether the wilting of the grass in August will ruin your fiance's dream wedding picture.

[Hanna]

If you are out in the game for a top job and a big law firm...that's another story...clerking for one of those firms (other than being near impossible to get unless you are at a top ten school) is about an 80 hour a week commitment.

Please reassure me that you are being sarcastic.

[rapunzel]

Hey wilting grass is very important to brides- they are crazy.  (I was one, I can vouch for it).  Firms have been accomdating to my friends who will be married.  But think late May or late August as best times.  And maybe a six week internship with a judge is the way to go.  Your wife will want your time and attention pre and post wedding for at least a little while, and the transition can be more interesting than you'd think.

As for 80 hours a week, I have a biglaw summer associateship, and students who worked at this firm last summer told me that 55 hours a week was normal.  We'll see when I get there I guess.

[taterstol]

I'm working a biglaw summer associate gig this summer too. I really don't think it's bad at most firms. The general consensus I've heard is that they wine you and dine you hardcore so that you'll accept their offer at the end of the summer. If you include "optional" social events maybe it does actually approach 80 hours a week. But those social events are things your wife-to-be can probably attend as well.

[AgentRHE]

Cool.  Thanks everybody.

We're thinking August, so wilting grass and oppresive heat it is!