Advice...2L no job.

[mtlaw]

I need some advice.
2L and I have no summer job yet.  Basically I was rejected by the big firms in the fall, drank my way through a disastrous first 2L semester, and didn't get any of the clerkship positions I applied for this spring.  GPA 2.82  Rank 58/140. To make up for such horrible grades, I do have a Best Memo award and Law Review Excellence for writing award from my first year.
 Volunteering isn't going to pay rent. So what should I do? 
I live in a big city and I know there are firms that would love for me to do there female dog work, which I would gladly do. But there are no job listings on our career services site, or anywhere else for that matter.
Should I resort to mass mailing my resume?  If so, how should I go about doing that.

[NYC2L]

I'm really sorry about your situation. I have many friends in the exact same position. At this point, mass mailing to small and medium sized firms would be a good place to start. I believe they start hiring around this time (provided they hire at all considering the state of the market). In addition, I would specifically focus on firms and other legal employers that ask for a memo so that your writing can be on full display.

As a last resort, you have got to find some legal work to do this summer, even if unpaid and/or part-time because, assuming your school has 3L OCI, you could apply to firms again and that 2L job would probably carry a good deal of weight in an interview. That may require hitting the pavement or scanning want ads or even craigslist.

Good luck.

 

[Peaches]

The best you can probably hope for right now is a paid (probably hourly) position with a very small firm; however, even many of those are not hiring right now.  If not, you'll need to do volunteer work for a non-profit or government agency and just take out additional loans to cover your summer.  Even if it's expensive, you've really got to just do it or you'll find yourself compounding a bad situation for next year.  I suggested www.myrichuncle.com, but someone said the origination fees are pretty high.  If so, try www.prosper.com for person-to-person lending.

[brasky]

Could you volunteer in the day and work part time at night to pay bills?  I'm sure it would suck, but it seems better than taking out more loans. 

[1LMan]

At this point you HAVE to get legal experience or else you just wasted your life going to law school.

[blackpowerman]

I am a 1L, however, I am waiting to hear back and so far it looks like nothing- but my plan is to volunteer ANYTHINg just to get some legal experience on the resume and im going back to bartending at night- it will pay the bills and keep me afloat this summer while it gives me a better chance at a better job next summer- i would take that advice, volunteer if u have to, get a night job (don't those pay the most anyways) and pray pray pray.  good luck. 

[linquest]

When I was targeting small firms back in Jan/Feb, many of them told me to call back in March/April when they had a better idea if they had the work/funds sufficient to hire a summer clerk.  So you might not be too late in that game.  I wouldn't "mass mail" your resume though; that's never a good idea.  If you have a particular area of interest, try targeting firms that specialize in that field.  Or you can say something like,"I became interested in employee benefits law while taking Corporations last Fall."

You didn't mention what type of clerkships you already applied to.  How about a local judge?  Another option is to contact a legal staffing company (ex. Robert Half) and see if they have any short-term/temp, full-time paralegal positions that you could parlay into a summer law clerk position.

Have you asked your profs for suggestions?  Perhaps one of them or your school clinic could use research help over the summer?  Good luck!

[Peaches]

I think "mass mail" as used means to send out as many applications as possible - at least dozens and dozens and dozens.  It doesn't mean just a resume with a complete form letter, but changing a few things for the firm, geographic location, practice areas.

At this point, I wouldn't tell the person to target a particular practice area or interest, but to write a letter that says you want to do whatever they have.   Targeting and selectivity was for December - January.

[1LMan]

I am a 1L, however, I am waiting to hear back and so far it looks like nothing- but my plan is to volunteer ANYTHINg just to get some legal experience on the resume and im going back to bartending at night- it will pay the bills and keep me afloat this summer while it gives me a better chance at a better job next summer- i would take that advice, volunteer if u have to, get a night job (don't those pay the most anyways) and pray pray pray.  good luck. 

As a 1L, it is not expected that you will have a high paid, or necessarily even paid summer position.  The OP is a 2L and it is do or die at this point.  He needs meaningful legal experience to even have a shot at 3L OCI positions.