what to do for 2L summer

["Legapp" Stands for "Legal Application"]

so i thought i was doing well, but i did 15 OCIs and no callbacks (i know that doesn't beat the guy below that had 13 callbacks and no offers -- good luck man). so now i'm looking to mid law, as i was hoping to get some kind of firm experience this summer. if i end up working for the govt or public interest or elsewhere for my 2L summer, does this hurt my chances of getting firm employment post-graduation? or should i keep looking for mid/small firm positions?

You are unlikely to get firm employment through 3L OCI--even the firms that offer interviews will be unlikely to hire, given the depression we'll be in next year.  3L OCI this year was awful here; I don't know anyone who actually got a job.  Also, the firms you had callbacks with will count it against you that you didn't receive an offer there.  It's not fair, but that's the way it is.

If you can land a prestigious government job--say, DOJ honors--you can get to biglaw easily afterward.  Alternatively, you should be building your resume to get a federal clerkship after graduation.  After a good clerkship, you should be able to get a decent firm job (and hopefully the economy will have improved in 2 1/2 years).

[Lojack]

Biglaw is likely out regardless at this point for a few years.  Sure, you can reapply to OCI 3L, but most firms don't interview 3Ls.

Midlaw may pay better, but from my experience, going to government for a few years will get you into Biglaw more easily than from Mid-law.

In the end, do what makes you happy as you can't predict where you will be in 5 years.

I am curius to know, why do most firm not inerview 3Ls?

["Legapp" Stands for "Legal Application"]

I am curius to know, why do most firm not inerview 3Ls?

Well this year, obviously for economic reasons... as I'm sure you've read, firms already over-hired for 2009, since many offered most of their summer associates... who were hired back in Fall 2007, before the financial crash.

Even in good economic times, re-interviewing as a 3L is an automatic strike against you.  If you were a summer associate at a different firm, other firms will assume some combination of the following:

1.  You didn't get an offer.
2.  You got cold-offered (so even though you're sitting there claiming you have an offer, you actually don't)
3.  You're disloyal to a firm that spent upwards of $50k to recruit you.
4.  You're a perpetual job-switcher, and therefore won't stay long at the firm.
5.  You're not cut out for Biglaw.

Of course, if you work somewhere other than a law firm your 2L summer, you will have a better time with 3L OCI... then you just look indecisive at best, or, at worst, they'll assume you couldn't land a Biglaw gig.... which means they will consider you a "failure." 

Unfair, undoubtedly, but this is what 3Ls are up against.