What should a 1L summer look like?

[Pearl]

Didn't read the whole thread but wanted to comment on what someone said on the first page about how being a research assistant during your 1L summer is seen as "backup." That's not true if you're an assistant for a professor who is famous in the field. If you have an opportunity to work for a professor who is well-known, that's actually a great 1L job - it's paid and provides a great reference. I did that last summer, and during OCI and fall interviewing every interviewer who had gone to my school was excited to talk about him, having class with him, what a smart guy he is, how awesome it must have been to work for him, etc. Even interviewers who hadn't gone to my school wanted to talk about it because they knew who he was.

[Stole Your Nose!]

OK, yes, if you are working for someone who is famous that is clearly the exception. 

[dashrashi]

I think it'd have to be someone seriously famous. The legal world is small enough that a lot of people can be a little famous. I don't know. I don't think a R.A'ship is the best idea in the world, but clearly it's not bad.

[Stole Your Nose!]

Agreed.  It's not bad -- I'd just treat it as a back-up to the back-up plan.  It's just commonly known at firms that a lot of schools create extra RA gigs if they have extra students without jobs.   

[vap]

IMO, another "exception" for the RA route is if you will get publication credit.  A classmate of mine spent 1L summer and 2L fall as an RA for a prof, and she is a coauthor on the article.

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

I agree with the others.  It's a total back-up plan at my school, and firms know it, because the school creates RA positions to boost employment to 100%.

However, I still think that, as long as you can sell it at OCI, it can't hurt too much.

[Pearl]

It's just commonly known at firms that a lot of schools create extra RA gigs if they have extra students without jobs.   

Yeah, that's definitely true, but firms will be able to tell from your GPA whether you are one of those people they have to create a job for or whether you are someone who could have done something else but chose to be an RA. (And yes, we are out there!) I get that having an RA gig is often a signal that you were unable to get another job. But if it's clear from everything else (you have a high GPA, you interview well, etc.) that you are not one of those people who got stuck being an RA, then the reason for not doing it doesn't apply to you, and you shouldn't dismiss it right away if you are really excited about it and you can get an RA-ship with a well-known prof.

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

That's a very good point.  I hope to be one of those people.  I also think that an RA position allows you to R&R before OCI and 2L year, which is supposed to be the most difficult in terms of work. 

[TeresaPinfold]

How bad would it be to have no 1L job at all for getting a 2L job? Assume, say, top 10% MVPB.

[Stole Your Nose!]

No job? As in study abroad or sit at home on your sofa?