What to do after SA gig ends, and before school starts?

[UFBoldAsLove]

Hey guys,

I'm lucky enough to have gotten SA position at a large firm for the summer. However, the program runs 9 weeks (starts 2 weeks after exams), leaving me a awkward month left free before school starts.

How should I fill up this month? Is their any unpaid PI/Govt work I should be seeking out that wouldn't mind only having me there for 4 weeks? Maybe research for a professor?

Thanks for any advice. 

[DrLazarus]

I'm curious about this too.  I'll have about a month after completing a ten week program and was thinking about volunteering with my small-town's local prosecutor.  Anyone else do this?  Would it even be helpful?  I'm going the big firm route, yet haven't ruled out the idea that someday I might want to do criminal prosecution.

I should probably just spend my time relaxing, but I'm a glutton for punishment.

[UFBoldAsLove]

when is your on-campus interview program scheduled?  is it definitely four weeks that you have?

it depends on what your priorities are.  myself personally, i'd reach out to local public interest places.  are you aiming to clerk?  if so, short-term research for a prof who might be a potential recommender might not be a bad plan.

congrats on the SA gig.  what market? 

You know, I don't know when 2L OCI is... but I don't think it's before school starts. 

I was thinking about doing Nashville area public interest/government. I was just worried no one would want me for only 4 weeks.

And thanks for the congrats! - Florida, NLJ 100-200 range.

[UFBoldAsLove]

when is your on-campus interview program scheduled?  is it definitely four weeks that you have?

it depends on what your priorities are.  myself personally, i'd reach out to local public interest places.  are you aiming to clerk?  if so, short-term research for a prof who might be a potential recommender might not be a bad plan.

congrats on the SA gig.  what market? 

You know, I don't know when 2L OCI is... but I don't think it's before school starts. 

I was thinking about doing Nashville area public interest/government. I was just worried no one would want me for only 4 weeks.

And thanks for the congrats! - Florida, NLJ 100-200 range.

might want to double check.  ours is two weeks before classes start.

and you might not be able to find something full time, but even working as a volunteer for public interest might be useful experience, depending on what they have you doing.

also, nice.  though i must say i wish i was in florida right now.

Uhhhhhhhh ME TOO. It was 13 degrees when I drove to school this morning. I'm not sure I'm leaving my bed tomorrow.

[TheDudeMan]

If you work at a firm all summer, just relax. Nobody expects you to be working longer than your summer gig.

[jacy85]

Agreed that you should look into your school's OCI program; many schools that are T1 (not sure about below) have 2 rounds of OCI - early OCI in August, often before classes start, and usually has the big firms, and then later in the fall for more local/smaller employers.

You also should be talking to your Career Services Office to get tentative dates for other job fairs.  For example, in the southeast, there's several job fairs that occur over the summer, with resume drops in (IIRC) early July.  One is SE generally; there's an IP fair, and a couple others.  So look into those.

I'd suggest either volunteering somewhere you're passionate about or else taking the time to apply for jobs and/or relax.  I'd probably do the latter, as I think next year's OCI is going to be brutal - unless things pick up much more quickly than expected/hoped, there will not be much change for the better in the legal market.

[Stole Your Nose!]

Nobody will wonder what you were doing that last month.  You will soon be a lawyer, and won't be taking month-long vacations to do nothing.  You probably won't be able to do that next summer with splitting, so enjoy it.  I'm jealous!

[UFBoldAsLove]

Thanks for the advice guys! I appreciate it!

[Tetris]

Here's what you should do: take some of that $$ and go on vacation.