PT vs. FT employment prospects.

[OConnorScribe]

Was just wondering if anyone could speak to the opportunities that would be available to part-time students  ... are law review and clerkships still possible? What would be an optimal placement coming from a part-time track? I ask because I may end up having to go part-time due to economic constraints.

[JDubs]

I will be attending Temple PT in the fall and had many of the same questions.  I emailed one of their admissions people who put me in touch with someone else in admissions who went PT.  I asked her about the same things you mention and here are the highlights.

Pursuing law school in the evening is not always easy, but if your schedule allows some flexibility, you are able to participate in all law school activities.  This, of course, includes OCI, law journals, trial team and many other opportunities.

Many of the large law firms are interested in the top 10 to 15 percent of the class, but many other employers are also interested in your skills and employment history.  In this way, evening students have some advantages.  Because many evening students have a solid work history and unique skills, they have more to offer a prospective employer.

[lavender]

Attending PT in the fall. My choices are: intern part time at a law firm in NYC or stay at my current in-house paralegal job and work part time. The former is a much better choice since an an all year round internship is a lot better than being a summer associate in terms of getting an offer from a law firm in 3 or 4 years.

[OConnorScribe]

How does the year-round internship work? Would firms let you do that even though you're just starting law school? I mean, are you fetching coffee and filing papers to begin with?

[lavender]

firm internship is really like working part-time (at most 20 hours), but since they know that you are in law school, it is expected that they give you flex time and a lighter load. hopefully you get lucky enough to be assigned to lawyers who will give real work and not just fetch coffee, make copies (although that could be a possibility!).

it pays really well but might be hard to find unless you have connections..

[OConnorScribe]

Thank you for the responses ... interesting feedback from the Temple P/T student as well. BTW, in terms of class rank, are the FT and PT students considered as part of the same pool? Or is there a top of the FT class and a top of the PT class?

Also, to sound completely nebiw, what does OCI stand for?

[wamegojim]

On Campus Interview.

The part time programs that I have talked to said they are seperate.

[JDubs]

Thank you for the responses ... interesting feedback from the Temple P/T student as well. BTW, in terms of class rank, are the FT and PT students considered as part of the same pool? Or is there a top of the FT class and a top of the PT class?

Also, to sound completely nebiw, what does OCI stand for?

not 100% sure but I have to assume that since you are finishing at different times (4 years rather than 3), FT and PT would almost have to be seperate in terms of class rank.

[Booyakasha2]

So the Temple PT grad answering your question worked in the admissions office?  Am i getting this right?  That doesnt say much for job prospects out of Temple ...as a PT grad at least...  Anecdotal, but still.

[JDubs]

So the Temple PT grad answering your question worked in the admissions office?  Am i getting this right?  That doesnt say much for job prospects out of Temple ...as a PT grad at least...  Anecdotal, but still.

there was no indication that she went to work for Temple straight from school.  as far as I know, she worked for years as a lawyer and then decided she wanted to do something different.  I didn't ask.