Summer: n. a season filled with sun, ice cream and late night skinny dipping

And bar prep for those who just graduated. Or as I like to think of it, bar(ely reviewing and resigning myself to food) prep. No really, it's fun. You have so much to look forward to. Like six hour practice MBE's.  On Saturday. Yay.

Now back to the point of this post.

I've been seeing a lot of advice in articles and on forums about how if law students were smart they would "summer" at a firm. The theory is that "summering" at a firm will automatically blossom into a full-time job for 1-3 years post grad, and then the student can follow their real passion (why can't working at a firm be a student's passion?). Apart from the issues of using a season as a verb, I noticed a few other snags in this logic.

Full disclosure: I am one of those students who did not try to "summer" with a firm, for faulty reasons I have come to realize. I nonetheless held relatively esteemed legal postions during my 1L summer, my 2L year, and my 2L summer, and worked for the law school my 2L and 3L year. I chose these positions for experience over a guaranteed job, which in retrospect is not always the right decision. But I still do not believe that everyone should "summer" at a firm, and if someone decides to "summer" they should not count their chickens, especially before hatching a passing score on the bar.

1) "Don't lose your soul." Whatever this may mean to you, some students are told by their families or by popular media that if they are going to become a lawyer, for goodness sake don't turn into a bloodsucker or an ambulance chaser or a soulless swine who just smokes cigars and drinks and screws and wins cases at any cost (wait, why are we against all of these?). It may not be logical, but many students fear losing themselves or losing their 'good character traits' upon becoming a lawyer. So they avoid large law firms. Not because there is anything inherently wrong with a large firm, but it can be easy to think about how you could become just a number. And thus, we shy away from OCI and go for government or nonprofit jobs. I find this mentality a shame. Of course we need quality government lawyers and nonprofit lawyers. And of course we do not want to be unethical lawyers. After all, to be unethical is to lose your license to practice law. And that is one mighty expensive license to lose. But law firms should not be associated with evil or with losing one's self.

Now, I'm not saying that law firms are right for everyone, because they are not. And that is part of why not everyone can "summer" at a firm. If a student's passion is in international humanitarian law, or CYF, or nonprofit, then students should follow those passions. And they should get internships where there are lawyers they can network with who are active in that area. Unfortunately, some law jobs may look less favorably on the student who "summered" twice, and worked for three years at a big firm before coming to work for the community. It may make it more difficult to prove that this area of law is a passion when the student did not attempt to work there during school. Is this bad? Probably. But it remains a possibility in some areas, and it needs to be considered.

But if your desire is to work in a law firm, go for that summer position. If you're not sure of your passion, try a firm that will allow you to try different practice areas. If you need a paying summer position, your best bet is a firm. I guess my advice is be smart about where you want to do your internships. Think long term and short term. And of course, sometimes these decisions are out of our hands and we end up where we end up, but it is good to focus on applying to places where you want to be.

2) Ok, let's assume everyone wants a big firm internship. Not everyone can get these internships. It's just not possible for everyone to get these positions. So if you don't get it, yes it sucks but don't beat yourself up over it. It could have been a bad fit, or maybe you wouldn't have liked it, or maybe it would have been a good fit, but there was another equally qualified candidate who got it. You could be at the top of your class, actively involved on campus, on a journal, have a stellar personality, get every girl to hit on you at bar review, win over the interviewers and have the offer being typed up, but if another candidate comes along who maybe didn't interview as well but whose grandmother is a big client for the firm, you can bet the connected candidate and not the preferred candidate is getting that position. "It's all who you know." Or who flew airplanes of mashed peas and carrots into your hangar. At any rate, there are a limited number of big firm slots for students from all over the country, and there inevitably will be a multitude of students who do not get these positions for one reason or another. That's just the legal marketplace.

3) Assume everyone could get these positions. Well, then the "summer" market would be oversaturated and not everyone would be 'guaranteed' a position. It's not economically feasible for everyone to follow this path. The reality is that summer classes are down and they have not fully returned to pre-2008 levels. Smaller summer classes means fewer new hires. So while it would be nice if everyone who wants a summer internship at a firm could get one, the reality is that they are competitive. And the numbers of spots have dwindled exponentially. Additionally, it is cheaper to hire law students to do work during the summer than hire new associates, so the new associate classes each year could potentially be smaller than even the summer class was.


4) "Summer" does not turn into 4-12 seasons automatically. It depends on the firm, the size, the need, the class size wanted, the economy, whether the student ends up passing the bar, how many new attorneys they can support, the student's attitude, work ethic and work product during the summer (noun, not verb), and any potential personality conflicts. There are a lot of factors at play, which means that landing a summer internship at a law firm does not mean it will necessarily without a doubt foolproof turn into a job after graduation. For example, one way to lose that associate position is to talk with your mouth full at work lunches. Apart from the factors the firm uses in deciding if they want the student, what if it is a horrible fit from the student's perspective? I know, this was a birthday candle 'let this be my worst nightmare' wish at least once for me. But still, I imagine it would suck.


So if you didn't work for a law firm during the summer, don't get mad when someone tells you that life would be good if only you'd "summered." They haven't really thought it out.

Now, where's the closest pool?

Stop eating the young

Homework: Pass this on to anyone you've met who is considering law school. 

Ok, so we are in this situation of studying for the bar without a job. Which means we are paying for our bar prep course (more loan money). It means we are working a full-time job studying for the bar and at least a part-time job of looking for a job - a post-grad law job, a temporary doc review job, an $8.00/hour food service job. Not to mention we have lives to live, mouths to feed, and feet to put nice shoes on. We all are aware that this situation sucks.  

These posts are meant to be helpful in allowing you to more effectively use your time to get that post-grad law job. I try to add some humor to detract fromt the dire situation we are in. Because nobody wants to be depressed all the time. And humor allows us to look at difficult truths. For this post, though, I'm at a loss for humor, so I'm just going to lay it out there. Don't worry, I'll be back to my usual special blogger self next week to talk about resumes. It's got Thanksgiving preparation and sex in it. I know you're intrigued.

Alright, let's go below the surface and deal with something. We need to look at the situation we are in (whether you accept fault for it or not) and help those younger than us. Younger in the sense that they have not taken the LSAT, or they haven't actually started 1L, or they are ten years of age walking around with a briefcase yelling, "I object!" 

Show them this (maybe wait a couple years for the ten year old, but only a couple years):

It is rare in my experience to find a law professor who is willing to talk about these things. To be honest about the situation. If you're looking for a different medium, check out Inside the Law School Scam.

So let's look at the reality. Law school is not a wise investment for the vast majority of people who go to law school. It is not a low risk investment. It is three years of heavy tuition and living expense loans piled on top of undergrad debt. The jobs we get out of law school will not be enough to pay back our loans before we die for many of us. There are few jobs that pay enough to make the amount of money we invested worthwhile. 

This reality is starting to sink in. Law schools are reacting by admitting smaller classes. Their tuition hasn't and likely won't go down, but this is a step in the right direction. Applicants to law school are down 25%, which shows that those younger than us are starting to realize this. These are good signs. Of course, it doesn't change where we are. We have to keep making our own progress on that front. But at least this is something we can show our friends and family and customers at Starbucks to help stop them from being in the same situation.

I'm not saying we should get rid of all the lawyers. I only wish I had someone who had been candid with me about law school. I was told it was a versatile degree. That it was a perfect fit (there's a difference between being perfect for law school and being a good fit for a lawyer). That the economy would recover by the time I graduated. My gyno told me he was thinking about going back to school to be a lawyer, that he was jealous of the vast array of opportunities I would have upon graduating. Law? You can do anything with law. Sure. Ok. Anything but practice law. Anything but live without 100K+ in debt.  

Do your younger self a favor. We didn't get told or we didn't figure it out. Tell the younger you, that you see in your cousin, in your uncle, in your grande nonfat double espresso two pumps raspberry iced latte: is this really something you want to do? Have you seen this, or read this? Is this something you can actually turn into an investment that will pay off? If so, awesome. If not, think about other things you would enjoy that do not require you to become an indentured servant to the federal government. Trust me, there are way better gigs out there. 

Baby Steps

This bar stuff really takes up a lot of time. So a little more on passing the bar, since it's pretty much become my life. Then onto figuring out what you want and telling everyone. More to come later. Baby steps people. Baby steps to getting that job. Baby steps to the elevator. Baby steps into the elevator. Baby steps out of the elevator. Stairs are better for you anyway.

Four. Pass the Bar Expansion Pack: Less exciting. Way more tl;dr questions. And another list.

I don't think this list will help me get a job. But in order to pass the bar, it is important to come to terms with where you are, and how it has affected your life. To make corrections where needed to get back on track. Don't forget - there is life outside of bar prep. And it won't bite.

1. Definitely failed my first MBE practice test. After three days of drilling real property into my head I just got a 40% on my capstone quiz. Weaknesses: everything. Strengths: keep trying kid. Honestly, I think what upsets me more is that I took this quiz at 10pm on a Friday night. WooT! Bar prep!

2. I hate hearing I will pass. Almost as much as it will all work out. Nobody has a job yet. Didn't you wear that dress to another event earlier this year? Some of these comments are intended to make us feel better when uttered by non-law students and non-lawyers. Don't be too hard on them. They're trying, and they can't really fully understand why we hate these seemingly innocuous words. Full permission to throw your whiskey and ginger ale in the face of the person who asks you that last question though.

3. Abandon something you normally do. I have some friends who have stopped showering regularly. Nothing like enjoying a nice 90 minutes of 90 degree yoga and then sitting in the car with your friend after he tells you he hasn't showered in two days (please god let him at least remember the deodorant next time). For me it's reading. I will hate bar prep forever for that one. But I'll take this loss over being the smelly kid.

4. Buy something ridiculous. Well, I almost bought a pair of Louboutin pumps this weekend. That would certainly qualify, considering those cost more than my annual salary for the past three years. Combined. I did take up a new sport and purchase equipment for that. The salesman was so excited that a high schooler was getting a second chance at playing sports. Aww, I just graduated from law school. Thanks for calling me sixteen and slow at sports.

5. Sleep issues have been a problem since before bar prep, so no credit given to the behemoth of bar prep here.

6. Not saying which way on the weight. It's not polite to ask a girl that.

7. Pick up a weird habit? Blogging? Nah, that's just weird for me, not weird in general. I've stopped eating at a table? Wow, really pulling at straws here. I must say, I'm disappointed, usually I do weird without even trying. Apparently bar prep has quelled and not quickened my quirkiness for the moment.

8. Drink alone. Yep. Did that while on a rampage to kill the new couple that moved in. They had the audacity to come into my home. Had to drink to work up the courage to do them in. I'm talking about insects, of course. Lots of legs. Bodies. Had to vacuum the walls. But definitely drank alone. And for when you do, a gift for your eyes and ears.

9. Have a weird run-in with a stranger. Order 99. Little cheeseburger with lettuce and mayo and cajun fries. Oh. Hey there. I can tell you've bathed recently. (Immediately look for signs of deodorant stains on my shirt or shampoo still in my hair) Thanks?

10. Cry. Please, I don't need bar prep to do that. I just watch Mad Men. The Notebook. Wall-E. You know, because I am not soulless.

Well, at least I didn't get a 40% on this list. On to Evidence.


Five. Know what you want and tell everyone. 
A better job market? A job where I get these for free (please exist)? A time machine? No, really, a time machine. Do you have one? I'm still waiting on a few parts for mine. Well, since we're stuck in the present moving forward, I guess we need to figure out what we want to do with our lives. And sing it from the mountaintops like Sister Maria. Though maybe without falling in love with an emotionally unavailable man who hates music, adopting seven kids, or climbing up mountains. But at least the view is great, and you can always make a great frock from any hotel's drab drapes. Plus your newly adopted kids will make you a lot of dead presidents (cash, for those not in the know) with their newly formed musical troupe.

Focus.

OK. How do you know what you want and tell everyone? I know what it's not. It's not "law" or "a job." We need to narrow it down to show we have an interest in something and will be dedicated to that kind of work, not that we are desperately just trying to stay afloat (illusions, Michael) It makes me nervous to narrow my focus too much though, because then I could miss other opportunities. So be smart about what you want, and be honest. Maybe it's a specific practice area (intellectual property). Maybe it's a location (D.C.). Maybe it's a size (large). That's what she said (sigh, large firm). Maybe it's a passion.

You caught me. I still haven't found my passion. I've been busy with bar prep, trying to destress with vinyasas, and perfecting salsa (roasted, that's all I have to say). I can tell you that I much prefer going to concerts, sweating in my downward dog (do I even have to say it?), and eating fried food at amusement parks to what has now become the law and life for me - bar prep.

So forget about bar prep. Run away! Really though. Ok, take bar prep seriously but step away from it and enjoy life a little too. Bar prep is not the law, it is not what our lives will be like after we pass the bar. It's just another pointless hurdle we have to complete in order to get to our end goal. And while you're away from the sarlacc known as bar study, think about what classes you enjoyed in law school. Not because of the teacher, but the subject matter. Think about the work projects you've enjoyed. The environments you liked being in. The experiences you miss. And go from there.


Don't worry there's still more to come. Next up:

Six: Get help with your resume.
I've enlisted the help of some friends (people who return my g-chat messages and friend requests on facebook) to get a different perspective on this.

Seven: Informational Interviews.
This will be fun to squeeze in with bar prep and a general lack of motivation due to said bar prep. Time to dust off my fancy clothes.

~~ ~~ ~~

As an aside, I came across this during a ten minute break from a six hour real property lecture.


Bar prep has only added to my regrets about going to law school. It has made me wonder what life decisions I possibly could have made that led to me stress eating seven 100-calorie jello pudding 'gourmet' desserts during a three hour contracts video, getting paper cuts from flashcards I will never have time to read, and daydreaming that I instead took the road that traveled to E3.

It makes me wonder how I got here, and why I didn't leave a breadcrumb trail to avoid being eaten alive in the candy house of trying to become an employed lawyer. But alas, this ship has sailed. And now this (GoT Season 2 spoiler - seriously epic and worth waiting for it to come in the show, on a real tv, if you haven't see it yet) is happening to my ship.


Honestly, this licensing stuff is pointless to me. But if they are going to make us do it, it should be more cost-effective for us. Teach us in law school what we need to know for the bar. Or test us on the bar in a way that reflects what we will be doing as lawyers. And have us learn that in law school. Make changes that remove the discontinuity and culture shock that comes from switching between undergrad, LSAT, 1L, 2L, 3L, bar prep, and lawyering in real life. Take away all the red tape that requires us to go to take out a mortgage on our life.  Ah, but there's the rub. More cost-effective for us is not in the best interests of the law schools and bar prep companies and the bar. Just like the socratic method - they went through it and so should we. So basically this shit isn't going anywhere. Go study. Maybe they'll hire you and you can become part of the machine.

In the meantime, go surf reddit, go get a drink, or go kill some aliens in halo. But for the love of all that is good, no more bar prep tonight. You've earned a break.