On October 17th, HALB and WLA cosponsored a panel of students who had obtained law firm jobs during their 1L summers.

The panelists discussed the relative difficulty of finding 1L firm jobs in markets such as New York, Boston, Chicago, and LA.  The panelists noted that they all began thinking about applying for a firm job early in the year, even though they could not meet with OCS until November 1, or contact firms until December 1.  They also discussed the steps they took prior to applying to the firms, such as drafting cover letters and reaching out to HLS or their undergraduate alumni at the firm.  While all panelists believed luck had a role in their ability to secure a firm position, a few did highlight other factors such as: minority status, connection to the market, experience prior to law school, and grades.  The panelists also discussed the skills they were able to acquire as a result of their summer position.  Finally, they urged that 1Ls should not be discouraged it they do not secure a 1L firm position because almost everyone will be able to work for a firm following 2L summer through EIP.