<p>is it true that interns at small law firms get more substantive legal work than those at big law firms, who do mostly clerical/copying work? the reasoning being small firms have fewer junior lawyers, and that, large firms have more junior lawyers to do the legal stuff and a reputation to protect as well.</p>
<p>big and small firms both have reputations to protect. I think that the work you're asked to do will vary more based on the firm than on its size. This is true of paralegals/legal assistants too...the firm I worked at used secretaries for most clerical work and had few paralegals; the few they had worked mostly on creating and assembling documents for real estate transactions. A friend of mine works as a paralegal for a different firm of similar size--they have a ton more paralegals and they do much of the work secretaries did at my firm.</p>
<p>this is kind of related to the thread, but what about interning at a bulge bracket bank. granted, law schools probabely wouldn't care, but would law firms during the recruiting process in law school take any interest in this, assuming we are talking about biglaw.</p>
<p>Having worked for at least a couple of years after graduation from college and before law school will often be a big boost during the recruiting process (to be hired by law firms out of law school). Law firms love students with full-time work experience, particularly if that experience is relevant to that firm's practice areas. Having work experience at a bulge bracket investment bank would be very desirable to many, if not most, BIGLAW firms.</p>
<p>mitssu, an internship won't matter TOO much... but it's still good to show them that you've had an interest in the field for a while and actually enjoy the subject of what you're dealing with. If you completed a stint as an analyst, then it may be more helpful</p>
<p>Re #24: Sally, would this hold true for the summer internships this thread is discussing?</p>
<p>No, I don't believe that law firms interviewing on campus would care as much about summer internships at law firms (at least versus any other type of summer employment). That said, any former work experience, whether summer positions or post-graduation full-time positions, are certainly helpful in showing that you "get it" -- that you understand what it means to show up every day, handle re. Of course, full-time work experience is certainly more valuable in the hiring process.</p>
<p>Having a family friend help get an internship means little to law schools. If admission were the criterion, I woiuld use the time to do something outstanding in some areas. If you want to get a little bit of the flavor of law practice, and perhaps do some messenger work, take the internship.</p>
<p>What if the letter of recommendation was something like “Bobby knows his stuff, he’s bloody brilliant and he’ll make a heck of a lawyer.” Albeit in more appropriate language.</p>
<p>Would be useful only if the person writing the recommendation actually has first-hand knowledge and can provide specific examples.</p>
<p>Does the undergraduate university you attend matter as much as the GPA? (Yes, I know LSAT is the god.) Boalt says in its website: 97 undergraduate schools represented. Most predominant are UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, Harvard, UCSD, USC, Brown, Yale, Penn. They have a class of 254 and applicant pool of 7253. What are stats for other good law schools? Does this exist in one place regarding the undergraduate institution?</p>