Cruel Summer?

When orientation started, the big questions were usually variations on a theme: "Where did you go to school?" "Where are you from?" "What kind of law do you want to do?"

Now that we all know each other better (and "what kind of law" you want to do becomes at least somewhat self-evident on the basis of the courses you're taking, not to mention the journals, clinics, and other extra-curriculars you've chosen to do), the question has turned to "What're you doing this summer?"

Admittedly, there's a sense of uncertainty in the air. This summer is perhaps shaping up different than others, simply on the basis of the economy. Law firms are cutting jobs, meaning there's an inevitable trickle-down effect...summer associates aren't be hired at the same rates by big firms, meaning that there's more competition for government and non-profit jobs, too.

Luckily (for us), we're somewhat better-insulated than many other schools. A number of my friends accepted jobs at big firms back in December. Others have accepted offers at various US Attorneys Offices from coast to coast. People are working for circuit court judges. Or for other countries' supreme courts. Or for non-profits with which they've built a relationship through the Pro Bono Network here at school. Or they've arranged to volunteer abroad in something completely non-law-related.

It's not really, then, that you can't *get* a job which is causing a number of people around here to worry...rather, it's that we don't yet *have* jobs (or, in my case, due to a bunch of mis-matched deadlines, I have been playing summer job roulette by turning down offers while [perhaps foolishly?] anticipating the possibility of other ones yet to come). Because I am interested in kind of a niche specialty (which, in some cases, means that jobs I'm interviewing for aren't even "law" jobs), the magic 'December 1' date for 1L applications didn't really apply, and now I'm trying to make a number of important decisions, but there are just too many things to think about! What to do. Where to do it. Who to do it with: private, government, non-profit.

The Career Development Office and the new public interest adviser try their best to help us navigate the mess that is the summer job search (including hosting an on-campus interview day, which netted me some interesting conversation and an awesome firm-logo coffee thermos(!), but so far no job offers), but sometimes it's hard to calm yourself when you need to figure out how to get to and live in another city (most people don't stay here in New Haven for the summer unless they're working in the school's clinic or perhaps as a research assistant to a professor, so you've got to sublet your apartment here, too) - all in exactly 3 months from now.

Hopefully, I'll have my job situation all wrapped up by the end of next week...I have two more interviews in two different cities between now and then, and I've been promised that I'll be able to make a fully-informed decision by March 1st at the very latest. At the same time, I'm kind of tempted to just move to the Mediterranean or South Africa for the summer - so who knows.

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