With BigLaw recruiting already knocking on the door for this year’s 1Ls, I thought this might be a good time to reflect on my own 1L summer experience—and offer a reminder that there is plenty to learn, explore, and enjoy outside of a traditional law firm setting.
This past summer, I had the privilege of spending ten weeks as a Legal Intern with the City of Boston Law Department. I joined the Law Department through the Boston Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Summer Fellowship, and those ten weeks honestly felt more like four.
When I started in May, I had little to no understanding of municipal law, the immense responsibilities of in-house counsel, or the interplay among municipal, state, and federal law. Throughout the summer, I truly felt like a sponge, absorbing more than I can recount not only about municipal law and government, but also what it means to practice law.
During my internship, I worked on a wide variety of legal matters affecting the City of Boston and its many departments and offices, quickly learning that the City can be sued for almost anything under the sun. My assignments exposed me to parking ticket appeals, zoning and wetlands disputes, employment discrimination matters, § 1983 litigation, policy and advisory questions, pro se claims, and the many unexpected issues that arise in the day-to-day work of representing a city. I researched complex legal questions, drafted memoranda for several City offices, assisted attorneys with ongoing litigation and other matters, and watched with fascination as concepts I encountered during 1L took shape in real disputes involving real people and real clients.
Some of my most memorable experiences this summer, however, happened outside the office. The Law Department gave us interns incredible exposure to Boston’s legal and governmental infrastructure through what we called “field trips.” We watched several Boston City Council meetings in City Hall’s Iannella Chamber, visited various state and federal courthouses, toured Boston Police Headquarters, and observed both criminal and civil proceedings. As a very visual learner, these experiences—combined with the hands-on projects the Law Department trusted me with—taught me more about the actual practice of law than I could have learned from a classroom or textbook alone.
Perhaps my biggest takeaway from my internship was a deeper understanding of what it means to be a lawyer. 1L taught me how to identify issues, understand legal rules, and analyze how those rules apply to a given set of facts. My internship with the City’s Law Department taught me what happens when the facts are incomplete, when the answers are uncertain, and when a real client needs legal advice. I watched City attorneys investigate complicated problems, weigh competing arguments, counsel City departments and officials (including the Mayor herself), and use their legal judgment to help those clients make consequential decisions. I also learned that effective advocacy is not simply about identifying the “right” legal answer, but about advising clients of their options and risks in light of the facts, competing arguments, and available evidence.
Beyond the fascinating work itself, what made this summer so enjoyable was the environment the Law Department created. From day one, the attorneys I worked with generously gave me their time, patience, mentorship, and trust, while making me feel comfortable asking questions, learning, and figuring things out during my first truly hands-on legal internship. I genuinely looked forward to coming to work each day, and by the end of the summer, I found myself wishing I could stay longer.
With so much attention devoted to BigLaw recruiting on our campus, I think it’s easy to lose sight of the many other opportunities available to us as law students. It can almost start to feel like securing a position at a large firm is the only measure of a successful summer. And while I certainly appreciate the appeal of BigLaw—I’ll be a summer associate myself next summer, and I’m looking forward to it—I hope my experience at the City of Boston serves as a reminder that there’s so much more to a meaningful summer internship than the name or size of the employer. The work product you produce, the clients you serve, the attorneys you learn from, and the experiences you gain in the process matter just as much.
To the 1Ls navigating the recruiting process: I know it can feel like there’s little time to explore your options before making decisions that could shape the next several years of your life. Even so, I encourage you to keep an open mind about the many opportunities available to you. Whether you’re interested in BigLaw, public interest, government, or something else entirely, there’s so much value in pursuing experiences that challenge you, introduce you to different kinds of legal work, and help you better understand what it means to practice law.
Dave Sainte-Luce is a 2L student at BC Law. Contact him at sainteld@bc.edu.
