You might be familiar with the term “two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” The poem, written by Robert Frost, reflects on the ways different choices can lead to different journeys and different destinations.
If – like me – the journey you’re contemplating is the 2L summer job search for Big Law firms, it’s less two roads diverging in a yellow wood, and more one of those massive highway interchanges – where it feels like there’s about 8 different paths you could take, all of them go somewhere different, you can’t make out any of the road signs, and it’s all happening at about 80 miles per hour.
What firms are you looking at? What part of the country? Do you want a big firm? A small firm? A small office in a big firm? A small practice area in a big office in a big firm? A big practice area in a big office in a small firm? Some other ungodly combination thereof?
And then – practice areas, which are different from industries. Litigation or corporate? Corporate litigation? Complex commercial litigation? Transactional? Disputes? A specific area of litigation? A specific area of transactions? Do you want to decide on your practice group as a summer associate? Anything involving technology? Anything involving labor and employment? What about real estate? Are you planning to clerk? Are you interested in pro bono?
And that’s just if you know you want to do a Big Law Summer. For example, many of my friends are interested in Big Law, but also want to explore public interest or government jobs.
So, you know, no stress.
At the same time, as you seek out people for advice – older students, mentors, professors, CSO, practicing attorneys and so on – you find that while the advice is helpful and based on experience, it often contradicts. Some people love networking, others emphatically do not, some people were sending out applications in March and others waited until after spring semester finals.
While it all seems confusing, and as mentioned above, there are multiple different paths, I’ve come to understand that multiple different paths are kind of the point. There is no one-size-fits-all plan for 2L recruitment.
For example, I plan on returning to California after graduation. I’m from San Diego, and I hope to begin my legal practice in Southern California – and definitely want to be a summer associate in a Southern California office. As such, my process looks a little different than many of my peers.
Whereas my classmates can meet attorneys for coffee within the city of Boston, I often connect with attorneys in Southern California via Zoom. While there are certainly more alums from BC law in Boston than in San Diego, the alumni network in California have all been open and willing to connect and talk about their experiences as various firms. Additionally, I can reach out to attorneys who attended the same undergraduate school as me, or attended my undergraduate school for law school and vice versa. When I attend events in Boston, my goals are to generally understand the culture of a firm and show interest to recruiters who can hopefully connect me with offices in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Many firms have virtual events – where you can connect with attorneys across the country. Furthermore, legal recruiters are a great way to start getting connected with an office.
And if you’re not sure where to start, Boston College has some great resources to put you on the path that is right for you:
- The Career Services Office: The Career Services Office has the benefit of knowing how the 2L job search is going on a macro level – they talk to a variety of students, and track job offers, acceptances, and interviews. Additionally, meeting with CSO can help you create a plan that does fit you, looking at a variety of different factors, including market, practice area, location and application timelines. They also know BC grads personally and can connect you with alumni who might be particularly helpful to your search.
- 2L and 3L Students: Speaking to 2Ls is helpful because their application process – hopefully – will be the most similar to the current application process. 2Ls can offer valuable advice on what worked and what didn’t when applying to firms. 3Ls have worked in the firm as a summer associate — they offer great insight into firm culture. Additionally, it can feel easier to ask questions to 3Ls instead of cold emailing an Associate or recruiter.
- Firm Prospects, Vault, Chambers Associate and other web pages: In my search for out-of-state firms, these websites have been invaluable. First, they’re a great way to find firms in different cities. Additionally, the websites will break down practice areas, explain which of the firm’s offices host summer programs, and provide insight into firm culture.
- Career Services Office Big Law Recruiting Website: CSO created a website tailored to the class of 2027 2L job search. Students can see historic GPA data, dates that firm portals open, and access resources such as sample cover letters.
Samantha Torre is a 1L student at BC Law. Contact her at torrs@bc.edu.
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