After the legal job market suffered backlash in 2007 and 2009, law students including law graduates can once more smile due to the increasing number of firms who hire law school summer associates. The latest statistics noted that 95 percent of these associates received a job offer in 2015.
According to U.S. News, the National Association for Law Placement issued a report concerning job incidents among 121 member law schools and 361 employers. From among these numbers, 70 percent of employers were those that responded.
Some factors which contributed to the results of the survey included the decrease in enrollment in law schools for the past years. This number also impacts the rate of law students who are in the job market.
According to experts, one thing that law students must consider before choosing a firm for their summer internship is the type of law practice that they would be doing thereafter. For instance, if they want to specialize in dealing with the legal aspect of commercial transactions, then they should choose a firm that handles large companies.
On the other hand, if they want to concentrate on criminal law, then a job at firms that act as defense counsels of an accused would be feasible. This will give law school summer associates the chance to practice criminal law and have firsthand experience on litigation.
Bryce, one graduate from Harvard Law School, said, "The way the firms are organized are really different. And, therefore, what they look for in lawyers is really different." Top law firms in the U.S. usually give a great weight on grades and law school pedigree. Although there's no certainty of a job if you get to an Ivy League law school like Harvard, you have a higher chance at getting a job when you graduate.
According to the Wall Street Journal, becoming a law-firm summer associate is a chance to be courted by the country's top law firms. So it is recommended to choose the best law firm for that once in a lifetime opportunity.
