Grades

Its been said repeatedly and I hate to break it to you but your 1L grades are probably the most important aspect of your application. If you are in 1L my advice to you is, to do whatever it takes to get the highest grades. Having a few classes (~1-2) that put you in the top 5-10% of your class (A range grades) will put you in a competitive position rather than being an “average” (B range) student.

Extracurriculars

Reiterating the first part don’t stress about extra-curricular(s) if it means less time allocated towards studying. What I did was I tried to get a “pass with distinction” for the required 1L moot. That way I could add that to my resume and have a point to speak to. The other thing I did (minimal number of hours) was a 1L rep position for the corporate law club at my law school. You don’t have to move the world as a 1L but showing a minor interest in an area of law will show initiative. My motto was always quality > quantity when it came to extra-curriculars.

Your network is your net worth

Find mentors! 2Ls, 3Ls, and your TAs will become invaluable sources throughout the recruitment process. Either they will have themselves landed at firms or they can connect you to their friends who have. Remember, the law bubble is small. Someone can always connect you with someone else.

Don’t underestimate the power of cold-call LinkedIn messages/emails. Everyone at firms who have gone through this process are usually open to answering questions. The golden rule to always ask is, “who would be another person you would recommend I reach out to next?” Golden question because your network will have a snowball effect! It’s also a good ice breaker to have a point of contact to lead to the next.

It’s always nice and thoughtful to follow-up with these calls. If the person gave valuable advice, looked over your resume, or gave you insights into answering interview questions, keep an open line of communication. People will feel happy if you send them a note appreciating their time and advice. It’s also rare for people to follow-up so bonus points for you.

Don’t be hard on yourself

The 2L recruit is not the be all end all. Try your best to land somewhere and if you do, great. If not, I promise you it is not the end of the world. Keep all firms viable options for as long as possible and go with the one you think would be a good fit for YOU. You are interviewing firms just as much as they are interviewing you.

Lawyers and law students who don’t land big law summer roles end up having amazing experiences where they get more hands-on training at smaller firms where they have more contact working directly under lawyers. A smaller student cohort group means more exposure to files and more depth.

Remember, if you strike out that doesn’t close the door on big law entirely. Some of the partners I worked with never received a job offer through the formal 2L recruit, and they’re probably the smartest lawyers I’ve worked with.

Goodluck!