May 22 2011
Looking forward to a nice paying law firm summer job? If so, it might be your last. I recently became aware of a scary trend in law firm hiring. A partner at a large firm in my state spoke to one of my classes this spring and shocked us all by stating that the summer clerks in his firm were not being compensated for their work, but were instead earning class credit. This was shocking to our class because the same opportunity was not available in our law school and we were competing for the same jobs.
Why would law firms pay students thousands of dollars when they can just make an agreement with the school to forgo compensation for class credit? That is the question the partner asked our class and one that law firms across the country might start asking. This new trend is great for those schools that allow their students to participate, but for everyone else this tread could rule out any possibility of securing a big law firm summer job.
LSJ wants to know your thoughts. Does your school allow you to work for class credit?
About the Author: Christy
christy@thelawstreetjournal.com
Not at Loyola. Working in a firm for school credit is like making a negative salary. It’s a total ripoff because you have to pay for the credits. You can get a much better substantive experience working for a judge, and end up ahead financially.
