A career in public service is not a backup plan for a career in BigLaw. It requires intentionality and sacrifice. It can also be particularly rewarding to know that you are doing justice every day.
I never had any interest in On Campus Interviewing (OCI). I attended law school to pursue public interest law. Though my interests evolved throughout law school (from reproductive rights litigation to criminal prosecution), I never considered working at a law firm.
I understood the path to a career in public service:
✅I spent both my summers, as well as two semesters, interning with four different components of the U.S. Department of Justice to get a breadth of criminal law experience.
✅I served as an associate editor for the Washington University Journal of Law and Policy.
✅I developed relationships with professors who served as professional references.
✅I networked and identified allies, mentors, and sponsors who could put in a good word when I applied for jobs.
✅ I decided to clerk in DC Superior Court, the jurisdiction where I intended to practice law.
I was in a privileged position to know what “all the things” were to plan for career success, as well as to be able to execute them. All of my internships during law school were unpaid. I received summer public interest stipends that did not cover the full cost of summer expenses.
I recognize the value of law firms. Firms provide excellent experience in client services, and they have the resources to invest in training new attorneys.
But if you don’t want to work at a law firm, pursue your passion! Whether you want to be a prosecutor like I did (inspired by one of my legal heroes, fellow Washington University in St. Louis School of Law alumnus and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe), a public defender, a legal aid attorney, or a public interest litigator at a nonprofit, the legal community needs more of you! While your deadlines will be different from your peers (you won’t have a post-graduate job lined up heading into 2L year), your salary will be lower, and perhaps you’ll be perceived as going against the grain, your work will be particularly rewarding.
There are many things you can do with a law degree. I wish law schools invested more in their public interest students - not just financially, but in terms of mentorship, programming, and training. The Legal Accountability Project looks forward to helping more law students to pursue paths to public service, starting with #clerkships. #legalprofession #publicinterest
🤯 Wow! There sure have been alot of postings for internships!! Take advantage students and recent grads! The pathways program provides an opportunity for a steady and rewarding career 🚀 Just filter your USAJOBS search results for students and recent grads or search "Pathways" 😉 #students #recentgrads #paidinternship #federalinternship #federaljobs