By the time this article is published, reading week will be over. Many 1Ls will have interviewed with top firms through the first year recruit, only to face a subsequent rejection letter or simply be “ghosted”. Others will not have gotten any interviews at all.
While rejection can be disappointing, it’s important to remember that most 1Ls will not receive a summer placement as a result of the OCI process. Furthermore, OCI results may be as much a reflection of good (or bad) luck as they are of your performance during the year or during interviews. There are many other opportunities to have a productive summer, and your energy may be better spent turning to these alternatives than “crying over spilled milk.” Of course, it is natural and fine to feel disappointed and to briefly mourn the opportunities you may have been very emotionally invested in.
Some other options include applying to firms that did not participate in OCIs, applying through the Osgoode Summer Internship Program (OSIP), applying for a job through Osgoode, applying to other summer jobs inside or outside of the legal field, or planning to work on a pet project.
There are still many opportunities to apply for a summer position at law firms that did not participate in the 1L recruit. In particular, if you come from a smaller town or city, you may find some luck contacting firms in your area directly to see whether they are hiring law students for the summer. Some small firms may advertise summer positions on their websites, but as one anonymous Osgoode student has informed me, there is success to be found in “cold-emailing” firms as well. Small firms may hire on an as-needed basis rather than having an established and consistent summer program, so you may also find success emailing to ask about openings later on in the semester (see the “NALP Guide” under “Summer Positions” in the MyCareer Resource Library).
The Osgoode Summer Internship Program (OSIP) is a program that offers up to $10 thousand in funding to Osgoode JD students involved in certain unpaid or underpaid summer opportunities. Most placements are student-sourced, but there are also several established placements (see the “OSIP Info Session” recording under “Internships and Conference Opportunities” in the MyCareer Resource Library). The application deadline for this program is March 1.
There is also an opportunity to find work through Osgoode itself. A popular example is working as a Research Assistant for a professor. While these positions are often listed in the MyCareer portal, I’ve been informed that it can also be useful to reach out to professors who you have formed a relationship with, and to let them know that you would be interested if they have any work available for the summer.
There are other options outside of Osgoode and its programs, as well. For example, there is nothing wrong with applying to summer jobs besides student positions at law firms. Working as a receptionist or in a similar job in a firm can give you some exposure to the legal profession in practice, and even jobs that don’t appear to be law-related can still help you develop valuable transferable skills. For example, a summer job in sales or service can help develop “soft skills” in communication and conflict management as you deal with customers and resolve small problems that inevitably arise.
Finally, you could use the summer to work on a pet project that may have been neglected during the school year. Some students might develop a website (eg. a personal website, a blog, or an informative website), work on a large creative project (eg. a book, film, or screenplay) or even start a business. Ontario’s Summer Company project provides start-up money and mentorship to qualifying Ontarian students under the age of 29. The deadline for that program is April 29.
Remember, the list above is non-exhaustive. Students might decide to volunteer their time to a worthy cause, spend time caring for family members, or even take the summer off as a sort of “last hurrah” before seeking out a legal position the following summer. In previous years, some students have spent time travelling, anticipating that it would only become more difficult as they establish themselves and settle down in a certain area. The important thing to note is that there are plenty of productive summer opportunities besides landing a position at a firm through the 1L recruit. So, chin up – and good luck! My fingers are crossed for you.