When creating your 2L summer application strategy, it is important to apply broadly and remain flexible. What that looks like will depend on your individual circumstances.
With approximately 38,000 rising 2L law students in the United States looking to secure their 2L summer internship over the next few months, every posted 2L summer position is likely to receive hundreds of law student applications. As a WashULaw student, you are a competitive candidate for every position. The only time you won’t be competitive is when the position is filled.
Maybe you are focused on applying broadly to large law firms in New York and Chicago, and if those markets don’t work out, you plan to send applications to firms in Houston and Los Angeles in late August. The problem? By late August, you are too late. Large firms in Houston and Los Angeles will be well into the callback and offer stages with candidates who applied in June and early July.
What to do? Apply now to any position you would be happy to take in August if it were your only offer. Your fallback employers are the first-choice employers for hundreds of other law students. You can always say no to an offer from a fallback employer if one of your first-choice employers comes through with an offer. You may even realize through the interview process that your fallback employer is actually your dream employer!
Apply now before the position is filled.