1L Summer: Take a $20k PI/Policy Fellowship or keep my summer open for BigLaw track?
Hey everyone, incoming 1L here at a strong regional school in a major Texas market. My ultimate goal is BigLaw.
I was just invited to interview for a fellowship at an on-campus criminal justice reform/policy center but I’m torn on whether it’s a smart move for my goals.
Here are the details of the fellowship:
- Full-time for my entire 1L summer. It also requires an 8-10 hour/week commitment during 2L Fall/Spring.
- $20k total scholarship ($10k 1L summer, $5k per 2L semester)
- No hour requirements during my 1L Fall or Spring semesters, and no requirements during any exam periods or holidays
My main concern is whether taking a criminal justice reform fellowship will pigeonhole me or hurt my BigLaw chances. If I want to land a BigLaw SA position for my 2L summer, will recruiters look down on the fact that I spent my 1L summer doing PI/policy work instead of a traditional judicial internship or a 1L SA role? Also, is the 8-10 hour commitment during 2L going to be a massive headache while juggling journal/classes?
Is the $20k and guaranteed 1L summer job worth giving up flexibility, or should I pass and hunt for more traditional corporate stepping stones?
Any insight from people who have navigated OCI with a heavily PI-focused 1L summer would be incredibly appreciated!