Kaye Scholer

Getting Started

Choosing a Firm that Fits You

There are a lot of law firms out there, so how do you decide which firm will be the best fit for you? Do you pick a firm that your friends recommend? Do you choose a firm based on suggestions from your law school's career services professionals? We understand that the interviewing process can be a daunting one, but ultimately selecting the right firm is a very important decision for your career. Once you have identified what you would like to get out of your Summer Program experience, you can begin your search for the firm that is the right fit.

1. Ask yourself some questions
   1. What do I want to get out of a summer program?
   2. How large of a firm/office do I feel comfortable working in?
   3. What type of law interests me? (it’s okay if you don’t know)
   4. Where do I want to practice?
   5. What firm fits my ideals, personality?
      
      
2. Do your homework
   1. Use Internet resources (Vault, Chambers, firm Web sites, Google, legal blogs).
   2. Schedule a meeting with your law school's career services center to have a conversation about your top choices. Most career services centers have close working relationships with firms, and have inside information that can be very helpful.
   3. Reach out to alumni of the firms in which you are interested. Recruiting Departments are more than happy to put you in touch with current lawyers, but they are equally as happy to put you in touch with alumni.
   4. Speak with your peers. Reach out to law students at your school who have spent a summer at the firm.
   5. Get involved. If firm representatives are going to be on campus for an event (e.g., panel discussions, interview workshops), you should attend and participate. This gives you first-hand access to the firm's lawyers.
   6. Attend 1L events. Many firms will hold cocktail receptions during your 1L year (either during the school year or the summer). If possible, you should attend and take the time to mingle with lawyers. 
   7. Determine which firms meet 80-100% of your above criteria.
      
      
3. Apply
   1. On Campus Interviews - Bid on the firms that fit your criteria.
   2. Apply directly through the firm careers Web site.