Comments on: If you had 20 hours of law student time this summer, how would you spend it? And if you’re a law student, what would make you want to take a job with a solo?

By: Dflickiss

Dflickiss — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:34:00 +0000

As a future solo, and current student, I would crave the knowledge of how to run a firm. Law schools are starting to improve on the professional training (contrasted w/ 30 yrs ago) but it still leaves a new attorney with a lot to learn about the day-to-day practice of law.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:03:00 +0000

I am a law student. I don’t think this is the sort of work I am looking for, but I have an idea to share.

I think an idea would be for a few solos to coordinate. Offer 1Ls an opportunity to see at least 4 different solo practices. They are, say, connected to one of the solos, but one day a week they visit the others and work there. That way they meet other law students and see how other small practices are set up/operate.

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By: asda

asda — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:24:00 +0000

By: anon 2L

anon 2L — Sat, 12 May 2007 13:12:50 +0000

As a law student, the bottom line for me is that I would need to be paid a reasonable rate for my time to consider working with a solo. I actually would like to, because I can see myself forming a small firm several years down the line, but so far I have not seen any firms willing to pay anything near what my value is (as proven by the amount other jobs have offered).
For my level of skill and experience, that means at least $20/hr. Most law students made at least $40K prior to law school (and many made far more than that), and their skills and value have only increased, not decreased, due to their added education.
It is ridiculous to assume that the economic value to the “training and experience” that a law student receives on the job somehow justifies lower pay. First, all jobs involve some level of training and experience, this is no more or less true for a legal job. Second, “training and experience” is partially eclipsed by the need for “something to put on my resume”, and working for a solo doesn’t exactly exude prestige [in most cases].
Third, the typical solos office, for better or worse, is providing mediocre training. The average firm is average. Absent some reason to believe otherwise, a student can safely assume the quality of training at a firm is roughly equal to the quality of training elsewhere.
It all comes down to pay. I know small firms vary in what their profit is, but part of the idea of hiring someone is to increase revenue by handling a larger workload. The student helps to generate additional profit by increasing the overall amount of work that the firm can handle.
It is also nice to work on “meaningful” work, but I assume that is taken for granted at any job requiring 5+ years of higher education.

By: anon 2L

anon 2L — Sat, 12 May 2007 13:12:00 +0000

By: Vince

Vince — Fri, 04 May 2007 12:47:52 +0000

As a law student who has worked for solo and small firms, I would say that client contact and mentorship are the most important factors. The research and writing is inescapable; but the attraction of working with a solo is the prospect of human contact as well.
A satisfactory alternative is to hire the law student on a project basis rather than an hours-per-week basis. That way, when the student is doing nothing but research and writing, there’s no disappointment.
I hope to hang a shingle after graduation in ’08 and almost immediately get research and writing help, project-by-project, from law students at a nearby law school. I think $12-15 per hour is a fair rate. As soon as I can manage it, however, I would like to start working toward hiring an associate. If a law student clerk is going to fill that role eventually, I’ll have to make sure I give that student an opportunity to interact with clients and learn about law practice management on top of the inevitable research and writing. I wouldn’t want or ezpect to hire a new-grad associate who hadn’t had some good opportunities to deal with clients and help manage the practice.

By: Vince

Vince — Fri, 04 May 2007 12:47:00 +0000

By: RJON@HowToMakeItRain.com

RJON@HowToMakeItRain.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:58:22 +0000

It’s been my experience that if you break even on the average part time law student you’re doing better than par for the course.
That is, if you’re doing your part and actually helping someone who may someday be your colleague, referral source, boss or judge to get the same kind of head-start you wish someone had given you when you were in their shoes.
I have found that my biggest ROI when working with law students is measured less in how much productive work I can squeeze out of them, and more in terms of reminding me of the basics and especially reminding me how far above the heads of our clients we sometimes speak. Helping a student understand the mechanics & steps of how a case works out here in the “real world” is great practice for when you have to make the same explanation to a prospective client in while you’re trying to Close a Sales Call.
Respectfully,
RJON ROBINS
http://www.HowToMakeItRain.com
Helping Lawyers In Small Firms Make ALOT More Money

By: RJON@HowToMakeItRain.com

RJON@HowToMakeItRain.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:58:00 +0000