Should I Apply for 2L OCIs?

[Piffle]

I’m an Ontario student who just finished 1L. For context, I’ve never had much interest in Big Law/Bay Street, or the business/corporate areas of law that those firms are geared toward. I do however have a good idea of which other area I want to pursue – currently, I’m summering at a small firm that practices in that area, and my experience there so far has solidified my interest.

Still, my grades and resumé seem serviceable enough for 2L OCIs. I think I'd at least have a sporting chance of landing some interviews.

Do you think it’d be worthwhile then, for me to invest the time, preparation, and mental energy into applying? It seems like if nothing else, it’d be a useful exercise in polishing my application materials, interviewing skills, etc. Further, the opportunity to work at those firms, even if the work doesn't align with the practice area I'm interested in, seems like it'd be a valuable learning experience one would be fortunate to get regardless.

Edited June 29, 2022 by Piffle

[BlockedQuebecois]

No. Don't apply to jobs you don't want simply because you are competitive for them, particularly when you are competitive for jobs you actually do want. 

This type of thinking is why so many students end up falling into OCI jobs they hate, then burning out of the profession in a few years. 

[easttowest]

The pull will be strong to do what many other students are doing. It will probably feel weird not to be joining the application cycle, especially if you are at a school where lots of people go for it.

If you know what you want to do, do that instead. Big Law is often a bad time, and you’ll either leave burned out as BQ says or arguably worse, stay even though you never planned on it and never do the thing you know you like. 

I wouldn’t change my recruit and result if I were to do it over again, but that’s because I wanted to do this after 1L.

 

[lawstudentthree]

I have a question - is 2L recruit only for corporate law/big law? Does it matter what school you attend in terms of what kind of law the 2L recruit is geared towards? 

[Piffle]

5 hours ago, BlockedQuebecois said:

This type of thinking is why so many students end up falling into OCI jobs they hate

45 minutes ago, easttowest said:

The pull will be strong to do what many other students are doing.

Thanks for the input. If I were to be honest with myself, it does feel like I’d be applying simply for the sake of applying. There is indeed a sense of FOMO.

20 minutes ago, lawstudentthree said:

is 2L recruit only for corporate law/big law?

The vast majority of firms that participate in OCIs are corporate-related, and I was referring generally to this majority in my original post.

That said, there’s a small handful of boutiques in other areas that also recruit this way – e.g., in criminal and family – but they’re slim pickings.

[TheDevilIKnow]

13 hours ago, lawstudentthree said:

I have a question - is 2L recruit only for corporate law/big law?

In addition to what was said above, some government jobs (federal and at least some provincial) are also available in the 2L recruit.