Summer After 1L?

[civicnoon]

Just wondering if any current Western students have any insights on the 1L summer placements. I have a couple questions:

1) Are placements basically guaranteed to all applicants? I can see certain fields/clinics being more competitive but is the program so competitive that there's a good chance of not getting a placement at all?

2) Any general thoughts from students who participated in this program last summer? Do you think it's a valuable program?

Also, Western pays $8000 to everyone who participates. If your placement is for the duration of the summer, that works out to $12.50/hr for 40 hours/week. But if your placement isn't the whole summer, you have to find another job willing to take you for 1.5 months or less. Any insight on this front would be really appreciated, it seems like maybe not the best deal?

[futurelawyer2023]

21 hours ago, civicnoon said:

Just wondering if any current Western students have any insights on the 1L summer placements. I have a couple questions:

1) Are placements basically guaranteed to all applicants? I can see certain fields/clinics being more competitive but is the program so competitive that there's a good chance of not getting a placement at all?

2) Any general thoughts from students who participated in this program last summer? Do you think it's a valuable program?

Also, Western pays $8000 to everyone who participates. If your placement is for the duration of the summer, that works out to $12.50/hr for 40 hours/week. But if your placement isn't the whole summer, you have to find another job willing to take you for 1.5 months or less. Any insight on this front would be really appreciated, it seems like maybe not the best deal?

Hey! I’m a current student at Western Law. This is the first summer that they’re running the program so a lot of this is still very uncertain. I think there will be better feedback next summer once this year’s 1L class has gone through the program. From what we’ve heard thus far, a placement is guaranteed. However, like you mentioned, some may be more competitive than others and will potentially require interviews.

The compensation is $8000 for 10 weeks so $800/week. That’s $20/hour if you’re working 40 hours which is honestly quite good in terms of 1L placements that occur outside of the formal recruits. The program director has said this could potentially be extended to more weeks but this would have to be negotiated with your employer as Western only funds the standard $8000.

Hope this helps!

[civicnoon]

On 2/22/2024 at 9:33 PM, futurelawyer2023 said:

Hey! I’m a current student at Western Law. This is the first summer that they’re running the program so a lot of this is still very uncertain. I think there will be better feedback next summer once this year’s 1L class has gone through the program. From what we’ve heard thus far, a placement is guaranteed. However, like you mentioned, some may be more competitive than others and will potentially require interviews.

The compensation is $8000 for 10 weeks so $800/week. That’s $20/hour if you’re working 40 hours which is honestly quite good in terms of 1L placements that occur outside of the formal recruits. The program director has said this could potentially be extended to more weeks but this would have to be negotiated with your employer as Western only funds the standard $8000.

Hope this helps!

That is very helpful thank you! So when they say "minimum of ten weeks," really all the placements are 10 weeks for $8000 and for anything beyond that you have to take it up with the employer. I was confused thinking it could be possible to get like a 14 week placement but be paid the same stipend as someone working less hours - it makes a lot more sense that it's 10 weeks for everyone