Whether to Participate in June VIP

If you are interested in exploring large law firm practice, June VIP represents the ideal environment for you to interview with employers and secure callback interviews and offers. Participating in June VIP offers many benefits, including:

• You will receive interviews based solely on your bids and a school-administered lottery (based on student bids), with no input from employers. Your resume and transcript will play no role in securing interviews.
• You will not need to write cover letters.
• You will be able to meet with many employers/offices in different geographic markets at the same time, which enables you to compare options, leverage offers, and make informed career decisions.

In terms of the firm offices attending June VIP:

• California, DC, and New York are heavily represented.
• Boston, Chicago, and Texas are well represented.
• Other geographic markets (e.g., Atlanta, Denver, London, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle) are minimally represented.

Starting June 1, log into CMS and click “interview programs” to access up-to-date June VIP registration information.

Review YLS Recruiting Policies Section VI

As you decide whether to participate in June VIP, review Section VI of the YLS Recruiting Policies which states:

a. To ensure an efficient, fair, and open hiring process, law firm offices and rising 2Ls participating in June VIP shall not conduct initial or callback interviews with each other prior to June VIP.

b. A law firm office participating in June VIP that offers a fellowship/scholarship program which provides a benefit or compensation separate from, or in addition to, an offer of 2L summer employment may receive applications from rising 2Ls participating in June VIP prior to the firm’s assigned June VIP interview date. However, the firm shall not conduct initial or callback interviews for the fellowship/scholarship program prior to their assigned June VIP interview date. As a best practice, we urge law firms with fellowship/scholarship programs to hire for those programs contemporaneously with the June VIP process.

c. Callback interviews cannot be scheduled during June VIP.

In other words, participation in June VIP requires that you refrain from interviewing with law firm offices participating in June VIP prior to the program. Participation in June VIP does NOT require that you: (a) refrain from networking with law firm offices participating in June VIP; (b) refrain from interviewing with law firm offices not participating in June VIP, even if other offices of the same firm are participating in June VIP; or (c) refrain from interviewing with law firms not participating in June VIP. We encourage you to review YLS Recruiting Policies and YLS Recruiting Policies FAQs for June VIP and contact CDO with any questions. Information about law firm fellowship/scholarship opportunities is available here.

If you decide not to participate in June VIP, either because you are not interested in the employers attending or you have decided to apply to June VIP firms directly instead of participating in the program, connect with a CDO counselor to develop a game plan, including a discussion of the best time to submit applications. Determine the best point of contact at organizations of interest to you (for firms that’s the recruiting director whose info is available on NALP Directory of Legal Employers and in Firm Prospects by clicking “hiring contacts”) and email them a cover letter, resume and YLS transcript.

Thoughts for Public Interest Focused Students

• Review the employer registration list for June VIP—some public interest employers (including public interest law firms) will register!
• Participating in June VIP to interview with law firms can help you make a more informed decision about whether law firm practice is a good option for you.
• Potential challenges:
  • It can be hard to demonstrate (or pretend to have) interest in firm work if your interests are elsewhere. Take some time to consider how best to demonstrate your interest in firm work.
  • If you work for a law firm during the summer and subsequently apply for public interest positions, prospective public interest employers will likely ask you to explain your choice to work for a law firm.
  • You might feel compelled to accept a firm offer if you receive one. Before making a decision, review YLS Recruiting Policies , which provide options for students to hold open one law firm offer in order to pursue job opportunities in other employment sectors.
    • September VIP extension (Section VIII.c.iii)
    • April 1 extension (Section VIII.c.iv)
• It might be possible to split your summer between a firm and a public interest employer. (See CDO’s advice about splitting the summer.)
• You can also participate in September VIP, Equal Justice Works Career Fair, Public Interest Legal Career Fair, and other interview programs!
• Talk to a CDO counselor to develop a game plan best suited to your interests.
• Talk to the Financial Aid office to understand your particular financial situation and YLS financial aid policies and programs (like the expected Student Contribution for summer employment, SPIF, and COAP).