For the rising 2L class of Gonzaga University School of Law, this summer is going to be more than just a time to kick back and relax. Well over half of the class has already secured summer employment in legal fields, and the jobs are as varied as the students.
Summer Legal Jobs by the Numbers
There are 175 students at Gonzaga Law that have completed their 1L year and are now rising 2Ls. Of those 175 students, 123 (70 percent) responded to the survey requesting summer employment information. 80 percent of respondents are planning to enter a job in the legal field over the summer. 8 percent of students will be attending summer classes, 6 percent are planning a non-legal job of some kind, and 6 percent reported no summer job plans.
Learning Through Experience
The 80 percent of rising 2L students that will be doing legal work over the summer will be doing so in a variety of locations and through several different programs. 23 have a paid legal-field job of some kind. 50 are entering unpaid internships or unpaid positions, and 26 will be making use of the Externship program or the Gonzaga Law Clinic.
Providing Service
The 36 students working in governmental legal positions will be at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Division III Court of Appeals, a variety of Defender’s and Prosecutor’s offices, several Superior Courts, and several County courts across the country. 21 students will be working directly with law firms, 17 will be working in Judge’s chambers, 2 will be working in business or industry law, and 13 will be putting in their hours in Public Service law jobs.
Getting a Head Start In Law
Graduating from Gonzaga University School of Law requires that students complete at least three credits of experiential learning. Experiential learning could be working with clients in the Clinic in the areas of General Practice, Consumer Law, Federal Tax Law, Environmental Law, Indian Law, Elder Law, and Business Law. These Experiential Learning credits may also be earned through the Externship program, which matches qualified students with legal professionals around the country for up to one full semester in practice.
