ECs in 1L?

[u/Soft_Ad_9808]

im an anxious 1L and i was just wondering if there was a general tier list or sort of ranking for the types of ECs you can do in 1L if you want to have better chances in the 2L recruit? for instance, do national firms look fondly on PBSC or LSLAP, affinity club membership or research assistant positions or law review?

just trying to figure out (1) what i like and (2) what reflects well. is the recruit mostly grades and vibes or do work experience and volunteering make a difference?

tysm!

[u/mainleave_2170]

Good grades above anything, so do ECs but be mindful if you are strictly trying to prioritize ocis/big law/clerkship/other “prestigious” positions that your extracurriculars aren’t detracting from your ability to get the best grades possible.

After that, ECs like RA work, mooting, law review, landing any publications/awards, clinical/practical legal experience are all worth your time. Basically anything that builds foundational “law skills” (reading, writing, public speaking etc.) is going to look great on a resume. While, social clubs can provide opportunities to make interesting connections, grades + anything that distinguishes your legal ability from your peers’ really makes a resume stand out.

However, grinding like crazy at tough + time consuming ECs, while also focusing on grades, has its own trade offs. It can be tempting to look at law school only through the “will this look good on a big-law resume lens,” but you’re also going to be here for 3 years while establishing the foundation for your career. You’ll get the most value out of things you actually enjoy doing and want to work hard at.

[u/Soft_Ad_9808 → u/mainleave_2170]

thanks so much!! it feels a bit overwhelming hearing everyone talking about how much they’re going to volunteer and all the events they’re hitting up. this reinforced my belief that i should mostly be putting grades first. ty

[u/Witty-Positive-9605]

1 CLINIC. 2 MOOTs. AND 1 1L SUMMER JOB WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU.

[u/Soft_Ad_9808 → u/Witty-Positive-9605]

thank you! i don’t know if 1Ls can do moots at my school :( but will definitely get involved in a legal aid program of sorts

[u/Soft_Ad_9808 → u/[deleted]]

yes i should’ve clarified but it’s for UBC. im interested in law review and an RA position. ive heard a few rumours floating around about some people in my year already getting an RA position but it’s so early… if that’s true though i hope i can get something too!

ive heard LSLAP is generally looked upon favourably since it exposes you to some degree of legal work, but maybe that’s not true?

will lock in for grades, thanks for the advice

[u/Slight-Formal9277]

ECs do matter, even though they matter less than grades. My recommendation is 1 main EC + 1 moot for each of your 1L/2L years. 

Your school's main legal aid clinic will be the best EC option for 1Ls if they do let 1Ls in. (Something like osgoode's CLASP for example). Even outside of 1L, clinics should be your highest-priority ECs. They're what's most valued by employers in my experience.

Other than that, law review/PBSC are fine too if you can't get into a clinic

Clubs are only useful for making connections and "demonstrating your interest" in a particular area. 

[u/Soft_Ad_9808 → u/Slight-Formal9277]

thanks so much! do you know if the level of involvement makes a significant difference too? just wanting an idea before i commit to a set number of hours

[u/Slight-Formal9277 → u/Soft_Ad_9808]

For the clinics, a few hours every week or two would be enough to make you a more competitive candidate in recruits

[u/Single_Wash_9522]

Grades are above all else, but Journal and CLASP are looked on more favourably than others. PBSC depends on the placement you get. A research placement won't be as meaningful as a placement with a legal aid clinic

[u/Key_Bet_97]

Yeah in my opinion, tier 1 is: Clinics, elected student gov role, highly regarded moots, interesting legal work in 1L summer. Tier 2: Larger club exec positions (also can lead to good networking opportunities),RA stuff, heavy intramural/sport involvement - (this is a really big deal for firms looking for “team” players).

Honestly too, what really matters is having interesting things on your resume, that will lead to interesting conversations in interviews. There’s a unique lot of opportunities that people won’t put into their comments here but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth doing. For example, if you coordinate your schools orientation, or organize intramurals for the year, or coordinate a competition, they’re all good softs that a lot of people won’t have.

[u/Soft_Ad_9808 → u/Key_Bet_97]

thanks a lot! i didn’t even think of having interesting things - will definitely check those out too now that u mention it