Many law students believe that getting internships at well-known law firms is one of the biggest achievements in law school. Because of this, they often judge their own progress by the firms they have interned with and believe that these internships will decide how successful they will be in the future.
In your experience, how much do a law student’s internships predict their long-term success in corporate law?
The biggest myth in law school is that Tier-1 internships create Tier-1 lawyers.
They don’t.
They create Tier-1 CVs.
That distinction is becoming even more important today. Most leading firms are increasingly relying on PPOs because an internship tells them far more than a 20-minute interview ever can. They want to know whether you can think, write, communicate and work in a team. Not just where you interned.
So yes, I would absolutely recommend interning at Tier-1 firms. The brand matters. It gets your CV noticed and gives you exposure to the highest quality of litigation, transactions and processes.
But if your only takeaway from a month at a Tier-1 firm is a LinkedIn post saying “Grateful for the opportunity…”, you’ve probably gained less than someone who spent three months at a boutique firm drafting pleadings / agreements, sitting in client calls and taking ownership of real work.
My advice is simple.
Up to your fourth year, chase Tier-1 internships. Build credibility and understand how the best firms operate.
During your fourth and fifth year, shift your focus to a long-term internship at a Tier-2 or Tier-3 firm, a boutique firm, or a good chamber. That is where you stop observing advocates and start becoming one.
If you perform well, try to get absorbed there after graduation. Spend about a year building real experience. Then move to a Tier-1 firm.
At that stage, you are no longer competing only on pedigree. You are competing on capability.
One final thought. Law students spend far too much time comparing internship logos and far too little time comparing learning curves.
The safest career strategy is to copy everyone else.
The smartest career strategy is to ask, “Where will I learn the most?”
Those are usually two very different answers.
Because in the long run, clients don’t ask where you interned.
They ask whether you know what you’re doing.
