Julian, this may sound odd, but about the only suggestion I have is to try not to develop preconceived notions about what you think you want or don't want. Preconceived notions about what you want or don't want in an industry you know little about can only lead to disappointment and forced value assessments. The time when you are in the actual job is the time when you FIND what you want and don't want. And the two summer experiences will give you a jump-start on that. All you know right now is that you want to be a lawyer and you know where you'll be working this summer. That's enough. I'd love to hear in September how your summer went and what you learned from the experience.

Since you mentioned others in class with legal experience, for whatever it's worth, my husband is currently a partner in a Midwest firm. He got his undergrad and law degrees here in the East, and during that time he found out enough about the East Coast market to high-tail it back to Indiana when the time came. I'm sure he'd say he has no regrets.

-- BarbPitman - 14 Apr 2008