In an LLM Guide article discussing the ways that an LL.M student can make the best of their summer internship, Anthony Agolia, director of international and non-J.D. programs, shares his advice to future and present interns.
As LL.M. students on longer degree programs head to workplaces for internships this summer, it is worth considering how to make the most of the experience and secure a permanent offer of employment at the end. Securing an internship is relatively easy but getting hired in the right role is a more difficult task.
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At a basic level, LL.M. interns should be on time and be proactive. View this opportunity as your time to shine, says Anthony Agolia, director of international and non-J.D. programs at Fordham Law School in New York. “Instead of passively waiting around for attorneys to offer you assignments, pay attention to the projects that they are working on and think about how you can contribute.”
Find ways to make their jobs easier and ask thoughtful questions, he says. “The lawyers that you will be working with will have more on their mind than just you, so you may have to assert yourself to get consistent work.” When you do get assignments, pay attention to detail and be thorough, he adds. “No one is expecting you to be perfect, but they will expect you to avoid silly mistakes. Treat every assignment as if you were the final reviewer.”
Fordham offers a Graduate Student Externship Program, which gives LL.M. candidates the chance to work for-credit internships with a wide variety of organizations including non-profits, corporations and law firms. The placements are designed to enrich the learning experience and further develop students’ professional skills.
