A month-by-month snapshot of many of the key things to know and do during 1L year. Current 1Ls can also access a comprehensive, CLS Connect checklist that contains these and other important items in detail.
Orientation
- Attend orientation events.
Academics
- Focus on your Legal Methods and Legal Practice Workshop (LPW) studies.
- Consider forming a peer study group.
- Meet with your academic adviser.
Careers and Professional Development
- Learn about the Davis Polk Leadership Initiative and apply for the DPLI Fellowship and/or Grant.
Student Life
- Participate in student organization orientation events.
Academics
- Attend information sessions on various opportunities, such as moot court, international opportunities/global education/study abroad, and dual degree programs.
- Attend programming related to your academic progress/success.
- Meet with your academic adviser in Student Services to discuss your classroom experience or any questions you have about study skills.
Careers and Professional Development
- Learn about the three CLS career offices the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS Office), the Office of Private Sector Careers (OPSC), and the Office of Judicial Careers (OJC), meet with a career adviser, and discover the various resources available to you. Also, learn about the Careers in Law Teaching Program.
- Attend programming about various legal practices, career pathways, and preparing for your job search, and begin drafting your 1L Summer job search application materials (résumé and cover letters) based on the CLS format and guidelines for the sector you are applying for.
Student Life
- Attend programs about adjusting to law school, self-care, and other health and wellness programming.
- Continue to participate in student organization orientation events including the Block Party.
- Attend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events.
Academics
- Beginning in October, you have the opportunity to sign up for an academic coach for one of your foundation law classes.
- Use the CLS Writing Center for additional help with legal research and writing.
- Prepare for your midterm exams.
- Learn about your options for your January Legal Methods II course and your spring elective.
Careers and Professional Development
- Learn about and register for summer funding: applicable to students working in unpaid public interest or public service (including judicial) internships.
- Finalize your job search application materials in the necessary CLS format.
- Research 1L summer job opportunities and meet with your career advisers.
- Begin applying for 1L summer internships in public interest, government, and/or judicial internships and continue to attend career-related programs.
Student Life
- Attend required Community Citizenship events.
- Attend the Spring Break Pro Bono Caravans information session.
- Attend Wellness Week events.
Academics
- Prepare for fall exams and attend programming related to academic success.
- Pre-register for spring courses.
Careers and Professional Development
- Complete the required checklist to participate in Columbia Summer Funding (CSF) and/or the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP).
- Attend the Private Sector Diversity Expo and the OJC Summer Judicial Internship Diversity Program Open House: an opportunity for students to learn about individual employer initiatives to enhance and sustain a diverse working environment.
- Begin applying for 1L summer jobs in the private sector.
- Attend OPSC’s Preparing for Your Law Firm Interviews.
- Register and apply for interviews at the February Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair at NYU.
Student Life
- Apply to participate in a Spring Break Pro Bono Caravan.
Academics
- Focus on your exams. Meet with your academic adviser, professors, and teaching assistants as needed regarding exam prep.
Careers and Professional Development
- Continue applying for summer positions through job postings on Symplicity, the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair at NYU, fellowship programs, and other sources.
- Register for and participate in the Practice Interview Program hosted by OPSC.
- Network with employers in your hometown by attending events during the winter break.
Student Life
- Take advantage of academic counseling hours and check out other Law School- and university-sponsored wellness programs.
Academics
- Prepare for the spring semester by looking over your class and exam schedule.
- Connect with your fall term professors for feedback on exams/coursework.
- Continue to build your skills by attending programs on learning from the fall term, getting to know faculty, and more.
- Begin thinking about 2L clinics, externships, or other experiential learning.
Careers and Professional Development
- Attend OJC’s Clerkships 101 Signature Program during the J-Term.
- Continue to research summer job opportunities, apply for jobs (and follow up on applications already submitted), and meet with your advisers in the PI/PS Office, OPSC, and OJC to discuss your progress. Update any prior submitted applications with your 1L fall transcripts.
- Continue to attend career-related programming, such as the Law Firm Networking Night, Networking Workshop, Careers in Law Teaching workshops, and the Planning and Financing Your Public Interest Career series.
- Register for and participate in the practice interview programs.
- Participate in the Spring On-Campus Interview (OCI) program for 1Ls (for public interest and private sector).
- Review your Spring CSF Checklist and complete the requirements to remain eligible to receive Columbia Summer Funding. (You can opt-out later, but you cannot receive funding if you miss important program deadlines.)
- If you are participating in the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP), attend the opening event.
Academics
- Attend Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Information Session (for international students).
- Apply for international dual degree programs (for your entire 3L year abroad, but need to apply as a 1L). Apply for a semester abroad or the Paris Global Alliance programs during your 2L spring semester.
- Attend the 1L Experiential Learning Lunch to learn about taking a clinic, externship, or other experiential opportunity in the 2L academic year.
- Consider Research Assistant (RA) and Teaching Fellow (TF) positions during your 1L summer and/or 2L year.
Careers and Professional Development
- Attend the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair to interview and table talk with potential 1L summer employers.
- Continue to research summer job opportunities, apply for jobs (and follow up on applications already submitted), and meet with your advisers in the PI/PS Office, OPSC, and OJC to discuss your progress.
- Attend individual firm receptions to learn about the Summer Recruiting Program (EAP/SIP) employers.
- Continue to attend career-related programming such as the PI/PS office’s small dinners with practitioners, OJC’s Judicial Speaker Series, and OPSC workshops and information sessions.
- Attend the Columbia Summer Funding Mandatory Payment Session. This is required for all students participating in CSF.
- If you are participating in the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP), attend weekly trainings.
- Attend a Bar Application Information Session.
Student Life
- Attend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events.
- Consider running for a board position with a student organization during your 2L year.
Academics
- Attend the Experiential Information Fair and apply for 2L academic year clinics, externships and other experiential learning opportunities that will satisfy the experiential credit requirement.
- Attend Student Service panels to start learning about the Law School’s writing requirements, what journal work entails, and why joining a journal might be right for you.
Careers and Professional Development
- Continue to attend programming related to your career interests. This includes: weekly Careers in Law Teaching workshops, public interest small dinners with practitioners, and other programming offered by the PI/PS Office, OJC, and OPSC.
- If you are pursuing private sector work and/or plan to participate in 2L SIP/EAP, register for and attend the planning and orientation programs.
- If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, apply for additional summer funding opportunities and consult the Additional Summer Funding checklist.
Student Life
- Run for a student organization leadership position.
Academics
- Attend the information session to learn about becoming a moot court student editor and teaching fellow in the Moot Court/LPW program.
- Attend programs on note writing.
- Look out for correspondence from Registration Services regarding fall pre-registration.
Careers and Professional Development
- Attend 1L summer internship preparatory programs on how to succeed, professionalism, ethics, and resilience to prepare for your summer internship.
- Report your 1L summer employment information to the career offices.
Student Life
- Attend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events.
Academics
- Focus on your exams.
Careers and Professional Development
- If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, review your Spring CSF Checklist to ensure you’ve completed all program requirements.
Student Life
- Apply on LawNet to become a moot court student editor and LPW teaching fellow for your 2L year.
Academics
- Start brainstorming possible note topics and faculty note supervisors.
- Continue to think about how you might explore experiential learning opportunities as a 2L.
- Explore opportunities for RA and TF positions during your 1L summer or 2L year by reaching out to professors in whose classes you excelled during your first two semesters.
- Pre-register for fall classes and meet with your various advisers as needed as you plan your schedule.
Careers and Professional Development
- If you are participating in OPSC's EAP/SIP, update your application materials, meet with your OPSC adviser, and prepare your bid list.
- Keep an eye out for emails about deadlines for Fall On-Campus Interviews (OCI).
- Complete an employment evaluation for your 1L summer position on Symplicity.
- Get a writing sample for clerkships. If you are considering applying for post-graduate judicial clerkships after 2L year, obtaining a writing sample from a summer internship (and ensuring that you have permission to use it) will be helpful moving forward.
- If you participated in the Columbia Summer Funding Program and continued to work after your funding ended, consider submitting unpaid hours towards your pro bono requirement.
Student Life
- Participate in the Columbia Law Review’s Write-On competition.
- Apply to journals through the regular journal application process.
- Start thinking about doing pro bono in the fall and exploring different projects.
- Consider joining a new student organization.