2L Roadmap

  1. Community Life
  2. Student Life
  3. Roadmaps
  4. 2L Roadmap

A month-by-month snapshot of many of the key things to know and do during 2L year.

Academics

  • Pre-register for fall courses, taking advantage of your academic and career advisers as you plan your schedule.
  • Submit your classroom seating requests in LawNet.
  • If you are submitting a paper for a Moot Workshop, do so by the deadline.
  • If you are writing a note, finalize your topic and secure a faculty note supervisor. If you would like to receive credit for your note, you may submit a digital registration form in LawNet for Supervised Research and Major Writing. 
  • Students with accommodations should review their accommodations and, if needed, contact Disability Services to make any changes. 
  • After pre-registration results are published students may participate in Add/Drop.

 Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are participating in the Early Application Program (EAP) or Summer Interview Program (SIP), attend your interviews and see counselors in the Office of Private Sector Careers (OPSC) for advice on callbacks and offer acceptance/deferral. (Note that some government employers attend SIP.) Update OPSC with your progress.
  • Apply/bid for/participate in Fall On-Campus Interviews (OCI), keeping in mind that most public sector employers have mid-August application deadlines. (Public sector employers participate.)
  • If you are considering a public interest, government, or international human rights 2L summer, meet with advisers from the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS office) to begin discussing your options, especially because some applications for 2L summer are due before your 1L summer ends. Also, look out for an invitation for a 2L public interest dinner if you are not participating in EAP/SIP.
  • Discuss course selection with advisors from the Office of Judicial Careers (OJC) if you are interested in post-graduate clerkships.

Student Life

  • If you signed up to be a Peer Mentor, attend the relevant trainings and programs.

Academics

  • Take advantage of the Add/Drop period and academic advising provided by Student Services and the career offices as you finalize your courses and exam schedule.
  • Attend the Global @ CLS information session to learn about the wealth of international opportunities at Columbia Law School. Speak with career advisers about their intersection, if any, with your professional goals.
  • Attend the Study Abroad General Info session to learn about international semester study and Global Alliance programs if you want to study abroad in the fall or spring of your 3L year. Speak with your career adviser about how this may impact your professional goals.
  • Research options if you are considering applying for an independent semester abroad program for your 3L year (in places we do not have established programs).
  • If you are writing a note, finalize your topic and secure a faculty note supervisor. If you’re thinking of applying for a clerkship, discuss with an OJC adviser whether your topic and format may serve as a writing sample. If you’d like to receive credit for your note or independent paper please review this helpful guide, Supervised Research and Major Writing Registration Forms. You can register to receive credit in LawNet. Additional information about pre-registration can be found on Registration Services’ resource page.

 Careers and Professional Development

  • Attend Public Interest Mondays and other public interest programming, OJC Workshops, and other practitioner or guest lecture events.
  • Register for the Equal Justice Works Career Fair in October if you are pursuing a public interest career. 
  • If you plan to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) in November, register by the September deadline. If you have accommodations, your deadline may be earlier, check the MPRE website.
  • Continue to meet with your career advisers in OPSC and the PI/PS Office to navigate 2L summer job applications and offers. You should begin to apply for public interest summer positions.
  • If you are considering applying for a postgraduate judicial clerkship, attend OJC workshops and set up an appointment through Symplicity with an  OJC clerkship adviser to develop your application plan.
  • Participate in the Fall On-Campus Interview (OCI) program for public sector summer jobs.
  • Attend the Davis Polk Leadership Initiative informational session about Fellowships, Grants, and the experiential Lawyer Leadership seminar.
  • Apply for the Davis Polk Leadership Initiative Fellowship and/or Grant
    • Fellowship applications will open in August and be due Thursday, September 12
    • Grant applications will open in August and will be accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled

Student Life

Academics

  • Begin to plan for spring courses by attending faculty-led panels, student-to-student info sessions, and faculty office hours. Meet with your advisers in Student Services, OPSC, OJC, and the PI/PS Office as needed.
  • Attend the information session for any new experiential learning opportunities available in the spring term. (Applications will be due thisg month).  
  • Attend information sessions on participating in Global Alliance programs (in Amsterdam, Oxford or Paris) or specific international study programs for the fall or spring semester of your 3L year.
  • Consider taking part in the Harlan Fiske Stone Moot Court Competition. Stone is an excellent opportunity to develop a writing sample for a clerkship application, as well as gain additional experience with written and oral appellate advocacy. Participants argue before a panel of distinguished jurists, and prior Stone finalists have secured clerkships through their participation.

Careers and Professional Development

Student Life

Academics

  • Pre-register for spring classes and the January term.
  • Keep an eye out for emails from Registration Services regarding fall exams. Take note of the deadline to reschedule exams.
  • Reach out to professors about opportunities for serving as a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Fellow (TF) during the spring semester.

 Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are considering public interest or government work next summer, register for Columbia Summer Funding by November 29. Email [email protected] a copy of your résumé to register. 2Ls that opted out of EAP/SIP are automatically registered and do not need to complete this step. (You can always opt-out, but you cannot register past the deadline!)
  • If you want to work internationally in human rights next summer, submit an application for the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP) by November 30. Applications are required for all 2Ls, even if you participated in HRIP as a 1L.
  • If you want to do a public interest 2L summer, register for the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair in the spring—some 2Ls get their summer jobs there. (Deadline is usually mid-January.)
  • If you are interested in the Salzburg Cutler Fellowship in International Law (two-day February program in Washington, D.C.), apply in early November.
  • Set up an appointment with OJC, if you have not done so already, to explore clerkship opportunities.  Keep in mind that many state court clerkship deadlines will be in April/May, and federal clerkships will open to your class in June.
  • Apply for the Columbia Clerkship Connections alumni mentoring program and for the Clerkships Diversity Initiative.

Student Life

Academics

  • Focus on your exams. Meet with your academic adviser, professors, and TAs as needed for exam prep.

Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are hoping to work in your hometown during your 2L summer and are traveling home for the holidays, reach out to potential employers to meet with them over break.
  • If you want to do a public interest 2L summer, apply for jobs through the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair (but do not rely on this for obtaining a summer position).

 Student Life

  • Take advantage of counseling hours and check out other Law School and University-sponsored wellness programs.

Academics

  • Add/Drop as needed and take note of your final schedule, including exams.
  • If you plan to get Supervised Research Credit for writing a note in the spring term, get the registrar's deadline for submitting the needed paperwork.
  • Submit your classroom seating requests in LawNet.
  • Attend the International Study Application info session to learn about CLS’ semester , global alliance, and dual degree programs and how to apply for them in February.  
  • If you are applying for an independent semester study-abroad program for your 3L year (in places we do not have established programs), apply by the end-of-month deadline.
  • Connect with your professors to pick up your fall term exams and take advantage of your professors' posted office hours if you would like feedback. Consider using these discussions as an opportunity to speak about potential clerkship recommendations. Review OJC’s best practices on requesting faculty recommendation letters, available on Courseworks.

 Careers and Professional Development

  • Participate in the Spring On-Campus Interview program. (Both private and public sector employers participate.)
  • 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.
  • If you are interested in a career in academia, attend the weekly Careers in Law Teaching workshop.
  • If you plan to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) in March, register by the January deadline. If you have accommodations, your deadline may be earlier, check the MPRE website.
  • If you are considering public service or public interest law as a career, attend the PI/PS Office’s Planning and Financing Your Public Interest Career series throughout the spring term, and other public interest programming.
  • Attend Clerkships 201 programming. Note that some state courts will begin to consider law clerk candidates early in the spring, while most federal and state judges will wait until the summer. The Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan provides Monday, June 9, as the first day that adhering federal judges will review 2L clerkship applications. 
  • If you are considering a public interest or government 2L summer, 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 in the Human Rights Internship Program, attend the opening event.

Academics

  • If applicable, attend the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Information Session.
  • Keep an eye out for information about applying for clinics, externships and other experiential learning opportunities offered in the 3L Academic Year. (Applications will be due later in the spring term.)
  • If you are considering spending the fall or spring term of your 3L year in Washington, D.C., as a part of the Externship on the Federal Government, attend the information session, then apply.
  • Apply for international semester study or Amsterdam, Paris, or Oxford Global Alliance programs to take place in the 3L fall or spring semester. (Applications open from February 1 to March 1.)

 Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are pursuing a public interest or government job in the summer, attend the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair to interview and table talk with potential employers.
  • Participate in Spring On-Campus Interviews for 2Ls.
  • If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, attend the CSF Mandatory Payment Session. This is required even if you participated in CSF as a 1L.
  • If you are participating in the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP), participate in the training and orientation program.
  • If you are considering public service or public interest law as a career, attend the PI/PS Office’s Postgraduate Fellowships Overview to learn more about different types of fellowship opportunities, government honors programs, and their deadlines. (Several project-based fellowships and government honors programs have application deadlines in early September.)
  • If you are interested in postgraduate judicial clerkships and will be applying this Spring/Summer, ask faculty for letters of recommendation. Follow OJC’s guidance on faculty recommendation letters on its Courseworks page or speak with an OJC adviser for best practices.
  • If you are interested in a career in academia, attend the weekly Careers in Law Teaching workshop.
  • Attend the bar application information session.

Student Life

Academics

Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are applying to a postgraduate judicial clerkship this summer:
    • Friday, March 14, is the suggested deadline by which you should request a clerkship recommendation letter from potential faculty recommenders for classes taken, or research or teaching assistant work, completed in any prior semester.  
    • consider using Spring Break as a time to select and edit your writing sample(s). Discuss with an OJC advisor and review Courseworks materials if you have questions.
    • attend OJC programming on judge lists and application processes after Spring Break.
  • If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, continue to complete the program requirements listed on the Spring CSF Checklist.
  • If you are participating in the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP), participate in the training and orientation program.
  • If you are considering public service or public interest law as a career, attend programs on public interest law as a career, introductory programs on postgraduate fellowships, and small dinners with practitioners.
  • If you are interested in a career in academia, attend the weekly Careers in Law Teaching workshop.
  • Consider using your spring break as an opportunity to meet with potential employers or network with alumni. It’s also a great time to work on clerkship application writing samples and develop a draft list of judges to whom you plan to apply.
  • Attend the Private Sector Career Symposium.

Student Life

  • If you are on the board of a student organization, ensure you comply with leadership transition dates so next year's board can hit the ground running.
  • Attend Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events. 

Academics

  • If you are studying abroad during the following academic year, attend a mandatory pre-departure briefing.
  • If you are considering participating in the Pro Bono Scholars Program next year, submit an application.
  • Attend the information session to learn about becoming a moot court student editor and teaching fellow in the Moot Court/LPW program during your 3L year (this program fulfills the major writing credit).

 Careers and Professional Development

  • Students pursuing public interest or public service should meet with the PI/PS Office to discuss strategies to apply for postgraduate fellowships and government honors programs in the fall, and review the Postgraduate Fellowship Toolkit. Also, continue to take advantage of the small dinners with practitioners.
  • If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, report your placement to LawNet and complete the needed paperwork.
  • If you are participating in the Human Rights Internship Program (HRIP), attend the Sendoff program.
  • If you will be working in the private sector this summer, attend How to be a Successful Summer Associate.
  • If you are interested in a career in academia, attend the weekly Careers in Law Teaching workshop.
  • If you are applying to postgraduate judicial clerkships, attend OJC programming on judge lists and application processes. Edit your resume and draft cover letters. Keep track of any deadlines for state court clerkships by reviewing the Vermont Law School Guide to State Court clerkships.

Student Life

Academics

  • Focus on your exams.
  • Apply on LawNet to become a moot court student editor and LPW teaching fellow for your 3L year.

 Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are applying to postgraduate judicial clerkships: 
    • be certain to ask for any faculty clerkship recommendation letters for work related to this term by no later than Friday, May 23.
    • make sure to polish your resume, cover letter, and writing sample(s). Review OJC’s judicial clerkship hiring spreadsheets to determine which judges will be hiring this season. Submit materials via OSCAR or to OJC for email/paper applications.
  • If you are participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program, review your Spring CSF Checklist to ensure you’ve completed all program requirements.
  • Students participating in the Columbia Summer Funding Program can begin their internship the Monday after the spring 2025 term ends. Students can not receive funding for work beginning prior to this date, even if your finals concluded. 

Academics

Reach out to professors about opportunities for serving as an RA or TF during your 2L summer or 3L year.

  • Pre-register for classes, meeting with your various advisers as needed as you plan your schedule.
  • Apply on LawNet to be an LPW Teaching Fellow/Moot Court Student Editor during your 3L year.

Careers and Professional Development

  • If you are applying for federal clerkships, most judges will begin reviewing applications on Monday, June 9, and interview candidates, and make clerkship offers, as early as Tuesday, June 10. Many state courts also consider applicants at this time. After June 10, it is a rolling process and you can apply until you secure your clerkship(s), whether this summer, as a 3L, or as an alum.
  • Reach out to OPSC or the PI/PS Office if any issues arise with your summer job. Remember to keep a list of matters and clients for future conflict checks.
  • Complete a summer employment evaluation in Symplicity.
  • If you are participating in the Summer Recruiting Program, update your résumé and meet with your OPSC adviser as you prepare your bid list.
  • Bid for the Summer Recruiting Program.
  • Keep an eye out for emails about deadlines for Fall On-Campus Interviews (OCI), which can be quite early, and start to prepare to apply/bid.
  • If you are considering a career in law teaching, submit an abstract and paper for a September Moot Workshop by the corresponding summer deadlines.
  • Public interest and public service students applying for government honors positions or public interest/service fellowships should work closely with the PI/PS Office to begin working on their applications.
  • If you plan on taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) in August, register by the June deadline. If you have accommodations, your deadline may be earlier, check the MPRE website.

Student Life

  • Apply to be a Peer Mentor in your 3L year.
  • Start thinking about doing pro bono in the fall and exploring potential projects. Every student must devote at least 40 hours to public interest law service and register their hours in LawNet by March 1 of 3L year.