Large and medium-sized law firms nationwide have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by curtailing or canceling summer associate hiring. Big Law has shortened summer programs or postponed hiring first-year associates indefinitely. No doubt the cutbacks will continue as long as the pandemic depression continues.

As legal work dries up and summer associate offers are rescinded, rising 3L law students are left in the lurch. The reason is a lack of money to pay summer workers, not to mention full-time employees, even though few law students care whether they get paid at this point. The experience is what matters, even if the pay is minimal.