U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT — The most exhausting and intense part of law school is the first year, known as 1L. The seemingly endless flood of cases to read, the threat of being cold-called during class through the Socratic method, and the difficulty of adjusting to law school exams push many law students to their mental limits. As tempting as a long break may be at this point, it would be a shame to waste your first summer of law school. While summer positions after 1L year are unlikely to lead directly to postgraduate jobs, they can be a key steppingstone toward a legal career.