I didn't learn the right things...

After looking at the jobs on the school's career site this morning and on Craigslist makes me all the more ready to enlist in the military after I graduate law school.  The idea of working in the private sector no longer appeals to me at all.  I am baffled at the internship "opportunities" that are offered.  People basically want you to be their slave.  Some offer a small stipend of $12/hour so you can really slave for them. 

One example on my college's website of full time labor was a paralegal position for a firm that works with low income households.  Your reward for working for this firm is, of course, being a low income household yourself.  Perhaps they will help you apply for Food Stamps (I have already done this before, so already know the process.)  This job, in New York, NY states: Salary is $31,518 to $34,670 annually with extensive employee benefits.  I suppose that is more than I have ever made, and to be honest, I would be somewhat happy to have a job with that kind of wage, yet at the same time, it would be tough to pay back $200,000+ of college loans on that wage and live in NY.  What would I have left to save in order to buy property, start my own business, or enjoy live?  Is that the cost of a college education?

Another Summer internship I found was quite upsetting, to be honest.  Here's the jist from the ad:

The individual should have a demonstrated commitment to either public interest law, civil rights and/or labor and employment law on behalf of plaintiffs-employees, combating unlawful discrimination in employment, education and housing, First Amendment and Due Process claims/ rights on behalf of civil rights litigants, and/or issues of social/ economic justice.

Also, potential applicants should be interested in working at a law firm where ninety percent (90%) or more of its practice is devoted to litigation in the NY State and federal courts, and in administrative proceedings such us before the EEOC or US Dept. of Labor. A small percentage of work will probably involve assisting in compliance issues, counseling and/or assisting in representing small to medium sized employers located in the NYC metropolitan and Mid-Hudson Valley areas.

The intern would be responsible for the following tasks, which includes but is not limited to: doing intake of and discussion with potential clients; performing legal research (knowledge of WestLaw is highly preferred, but capability in Lexis would suffice although the applicant would have to independently have access to Lexis); drafting legal memoranda and opinions; assist me in bringing on motions, including but not limited to motions for summary judgment and discovery motions (e.g., motions to compel) and in opposing motions to dismiss, summary judgment and discovery motions; substantial document review; deposition transcript review and digesting; and assist me at depositions, trials, court conferences, and hearings.

A Spanish speaking individual is preferred, but knowledge of Spanish is not necessary. Lastly, although much of the work can be done from a remote location, it is preferred that applicants reside in the NYC metropolitan area, and preferably in either NYC or the Mid-Hudson Valley areas (i.e., Westchester; Rockland; Orange; Putnam; Dutchess; Sullivan and/or Ulster Counties).

Sadly, I don't know how to do most of that stuff.  One reason I do not apply for internships now is because I was expected to know all of this stuff at my last job.  Law school does NOT prepare a student to do these things, yet for some reason, the employers expect students to know how.  It's rather upsetting that I will be graduating this year and will have no idea what the hell these things are.  And since I was not in the top 5% of my class I could not get an internship with a large firm that actually has a training program which teaches its interns how to do these things. 

I will be glad when I am done with all this.  I wish I would have learned how to do all these things that I don't know how to do, but it will soon be over and I will be done with it all.  Good riddance.