haven't most biglaw firms already landed 1Ls for their summer programs? wife works for a top 50 amlaw firm in dallas and I think they have been doing stuff with summer associates for a while now this summer. I think they usually get a mix of 1Ls and 2Ls, but it's mostly 1Ls that they have identified they are going after for recruitment.
does your relative want to litigate or not? my wife is in corporate law and never goes to court. She handles [american] murders and executions [/psycho] IPOs/spinoffs, IP acquisition/selling, crypto and stuff like that. works some with IP lawyers as her specialty is technology/media. Point is what she does is broad and not that specific.
- It seems like their summer candidates go into sections like 'corporate' or 'bankruptcy' or 'litigation'. some firms separate out stuff like funds or combine corporate and bankruptcy, but i have never heard of a group for trademarks. that would seem to be a better fit for an in-house lawyer for company that gets sued a lot by patent/trademark trolls maybe?
edit - just saw that she is getting into a summer program. That is the way to go for big law opportunities