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Hey, I've done one internship at SAM and I wanted to know the process that is followed there for second internships or PPOs. How does that work?
It's mostly the usual process of getting the feedback from all the associates you worked with. The senior, the better. PPO process may differ based on teams. I interned with the competition team at SAM Delhi, and both Mumbai and Delhi offices need you to intern 2-3 times for a minimum of one month each before they offer you a ppo.
Okay, you may not like what you'll hear, but it really depends. There simply are too many variables.

Lots of law students intern at SAM. These days, internships aren't even that selective - which is actually quite unfortunate because it effectively dilutes the quality of the intern pool and makes it harder to get recruited based just on internship performance. It's worth noting that only an extremely small minority will get called back and fewer still get placed. Let that sink in first.

To be considered for a call back, you need to have received very strong positive feedback AND the associate you worked with must have recommended you for a call back while filling out your appraisal form. Similarly, for a PPO, the associate (and the partner to whom he reports) must recommend you. Unless this happens, you can pretty much forget about call back.

Generally, a PPO isn't given to someone who hasn't interned with the firm at least twice, though, I'm sure exceptions exist. Factors that matter are, your law school, grades, performance, attitude while interning etc. Again, not every team looks to hire right out of college (which basically is what a PPO is), so it's best to check with the person who you worked most for what the scene is. Again, how important each of these factors is depends on practice area. Some practice areas/teams aren't as selective, others are.

Reaching out to HR won't help. Without your appraisal being processed, they'll not be able to really do anything.

Hope this helps
I hear that they are not very actively considering internships this year, does the same apply for callbacks too?
That's not necessarily true; I think this would vary from team to team. Again, a lot of variables. Most top firms will try and make room for, or at least give a certain amount of visibility to students from the senior years of top law schools if they have good academic or other credentials (I speak from experience having got internships this way years back). Whether you'll stand to benefit from an internship where you don't actually work is another issue altogether. It's helpful if you have worked for someone in the firm who can vouch for your credentials, though this is by no means a hard and fast requirement (I think it gives maybe a 5-10% bump at best in my experience). Cold emails, if well put together (proof it multiple times and maybe have an experienced lawyer look at it once) and a well written resume go a long way.

But again, really depends on the team that you want to work for. Many teams have informal criteria that they may have to consider call backs etc.
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or at least give a certain amount of visibility to students from the senior years of top law schools if they have good academic or other credentials
Honestly, what is it with top law schools? Do they not/ hardly consider people from the lower-ranked NLUs or private universities?
If you're not from NLS, NALSAR, NLUD, NUJS, GNLU and NLUJ then your chances of getting a PPO are too less. Infact, this year NLIU hasn't manage to get enough PPOs. Let that sink in first because if students from NLIU or HNLU do not manage to get PPOs. What chances do you have in getting one?
Untrue, in a pool of about only 60+ active business law students in RGNUL, about 25+ have gotten placed with big leagues (I'm talking 4 with SAM, 4 with Trilegal, AZB, Dentons Link Legal, S&A, LKS, EY, Indus) and multiple others with smaller law firms. RGNUL has shitty placements but PPOs have been kind.
I interned twice at SAM for 2-3 week each. Got an interview both times. Tanked the interview both times.

After every intern's term is over, they send an appraisal form to the team. If you are recommended for a PPO by the team, and you are in your 4th / 5th year, you get a call for an interview. Don't share political views during the interview, you won't clear it. Twice bitten, forever shy.
How long do they take to reach out regarding a call back or second internship?
Some questions not related to the topic of discussion.
Why do you want to start with a Tier 1 right out of law school? If money is the motivation here then my friend you are on the wrong track. Always keep learning above money and you can surely learn anywhere and later on make a choice whether Tier 1 really is a matter of concern. If you get immense exposure at Tier 1 then go for it or else skip it and look to begin your career with a Tier 2/3 and later on after 2/3 yrs you can always make a switch.
Hope this helps!!!
I got a call back from SAM - can an insider please shed some light on how to approach for a PPO? Thank you!
As others have already said, it all depends entirely on your team. I'm basing this answer on my personal knowledge, I've interned with SAM last winter.

The practice now seems to be to assign a Training Guide (fancy term for essentially a mentor) to each intern. Your TG will typically be an SA or a PA, basically the seniormost person in the team below a Salaried Partner.

The TG has to fill a feedback form at the end of your tenure. Three things can happen thus: (1) you get recommended for a PPO interview, (2) you get recommended for a callback, or (3) nothing. Practically, I suspect the TG will consult the Partner on the team before they make any recommendation. So, the key is: do great work for, ask for feedback from, and ensure you're noticeable to, both the Partner and the TG.

There's no hard and fast rule that you won't get a PPO without a callback. I know because I got recommended for a PPO interview after a single 6 week stint. However, to be fair, a PPO after a single stint generally appears to be rare.

Please try to get your internship extended, to an aggregate of at least 6-8 weeks. A recommendation from the Partner, or TG, will practically guarantee it.
Has anyone received PPO from SAM, Delhi subsequent to their 2 weeks virtual internship. As in how hard is it to secure an extension, then call back and eventually an interview for PPO?
I have an internship lined up with SAM virtually par it is through a connection

What's the chance of getting a call back?
Are they giving virtual internships? I got a 3 week physical internship in Mumbai office with Competition team. Can someone working there shed some light how to go about it for a callback/PPO?
I have an internship scheduled with SAM but they haven't informed me which team i would be interning.

How am I gonna know this?
You will be assigned a team when you join them. That's how you will come to know.
So, how are these guys telling that they have a 3 week internship ~Competition Team~
Hey hey, congrats on securing the internship/ at SAM Co team, Mumbai - may i ask what month is it for ? July or August ?
80 percent of the internships(as well as PPOs) in SAM are through contacts tbh