A Great Book For Law Students or Lawyers Looking For A Job: How To Get A Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students

In this tough economy recent law school graduates need a way to stand out and have to take advantage of every opportunity they can get.  Moreover, the age where “mistakes” were overlooked by employers has disappeared and inadvertent errors, a minor faux pas or a poorly constructed job search strategy can cost you the job of your dreams.  Even jobs with low compensation and benefits are competitive.  Recently, a Boston law firm received 50 resumes for a job that paid $10,000 per year.  (For those of you not familiar with Boston, the city has a cost of living similar to New York) 

To make sure you are doing every thing you can to ensure your chances of success you should pick up Shauna C. Bryce’s book How To Get A Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students.  I recently had the opportunity to review the book and it is a great tool for any lawyer or law student looking for a legal job. 

How to Get A Legal Jobprovides a comprehensive job search strategy and describes the processes and strategies starting right from the on campus law firm recruiting events in law school.  The book also covers lateral transfers and recruiting strategies for jobs outside of a law firm.  What struck me about the description of the on campus recruitment process in law schools was how much it mirrored my own experience.  Ms. Bryce certainly has hit the nail on the head and has captured this experience perfectly.  In terms of content, the guide covers a number of different areas including, establishing your career goals, how to find a legal job, benefits & things you should look out for when using a recruiter, how to research an employer, how to make an effective legal resume & cover letter, how to effectively interview and how to handle offers.

There are a number of reasons this guide stands out and why I highly recommend it.  Here are a few of the reasons.

How to Get A Legal Job Is Different From Other Generic Job Search Guides

I have seen many job search guides on the market but I have not come across many that focus specifically on the legal market.  When I started law school I had worked for over 10 years in an investment bank and thought I was a job search expert.  I was shocked to find out though that when it came to hiring the legal community did things differently. For example, when I went to see a career counselor at my school with my resume in hand thinking that it was already perfect, the counselor provided me with excellent suggestions that improved it and made my resume consistent with a legal resume.  The resume did not resemble my old resume at all and I learned the important lesson of how important it is to understand the specific market & conform your materials and strategy to the way people expect to see things.   A generic resume, cover letter or job search guide cannot do this. How to Get A Legal Jobdoes not just generically talk about topics like how to make an effective resume or cover letter but instead focuses in on how a lawyer or law student can pull together effective material and an effective strategy. 

The Book Contains A Number of Practical Lessons and Words of Wisdom

In every chapter, How to Find A Legal Job contains separately highlighted “lessons” or “words of wisdom” that are practical pieces of advice that you do not see in most guides.  The book labels these as “sidebars” and the key thing here is that these quotations and anecdotes are from real attorneys and hiring professionals.  I found these sidebars particularly helpful and they are things that often job searchers only find out after they have missed many great opportunities.

The Book Is Written By Someone Who Knows What She is Talking About

The key to good writing and engaging your audience is to write about something you know.  Ms. Bryce practiced law in a large top international law firm in New York, worked in a regional law firm, and also worked as in house counsel.  During that time, she reviewed resumes, conducted interviews, worked on a firm’s hiring committee, and mentored junior and mid-level associates.  She then brought her experience to job hunters becoming a professional legal resume writer and career advisor.  Moreover, Ms. Bryce graduated from Harvard Law School and successfully navigated her way through the on campus recruitment process there.  All of this experience shines through in her book and I really felt like I was reading the advice of an expert when I read it.

The price is $24.99 for paperback and $14.99 for Kindle and can be purchased on Amazon.  It is a great investment and you will be glad you purchased her book.  You can also visit Ms. Bryce’s website at http://brycelegal.com/or see her featured in this The Student Appeal article: Click Here 

You can buy How To Get A Legal Job on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0692015299 

10 Things to Remember About Your Summer Employment at A Big Law Firm

Just about to start your summer at a big law firm?  A full-time job at a large law firm is not for everyone but a summer at one is highly recommended.  Even if you do not have any interest in practicing at a large firm after the summer, a summer at one is a great experience and you will be paid around $35,000 for the summer.  You should be careful though, because many who have summered at large corporate firms and swore that it was just for the summer, often must have drank the Kool-Aid and went back after graduation.  If you have decided to work for a firm during the summer here are a few things to consider.

1. You will likely get a job offer but do not take it for granted.  Most large firms extend offers to 100% of the summer class but the poor economy has changed this.  While you will likely get an offer you should not assume that you will get one and act accordingly. This does not mean that you should stress out and worry.  Just do a good job and you should be fine.
2. Do not get drunk at firm events. This sounds obvious but many students drink and act silly at firm functions.  There is a summer associate legend that worked at a firm one summer and she jumped into the Hudson River while on a boat cruise.  Even though this happened years ago, people still talk about it.  Do not let this be you.
3. Bring a pen and paper to every meeting.  You would be shocked at how many people do not do this and it looks really bad.
4. Do a bit of research about an assignment before you meet with the lawyer. Generally the staffing person will at least tell you the company name and you can Google the company and perhaps bring a print out of some documents to your first meeting to show you took initiative.  During my summer, I printed out one Internet article about a company prior to meeting with the lawyer and she noted this as a very positive element on my review.  As a summer associate it does not take much to please.
5. Communicate with lawyers and tell them when you have too much on your plate.  While the law firm wants you to enjoy yourself, they also want you to do work.  You are ALWAYS better served though communicating that you have too much on your plate rather than just accepting work and either not finishing it or not finishing it well.  If you communicate that you are too busy and explain why, the worst thing that will happen is that they will find someone else.  Remember that every lawyer you work with thinks that you are only doing work for them so do not assume they know about your other assignments. 
6. You will quickly see that you will be wined and dined during your summer.  This does not mean though that you have encountered a bonanza.  Do not order the most expensive things on the menu or alcohol during your lunches.  Order as if you or your parents were paying for the meal.  I remember one summer associate that ordered around 7 diet cokes during lunch (at $4) each and lawyers commented to me how they thought that was inappropriate.
7. Check in regularly with lawyers regarding the status of the assignments you are given.  The lawyers you are working with will greatly appreciate if you regularly update them with status of the assignments they have given you.  Do not let them think that the work they have given you has fallen into an abyss and a simple call or email will go a long way.  Also, let the lawyer make the decision if you stay late. I would often ask a lawyer when they needed the work product and offered to “stay late” if he/she needed it. Nine times out of ten they would indicate that sometime in the future was fine and that staying late was not necessary.
8. Let your secretary know where you are if you leave. There is nothing worse than people looking for you and no one can tell a partner or senior lawyer where you are. 
9. Treat your secretary with respect.  They have lots of power in firms and can make your life miserable if you treat them badly.  Moreover a good working relationship with someone that you will see every day just makes sense.
10. Enjoy your summer!  The summer perks are amazing and you should make sure that you are enjoying the lunches, the theatre, the scavenger hunts, the bowling, the concerts, the parties and more.

Two more closing points!

Avoid “Cold Offers.”  You can read what I think about cold offers here.

Also check out great summer job tips at The Girls Guide To Law School.

Good luck!

10 Things You Should Be Doing if You Are Sitting for the Bar Exam in July?

Congratulations to all of you who have completed law school!  As many of you are preparing for graduation you may also be thinking about the pending bar examination.  Here are 10 things you should consider and do to ensure success.

1. Sign up for a bar preparation course like Barbri.  There are many good bar preparation courses but I can attest that Barbri is fantastic.  While self study may work for the LSAT or other exams, the bar exam is different.  Invest the money and take a prep course.
2. Attend the Twitter Chat hosted by The Student Appeal Journal.  The Twitter chat will occur on Thursday May 24th, 8PM EST.   Get details here!
3. Relax and do not study until after graduation. I did not pick up a book until May 27th and given you will intensely study for the next 2 months virtually every day, you should relax so that you are energized.
4. Follow your study plan. Barbri and other organizations will give you a study plan that outlines exactly what you are supposed to accomplish each day.  Do not fall behind as you will have more and more added on to your schedule each day. 
5. The bar exam is a marathon and not a sprint and you cannot cram for it.  There is just too much material that you have to learn.
6. Understand the big picture and understand exactly what the exam is made up of.  The bar is made up of various pieces and you have to understand the composition of the exam so that you can allocate time accordingly.
7. The key to success is on the bar exam is doing as many practice questions as you can.   The Bar preparation organization should give you more practice multiple choice and essay questions than you could ever do. All you have to do to guarantee success is complete the questions.
8. Make sure you do the practice questions under timed conditions. Time management is a key to success and you may as well get used to the time restrictions.  See my post on time management and do not borrow time from exam questions.
9. Do not stress yourself out as you will likely pass. See my blog post that shows there is almost a 90% chance you will pass on your first attempt.
10. Take study breaks during the process.  You should try to take a day off every few weeks.  You will find the schedule extremely hectic but a day here and there will help you energize.

Best of Luck!

New York’s New Pro Bono Requirement – What Is All The Fuss About?

Generally speaking, in order to become a lawyer in New York you must get a law degree (3 years), pass the bar exam, pass a professional responsibility exam and pass a character assessment test.  Going forward the 10,000 or so prospective lawyers who meet all of these requirements will also be required to perform 50 hours of pro bono legal services before they can become lawyers.

This has caused a stir among some who say that this is among other things “indentured servitude.”  Another wrote, “I feel really bad for law students that graduate these days. And having brand new attorneys forced to be the ones to handle most pro bono smells like bad policy considering they have little to no experience and will invariably do a bad job of it.”

I am not sure what all of the fuss is about and I think a mandatory pro bono requirement is a fantastic idea!  A few points on this topic.

First, 50 hours is the amount of time you will spend during your first week of employment.  We are talking one week of work spread out over your law school career and the year after it.  The requirement is certainly not locking you into some long drawn out act of service.  It is 50 hours not 50 weeks or years.  In many countries, you must article (practical training) for next to no money before becoming a lawyer and this requirement is often 2 years.  Come on it is 50 hours helping those who need the help. 

Second, the requirement will not impact the majority of students as they already fulfill the requirement in law school.  I went to a law school (Harvard) that has a 50 hour pro bono requirement in order to graduate and this policy is not uncommon in law schools.  At the end of the year, Harvard published the actual average number of hours per student and it far exceeded the 50 hours.  Moreover, the requirement can often be met by clinical work performed or any volunteer work done while in school. 

Third, the more practical experience that one gets while in law school the better.  In some cases, fulfilling this requirement will be done by meeting with clients, drafting legal documents and perhaps even arguing cases before administrative tribunals. I met my pro bono requirement by working in an immigration asylum & employment law clinic and I was able to do all of the items listed above.

Finally, what is wrong with giving lawyers a taste of what it is like to give back to the community?  Also, as lawyer help others for free, isn’t there another benefit where the at times negative view of lawyers can be reversed?  This idea of giving back is already emphasized and encouraged in our professional responsibility requirements so why not formalize this a bit for new lawyers. As discussed above, this will not have an impact on most but will give those who would never have considered pro bono work an opportunity to see what helping someone else out without getting paid feels like.

As far as I am concerned, it is just another requirement to become a lawyer the same way that sitting for the MPRE, getting a character assessment or taking certain courses are requirements.  Not sure why anyone would be against this.  I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

WVHCA Issues Policy Statement for Public Witnesses

On April 11, 2012, the West Virginia Health Care Authority announced a new policy regarding the testimony for witnesses from the public before the Authority at certificate of need and rate hearings. The policy statement issued by James L. Pitrolo, Jr. Chairman, is effective from April 11, 2012 and states as follows:

I. PURPOSE
To establish procedures and guidelines governing the testimony for witnesses
from the public.

II. CANCELLATION
This policy cancels and supersedes all prior memoranda regarding testimony for
witnesses from the public.
 
III. POLICY
In order to ensure an orderly public hearing, all witnesses from the public
shall register in person during the first day of the hearing. If a witness fails to
register during the first day of the hearing, the witness will not be allowed to
testify during the hearing. If multiple witnesses are present on behalf of one
party, the group can elect up to three representatives. The representative's
comments will be limited to five minutes each up to a maximum of 15 minutes.
Individual comments will be limited to five minutes each. Further, a witness in the
hearing that has provided testimony shall not testify as a witness from the public
in the same hearing.

How to Prepare For The Bar Exam & When You Should Start Studying

With the law school year closing out many students in their third year are starting to think (or worry) about the bar exam.  Here is a brief introduction and a few things to consider.

What Is The Bar Exam All About?

In most States, the Bar examination is a 2 day exam that you take between approximately 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. each day.  (It is a 3 day exam in California)  One day of the exam is made up of a test called the Multi-State Bar Exam (MBE) and this part of the exam is made up of 200 multiple choice questions.  Everyone in all States takes the MBE on the same day and the exam covers 6 topic areas only (Contracts, Constitutional Law, Property, Evidence, Torts & Criminal Law).  The other day of the bar exam is a State day where generally State law is tested.  Each State makes up their own State exam and the exam will fall either on the day before or the day after the MBE depending on which State you are in. The State exam will usually be made up of essay questions but may also contain multiple choice and/or a practical memo writing section. 

In the United States, you must be certified (sit for a bar exam) to practice law in every State that you wish to practice in.  Generally speaking, this means that if your best friend was arrested in New Jersey for an offence, you could not represent him in court if you were certified to practice law in New York.  There are exceptions to this rule but this is generally the case.  As such, you will have to complete an application for each State you want to practice in.  You should pay particular attention to the application deadlines and any other instructions that you are given.  For example, some States, like New York, require a handwriting sample and a school certification to be sent in with your application.  At least one student that I know of that went to Harvard did not send material that the New York Bar Examiners required, and the person found out at the beginning of July that he/she was not eligible to sit for the bar exam at the end of July.  Do not let this happen to you.

How Should You Prepare?

The first step to passing the Bar exam is to sign up for a preparation course such as Barbri.  I took a Barbri course and it played a pivotal role in me passing the bar exam.  Barbri and other organizations have decades of experience with Bar Examinations and as such are experts.  During the course, they will hold lectures, give you practice essay questions, give you practice multiple choice questions and grade sample exams.  This is not the time to self-study as you will be at a significant disadvantage if you do.  If you can afford it (cost is around $2500) sign up today!  If you sign up with a reputable large bar preparation course, it is not necessary to take supplemental courses or to do any other studying outside of this course.  They will teach you everything you need to know. 

When Should You Start To Prepare For The Bar Exam?

It is not necessary to start studying for the bar until after you graduate.  Some get very nervous and start in March or April but this is not needed.  (actually, I think it is a bad idea as you need to take it easy so that you are refreshed for intense studying to come)    For those who just cannot wait, Barbri sends advance study material to students in April.   They do however clearly state that it is not necessary to start studying until after you graduate.  Once you start your preparation course lectures and really get into studying you will really appreciate the few weeks of a break between your finals and your graduation date.  Barbri will teach you everything you need to know during the two months prior to the exam.  Trust me on this one. 

Should You Be Worried?

No. See my post “Do Not Worry About Whether You Will Pass The Bar Exam Because There is Almost a 90% Chance That You will Pass It On Your First Attempt.”  The key to passing is consistent studying.

A Great Way To Market Yourself If You Are Looking For Or Will Ever Look For A Job

A few days ago I received an email from a first year law student, Justin, and he posed a very interesting question.  His email read;

“What is your personal opinion of law students having their own resume-styled website? I tried to do some research and could not find many that existed. Having an undergrad degree in Graphic Design, I've built my own. What do you think?”

Well my personal opinion is that setting up your own personal webpage to market yourself is an excellent idea! This idea extends far beyond law students and is an excellent thing to do for anyone including students in other disciplines, lawyers, and also any other professionals. This is a great idea for anyone that is or will be looking for a job and/or anyone that could benefit from positive marketing.

Here is Justin’s Site: www.justinhwalters.com

Justin is exactly the type of innovative law student that our profession needs and the idea of creating your own website to showcase yourself is something that I wish I had thought of.  Also, it is always a good idea to use part of your prior life (in Justin’s case marketing and graphic design) to make some money or compliment a new legal or professional life. 

       A few comments about this exceptional marketing tool.

Why Is Setting Up A Personal Website A Good Idea?

I started to write this section myself but then remembered that Justin had already done an excellent job summarizing on his website why setting up your own website is a good idea.  As such, I will copy his words which echo my exact thoughts.

“I believe there is a need for students to have their own websites with their resumes, portfolios, and contact information.  I believe it is beneficial for professional students, especially those studying law, to be able to place a personal website address on their business card or in the signature of their email.  Having a website can be appealing to prospective employers because it shows you are independent, creative and ready to advance into a more professional role.”

I will only add one additional point and that is that the webpage puts all of the relevant information that an employer wants (short bio, resume, writing sample, skills) in one place and makes it all easily accessible.  Given that employers spend very little time assessing candidates you want to make your information as easy to access as possible and A simple webpage accomplishes this. 

What Does It Take To Get Set Up?

I am not a web designer but am confident that with a bit of determination I could create a page like the page that Justin has created. Wordpress is the web design tool of choice but if you do not want to use that there are many other options available with templates that will get you started.  In terms of hosting the website, that costs around $5 a month (a more complex website would be maybe $8 a month because it has more space) and you will pay around $10 a year for domain name. (You should try and nab your own name – just think of where Barack Obama would be if he had not purchased his domain name www.barackobama.com years ago).   

It literally takes a few hours to set everything up and install a simple website and if you prefer not to do it yourself you can always hire Justin.  Justin can design a website just like his own for you (and I must say it is a very professional looking website) and his fees are extremely reasonable.  You can contact Justin through his website - www.justinhwalters.com.  As for the upkeep, if someone can operate Facebook, they can operate a Wordpress blog as it is really user friendly.

The Lowdown

In this economy you cannot afford to be at a disadvantage and it is important to ensure that you are constantly improving, marketing and selling your brand.  This should start early in your career and creating a website is a great networking and marketing tool.   Creating your own personal website also forces you to give some thought to what important things you want to showcase to the world and may encourage you to constantly reevaluate key aspects to showcase.

Here is an excellent example that demonstrates that proper networking and marketing goes a long way. In this case, Justin sent me his website a few days ago and as a direct result of his marketing and networking efforts, I am likely going to hire him to work on my new law firm website - www.legalservicesincorporated.com. I currently use a template (yes, I know it looks like a template) but will hire Justin to create something that is closer to my own style. How is that for marketing efforts quickly finding a job!  I am also certain that some of you reading this blog will contact him to work on your websites.  This is only one example of how innovation and marketing yourself in the new cyber world can increase your chances of success and put money in your pocket.

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the website idea and again please feel free to contact Justin if you need help with your website. His contact information is all on his website.  Here it is again. www.justinhwalters.com