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Volume I, Issue I |
 ARISTOTLE:
The Premier Pre-law and First Year Law School Preparatory Program and Bar Exam Review
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It's Never Too Soon To Plan Your Career By Klia Ververidis, Esq. Planning your legal career is one of the most valuable activities that you can spend your time on during law school. It is likely that you have already taken the first steps in planning your future career by deciding to attend law school, and perhaps you have decided which law school you will attend. However, what many first year students do not realize is that unlike undergraduate school, where career planning may not begin until the third or even fourth year, legal career planning should begin immediately upon arrival at law school. The sooner you start planning, the better your chances of obtaining the job of your dreams. The major focus during the first year should be on your grades. Obtaining the highest grades possible is your best career planning strategy. Although grades will be important throughout law school, first year grades are the grades that will ultimately matter when applying for your first job. Most large and medium size firms will begin interviewing candidates for summer positions during the first semester of the second year and will only see first year grades. Many of those firms will hire their full time associates from the students who spent a summer at their firms. Many large and medium sized firms will only consider candidates who are in the top ten to twenty percent of their class. Even if you are not planning to work for a large or medium sized firm, many of the best opportunities available to students require a high grade point average. Therefore, it is to your advantage to aim high in the grade category during your first year. Take advantage of the resources at your school. Visit the career services office and make an appointment to speak with an advisor. They are an excellent source of information. The advisors can help you with everything from revising your resume to finding contacts in a certain field. If you make yourself known to them, they will remember you if a position arises that fits your criteria. The advisors are there to help you so don't be reluctant to take full advantage of them. Also, speak with your professors. Many of them are or were practicing attorneys and can offer useful advice about the practice of law. Before you visit with a career advisor, you may want to review or write a resume and bring it with you when you meet with her. Your resume may give the advisor insight as to which career path may suit you, and the advisor can help you revise your resume so that it will look more impressive to an employer. Your resume should look professional and be easy to read. If possible, your resume should fit on one page even if it means eliminating some irrelevant work experience like your summer job at a fast food restaurant. Use the best quality paper and a laser printer. A sloppy resume with typos will not impress anyone and will make you look like you do shoddy work. Your cover letter and resume provides the first impression a potential employer will have of you, so take the extra steps to ensure making a positive impression. Informational interviews are a great way to explore if a specific legal career is right for you. In an informational interview, you become the interviewer. First you must locate a contact who is working in a position or an area in which you are interested. Next you arrange to meet with that person and ask them questions about their jobs and how they attained their position. Some helpful questions include; How do you spend your day? What kind of hours do you keep? Do you enjoy your work? What type of lifestyle do you have? Many lawyers love to speak about their work, especially with aspiring attorneys, and are willing to take time out of their busy schedules to meet with you. The career services office should be able to locate a contact for you in most fields. Often you can locate an alumnus who can give you insight on steps she took to reach her position. Internships and summer jobs are another good way to try out a career without having to make a full commitment. Although most internships-for-credit occur in the second year, it is possible to do a volunteer internship during the second semester or the summer of your first year. In both an internship and a summer job, you will work side by side with lawyers, judges and other professionals and will get a real understanding of how a particular field of practice works. After working at an internship or a summer job, many students find that a particular area they were interested in is not the right choice for them. Your first year courses will be difficult and time intensive but don't overlook your career planning. Going to law school is an expensive and time consuming proposition which you presumably have undertaken to reach a goal and better your life. Don't wait until your third year to discover what is available to you with a law degree. Now is the time to figure out where you want to be in three years. Remember, the sooner you begin exploring, the better your chances of finding the job of your dreams. |
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