Tag: law school job

Clerkships: A RoadMap

You are going to be a lawyer.
You’re not one yet but you will be soon.

When you are not in class, studying, [or crying in the shower because of the reading and hypos you need to get through], you should be networking to land yourself a job. Because you’re going to be an oral advocate. And you will become one sooner than you think.

Time flies. Law school is over in the blink of an eye. I’m pretty sure yesterday I was sitting in Torts, wondering what I’d done to land myself a spot in the class. Now, I’m expected to know so much about so many things (and feeling pretty positive that I know nothing) and I’m constantly feeling like everything is on fire. Like, all the time.

It’s important for me to always be real with you, reader. Law school is hard, and the work you put in is – usually – a direct result of the grades you earn. However, sometimes you do everything you can and trudge through the reading, hypos, and practice questions from supplements and still manage to fall flat on your face.

The only cure for feeling inept in class, in my experience, is actually applying the knowledge you do have in practice. Get out there and land a job!

Last summer, I worked both sides of the Federal aisle. My positions with the Federal Public Defender’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s office were phenomenal opportunities that solidified my love of the law, because, for the sake of full transparency, sometimes the classwork feels so disjointed from the actual practice of law. Researching, writing, speaking to clients, and interacting with attorneys and judges was exactly what I needed to understand the weight of being a lawyer.

When I interviewed for the positions, I doubted whether I was skilled enough to fill the role. Worse, I had no clue what to do to prepare myself for working in Federal court. I reached out to a Federal clerk, and school alum, for advice. His words of encouragement and suggestions, along with my learning experience, is what I now offer you.

Keep an OPEN MIND.

At this point in your fledgling career, it is perfectly acceptable to have zero clarity on your future career plans. Let me repeat – you do not need to know EXACTLY what you want to practice upon graduation and receiving your Bar card. That said, take advantage of the wide variety of cases you may encounter during your clerkship/externship/internship. I strongly advise against being the person that says “oh, I don’t plan on practicing in [that] area, so I think you should put me on a different case.”

The open mind notion also applies to the umbrella of cases you will likely see in the area you want to practice within. Case in point – I am considering a role in criminal defense work. Which means I will likely work with people accused of committing crimes (much to my and Elle Woods chagrin, we will not always have innocent clients). I will not get to pick and choose which crimes I am willing to work on, though there is some leeway. Most supervisors are not going to let me cherry-pick cases. So, when I was tasked with working on cases of any kind, I accepted the opportunity. [Now, if you are wholly and vehemently against working on a client’s case due to a moral issue, then you should bring that up. There’s a rule in the code of ethics for such occasion, but keep in mind that your decision to *refuse to defend a client* may not be the best move for a budding attorney].

TLDR; Don’t turn away an assignment because, at the end of the day, you need experience.

Effort Is Everything.

Show up, work hard, and get your damn work done. This really is just common sense. Don’t take weeks to research an assignment. These are real cases, and they need answers, fast. If you can’t find an answer, let your supervising attorney know. It pays to be the person who, after thorough research, pipes up to say there is not relevant law on the issue.

Dress Appropriately.

I did not think this would need mentioning, but then some brilliant woman showed up in fishnet stockings and a miniskirt on her first day in the courtroom. The Marshal in the courtroom promptly walked up to her and asked her to leave and return in professional clothing. I’ve got nothing against the fishnets, or the high heels. This post is not to say what a person should wear in the courtroom/boardroom/firm. Simply put – know your workplace. If they’re lax, then dress casually. If your judge expects you in slacks and heels, well – then get yourself several power suits.

Network with Non-Lawyers.

Some of the best advice I received this past summer came from the court reporters, office managers, investigators, and paralegals. Be sure to interact with everyone you come in contact with, even if it means going a bit out of your way to do so. In both offices this summer, the attorneys were difficult to reach out to because their offices were spread across the main floor. I opted to bring in breakfast a few times throughout the summer and had people drop into my office for tamales, kolaches, and doughnuts. It was an easy (and yummy) way to meet people with various interests and backgrounds.
[A smile and a snack go a long way, folks.]

Learn the lingo.

Working in Federal Court this summer meant I had to learn about the Sentencing Guidelines. This is the book that many judges follow to the letter during their sentencing procedures. It used to be mandatory sentencing lengths, but now it’s just a set of “go-bys.” I had no clue what this was before my clerkship.

Thankfully, my supervising attorney went over the categorical approach, means versus elements, and how the guidelines are used. Our campus, much like many other law schools, does not offer a course specifically over guidelines. I recommend that you thumb through this one (or an earlier version) and be ready to ask questions.

As for the categorical approach – this is basically how the court will determine whether an offense fits within a given definition.
Means are how a crime was committed. These are not necessarily taken into account as what the prosecution must prove, but they can present evidence on it.
Elements lay out the pieces of the crime the prosecution must establish to prove the alleged crime.

I think this document is quite helpful (and short). It’s likely not important for you to know all the guidelines (I did not meet a single person who knew them all), but I feel it is important to at least know what they are and why the manual is a useful resource. At the very least this information will help prepare you for practice in Federal court.

Proper Courtroom Etiquette Is Important.

Take a notepad. Everywhere. Write down things you find interesting about the proceedings, questions you have for the attorneys, or even oddities you noticed about jurors and opposing counsel. There is too much going on for you to simply take it all in, so you need to write it down.

Some courtrooms will have a Marshal manning the door. If so, they will let you in at a time when there is a lull. This way, your entering is not a distraction. If there is not a Marshal, then you simply need to enter quietly. Take a seat and pay attention!

Teamwork. Teamwork. Teamwork!

I can’t stress this enough. Learn to work with your fellow clerks. They may be able to teach you aspects of the law you don’t have a grasp on. Or, they may have insight on research for a case that you need and they can help shorten your own research time. I needed information on Shepard documents for a case, which I did not have quite understand – nor did I have the time to start from scratch – and my friend (and fellow clerk) was able to shoot over her own research. Plus, she was able to give me a run-down of what I needed to know to pass along to my supervising attorney.

We may live in different states now, but we still keep in touch. I enjoy hearing about her experiences over virtual coffee meetings and catch-ups. Working together is one key to making it in this field. Be kind, work hard, help others.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of do’s and don’ts, but it’s what I found most important to share.

Be awesome & do great work!

Tags #clerkships, #FederalCourt, Categorical Approach, Law Clerk, Law school advice, law school job, Sentencing Guidelines

Advice Law School

Closing Deals In Heels

This past week was a combination of brutal + exhilarating.
[The best times are a bit of both, wouldn’t you say?]

On top of classwork, extra-curricular activities, and working in the law library, I also drove to Austin to participate in the Public Interest Law Fair. The beau and I drove straight to Austin after a full day of classes. But you know what?

The Consortium of Texas Law Schools hosted a job fair at UT-Law, and it was a great experience; I wanted to share my perspective.

Here’s what you need to know:

When you apply to these job fairs, it kind of feels like a cattle call. There’s a long list of potential employers that set out their criteria for interviewing (GPA threshold, Moot Court requirement, Law review requirement, 1L/2L/3L, etc.) – then it’s up to you to sift through them all and figure out which possibilities would be best for you.

Once you read through the descriptions, you upload your documents and start applying.

Personally, I wanted a summer opportunity that would offer me the chance to be in court. Having only clerked in a Probate Court, and worked in the PD’s office (but never building an actual case), I felt those skills could be bolstered. This means I sifted through every opportunity and chose Law Clerk Summer positions that fit 1)courtroom experience, 2) writing and research tasks, and 3) challenge my current skillset.

I uploaded 3 letters of recommendation, a blanket cover letter (written to apply to each and every position [why? because I personalized 37 cover letters for a previous job fair and only received 1 interview. I thought shaking things up a bit was warranted]), the most recent transcript, and my résumé.

Once you apply to the positions you are interested in…you wait.

And wait some more.

After a few weeks, the firms and/or government agencies post your worthiness.
I am happy to report that, of the eight positions I applied to, I received six interview invitations. ::woot::

Thankfully, I was able to cram all six interviews into a single day.

Friday morning started with a BANG! I hit the ground running, on pure adrenaline…because I tend to avoid eating before an interview. I made sure to print eight copies of my resume and writing sample, just in case an interviewer needed them.

Here are the most important interview tips I have for you:

1. Dress Professionally

For the love of legal briefs! Please do not show up to an interview looking like a cow chewed you up and spat you out. Wear some nice slacks and a button down, or a suit if you have one. I prefer to wear dresses to interviews, with a blazer. It’s comfortable, and usually means I don’t have to iron a crease into the pleats. Wearing a power suit is perfectly fine as well, but since we were traveling, I didn’t want to worry about packing an iron (in case the hotel didn’t have a working one, or whatever lack-of-iron-catastrophe would befall me). There are interesting takes on what attire is appropriate for interviews. I think the best thing to remember, especially for legal interns and young attorneys, is that we have not built our reputation just yet. Work on solidifying the foundation of your professionalism, and then [maybe…much later in your career] you can loosen up on the prim & proper points of your wardrobe. Maybe.

2. Have extra copies of (at minimum) your [proofed] resume in your padfolio.

Do yourself a favor, and make the extra effort to be extra prepared. Although I always take extra copies into an interview, it is rare that I am asked to proffer anything. I have however, impressed a few interviewers with my preparation. The added prep gives your interviewer the notion that you are a professionally polished person, ready for anything, and prepared for everything. That matters. People want to hire reliable associates, team members that can be counted on. This just adds an extra layer of greatness to what you’ve already put down on paper. Even better? It shows them you want the job, and you are willing to work hard. Our generation takes a bunch of crap for being “lazy” or “entitled.” That’s certainly not all of us, and it throws a pleasant curve ball to a veteran interviewer when you show up ready to for the game.

3. Rise to the challenge.

In this particular set of interviews, the attorneys interviewing me all exhibited different tactics. The most-challenging interview was conducted in a large jury room. The heating unit was rather loud, and the attorneys barely spoke above a whisper. It was infuriating. I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose, so I decided to just be myself. I leaned forward in my seat, paid attention to what they each had to say, and – when they asked me the first question – I raised my voice higher than theirs and spoke. I felt like I was screaming, but that wasn’t true. The lead interviewer smiled, and then leaned forward in his chair and continued the conversation with more questions.

::It was a trick afterall::

Sometimes, interviewers will do things to throw you off; it’s a tactic to enable them the opportunity to see how you will react. When in doubt – be yourself. And remember, all of the interviewers were in your shoes at one time. They know what it feels like, and they will likely not try to break you down. Part of their job is to make sure they like you, because they’ll have to work with you.

Be bold. Be confident. Hell, strike a power pose in bathroom stall before you walk into the interview. Give yourself a pep-talk. Show them just how your intellect, tenacity, and charm will add value to their incredible team.

4. Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses

In other words….practice for the damn thing! You know the interviewers are going to ask standard questions. So you need to PREPARE! Look up questions that interviewers tend to ask. There’s a whole slew of them available online. Do yourself a favor, and dive into them. The key is to prepare, without it appearing that you memorized each answer.

These interviews are a lot like speed-dating. You only get 20 minutes to impress these attorneys. It does not look great to have a ton of “umms,” “well, yeahs,” or “huh, hadn’t thought of that one before!” comments. You owe it to yourself to present the best candidate those interviewers are going to see, because you. are. fantastic!

5. Research the Position!

Ladies and Gents…this is imperative. Do not, I repeat, do not go into an interview without reading about the company/firm/government agency you are interviewing with. That is the fastest way to get yourself dropped! Know exactly what your duties entail and have a prepared answer for why you’d like to work in criminal/family violence/immigration/patent law. Just trust me on this. Knowing about the company’s mission, or agency’s perview is important. These interviewers need to know that you actually give a damn about the work they do. Don’t muck it up.

These tips are sure to get you in great shape for your interview.

Regardless of the occasion, interview as often as you can. The more practice you have, the better the conversation flows at the table. I share the above advice, as it was shared with me. For the sake of full disclosure, I [so far] received three offers from the six interviews. My summer is set and, quite frankly, I am thrilled to have the jobs lined up. I am truly looking forward to gaining a better insight to the federal court system, and the unique challenges those cases will encompass.

Now all I have to do is focus on my coursework and clinic cases this semester.
[More on the clinic later]

How are your plans going this semester?

Tags #InterviewTips, #LawSchool, goals, interviews, law school job

Advice

Paying Rent

Solving problems with a creative edge happens to be my forte. Blame my flair and off-the-cuff tendencies on Destination Imagination. I am a [really] proud alum, and honestly use the skills I learned with DI every single day.

Enter the problem: making money while attending college. It’s harder than it sounds, because so many positions try to pay students in “experience.” Since free advice doesn’t pay the rent, I do my best to avoid working for free. That said, I decided to get creative and looked into job opportunities that were just a bit outside the norm.

Law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer. The funny thing is that lawyers need to be creatively diverse thinkers capable of drafting ideas faster than I can suck down my morning macchiato. I truly enjoy law school. My first year was great [but the grades could have been better]. I’m two weeks into 2L, and was realizing how much happier I feel. Classes are going well, and my assignments have been completed days before they’re due. I took a moment to ponder why I felt so wonderful...and then it hit me.

My financial situation doesn’t feel quite so soul-crushing as it was last year. If you’re reading this, then the likelihood is you understand the complications of paying your way through an education. There’s really only 3 options — scholarships + savings, loans, or your family pays your bills. I don’t know many students in the last group; honestly – I only know 3 people who made it through their undergraduate degrees debt-free (lucky ducks!). I am not in the debt-free category. In fact, by the time I’m done with law school, I’ll be the proud owner of 3 degrees’ worth of education loans. [Woo! Right?!]

I try not to think too much about how I’ve practically signed away my first-born to make it through school. Instead, I stay productive. Through my 10 years of higher-education, I maintained a steady stream of jobs. At one point in my undergrad years, I held 4 consecutive positions and worked about 60 hours per week – all while taking a 16 hour course load!

I am considerably more relaxed now though, because I gained valuable experiences over the years. Was it easy? Hell no. But, it’s certainly been a great ride. Plus, I get to say I know how to [insert random job here].

If you’re looking to make some decent money, while working through flexible hours, consider these options. I have personally worked every single one of these positions over the years – currently working at 3 of these – and my resume is chock-full of great experiences. Trust me when I say – hard work pays off!

Respite Care Provider
- Respite care networks offer opportunities to work with special needs clients and their families. One of my absolute favorite jobs was working for a family who wanted me to take their son to a movie and the park, on a weekly basis. $15/hr. to hang out with a great kid, watch Disney or Dreamworks movies, and have my lunch paid for was EPIC.
Pharmacy Technician
- As a Biology major considering the Med-School route, I felt this was a great option for me. Getting the license was not difficult, and it is required to earn the higher pay. This position paid well, $13/hr, and I learned to hone my communication skills! Check out the licensure requirements in Texas!
Tutor (or Teacher)
- I taught High School students for 3 years – and I loved it! Before teaching, I tutored through most of my undergraduate years. At $35/hr, this was by far the most lucrative position I held before earning my Bachelor’s degree. Working with a private tutoring agency is key! The agency will vet your clients, and that keeps you safe when tutoring in people’s homes.
Dog Walker
- Working for Wag! has been fun, and earns me an average of $30/hr. I have the opportunity to opt-in for walks between classes, or when I take study breaks. There’s no requirement to meet a set number of walks per week, which is great! This makes for some good pocket monies. #SideHustle
Personal Chef
- There are many people who need meal prep services! Take advantage of your cooking skills and put them to use! I currently work for a family that enjoy my own culinary creations. Since I stress-bake, this is such a great position! Depending on your expertise, you could potentially earn $50/hr!
Law Clerk or Intern
- There are plenty of law firms interested in hiring law students to help with their case load. Reach out to local attorneys, or check with your career services team. Many positions pay around $15/hr, and are willing to work around your class schedule!
Blogger
- There are some fantastic bloggers out there who manage to pay the bills while working remotely. Awesome, right?! One of my faves happens to be Taralynn. She blogs about her travels, fitness experiences, and foodie finds! Maybe you can start your own blog and live off ad monies…I’m just throwing out ideas here.
Library Assistant (Work Study Position)
- On top of making $12/hr, I get to study while working in a library! This position is one of my faves. Work-study positions are (in my opinion) some of the best jobs on campus! Meet people + study + get paid.