Tips for new Attorneys
While law schools certainly teach law students to "think like lawyers", law school is not the best training ground when it comes to teaching lawyers-to-be what to expect as new attorneys and the challenges they will inevitably face once they leave the comforting walls of academia. After three years of law school, new attorneys can expect to know enough black letter law to pass their bar exams (if they study of course), they will know the ins and outs of how to write a persuasive legal brief, how to deliver an effective oral argument, and how to apply critical legal reasoning to any given scenario (oftentimes to the annoyance of family and friends).
However, what many new attorneys do not know after graduating law school is what will happen to them after they pass the bar exam. In today's economy, the big law jobs that were once guarantees for law students who clerked at firms in their second year summer, have evaporated. Judicialclerkships , government jobs, in-house opportunities, and positions with private agencies have become increasingly competitive. Consequently, an ever increasing number of students will graduate, terrified, and without a job. Suddenly the premium education they paid for hardly seems to be providing the comfort and security it was guaranteed to deliver.
And for those newbies fortunate enough to have a law job upon graduation day, it might not be at the level of pay anticipated, or even in an area of law that is of interest. New attorneys are at the very bottom of the totem pole in virtually every legal position. This comes as a shock to many and can often lead to a swift distaste for the law. Attorneys who find themselves working in big firm jobs often struggle with the realization that law school did not train them for transactional work or for the practical aspects of working at a firm (e.g., how to manage time effectively, prioritization, how to write a contract, to negotiate a deal, to interact with clients, or how to maintain a work/life balance).
Therefore, upon graduation, questions abound: How will I find a job when virtually every legal job requires experience? How am I ever going to be able to pay off those massive student loans? And once I have a job, how will I be able to apply the skills I learned to all kinds of legal work, not just litigation? How will I find a job that I enjoy?
This article will attempt to answer these questions and to hopefully provide some comfort to those new attorneys who may already be in panic mode.
Question: What do I do if I graduate without a job?Tip: First, polish your resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Then utilize all your contacts, both legal and non-legal, and be open to any opportunities that arise whether they are full-time, part-time or volunteer positions.
If you find yourself in this position, not to worry. This is a plight faced by many and, contrary to popular belief, it is no longer enough that you graduated at the top of your class, were editor of law review, president of moot court, and landed that amazing summer job. It could still happen to you. So if it does, first relax and realize that this is in no way a reflection of who you are or your skills as an attorney. Your legal career is long and will be filled with countless opportunities, even if you get off to a disappointing and slow start. Once you have gotten yourself together, begin reworking your resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Utilize your law school's career services center, contact alumni and ask for their feedback, and turn to your family and friends for second opinions. While your relatives or friends might not be lawyers, their impressions can be important because the people screening your application may not be lawyers either.
After assembling all of your application materials, contact everyone you know and start asking whether they are aware of any opportunities. Get in touch with alumni, attend networking events for new attorneys, and searchon-line at websites like Craigslist for potential openings. You might be thinking that you are a professional now so why would you utilize a site like Craigslist in lieu of hiring a professional recruiter? The reality is that recruiters generally do not assist new attorneys. They seek to laterally place experienced attorneys and are not going to have access to the type of opportunities you are looking for. Why? Because smaller firms, agencies, etc. are not going to pay a recruiting fee and a site likeCragislist allows them to advertise for free. Finally, swallow your pride. Your first job will likely not be your dream job. The important thing is to get your foot in the door and start getting experience, even if you are not being paid for your work. There is nothing wrong with getting a volunteer, part-time legal job and getting a non-legal job to supplement your income.
Question: How am I going to manage my student loans?
Tip: Make sure you consolidate if such an option is available to you and contact each of your loan agencies to find out what the repayment options are for attorneys just out of law school.
While many law schools boast an average starting salary of $80K for its recent graduates, for example, just because you graduate as an above-average student does not necessarily mean that you will find a job that pays more or even close to this salary. Things could be tight for a few years so the best thing to do is start assessing your options. Student loan officers are usually very helpful and will assist you in navigating through the repayment process. Explain your situation and ask them to help you come up with a payment plan that works within your budget. When you start out this could be a deferment or a forbearance depending upon your specific financial circumstances. If you graduated with a mountain of debt, start accepting that it's going to take you a long time to pay it off. Remember, a law degree is a long-term investment.Question: Once I am employed, how can I sharpen my transactional skills (e.g., drafting, negotiating, client counseling)?
Tip: Like the old adage goes, practice makes perfect.Law schools are excellent at training litigation attorneys but not so good at providing attorneys with the commercial and transactional experience they might need in private firm practice. One of the best ways to get this experience is to ask for it at work. As a new associate, you probably will not be doing much negotiating or contract drafting, but most partners or senior attorneys will have no objection to you sitting in to watch, even if the time spent is non-billable. Partners will value your initiative and the experience will be invaluable to your career. Also,CLEs and pro bono cases are a great way to gain experience. It is important to keep in mind that the legal field is a service-driven industry. Your ability to relate to clients, your colleagues, and support staff needs to be a primary focus of your practice, regardless of what area of law you specialize in. Although this is not a skill generally acquired in law school, it is something that you need to teach yourself, again through practice. If you were employed before law school it might be beneficial to think back to those experiences and how such experiences can translate to your current practice.Question: What if I realize that being an attorney is not for me?
Tip: A law degree does not necessarily mean a career as an attorney. Rather, it is a starting point in a career filled with limitless possibilities.Many new attorneys find their first legal job, or their first several legal jobs disheartening. They enter the legal profession expecting to automatically find a position that is rewarding and fulfilling, but instead learn that it is just a job. If this happens to you, don't panic! Before deciding that being a lawyer is not for you, consider changing your practice area or working in a different environment. For example, if you are a corporate attorney, consider looking for positions in a government agency or a not-for-profit. Also, explore opportunities that encompass the aspects of law school that you enjoyed. If your firm does not provide an opportunity to research or write, look for probono opportunities that would allow you this experience, find a law journal that is looking for articles, or contribute articles to a website like Helium. Ultimately, if you think that being an attorney is not right for you, consider consulting, teaching, compliance, or other industries that are of interest to you as viable alternatives.Finally, keep in mind that law school is merely the starting point of your legal education. Always look for new and creative ways to use your degree and to improve your skills. Law school gave you the tools, it is up to you to use them to manage your career.
