From the hidden perils of social media policies and wellness programs to the unknown threats of increased audits and regulatory enforcement, today's workplace is swarming with risk.
Avoid the swarm. Join us on November 10, 2011
Invitations with agenda and registration information will be mailed in mid-September.
More information can be found at http://www.fredlaw.com/events/employment.html.
Ellison to host Clean Energy Jobs Forum and Resource Fair
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010, 5:30-8:00PM CDT
Who:
* Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05)
* Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins - CEO, Green for All
* J. Drake Hamilton - Science Policy Director, Fresh Energy
* John Dybvig - Economic Development Manager, Blue-Green Alliance
* Gerardo Ruiz - CEO, Solarflow Energy
What: Congressman Keith Ellison to host a resource fair and town hall forum on clean energy jobs.
Town hall forum presenters, including national expert Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins of Green for All, will highlight the economic and job potential in the clean energy sector. They will address the training needs and policy changes necessary to take full advantage of the growth in the clean energy industry.
A resource fair preceding the forum will feature clean energy employers with current job openings, information on job training opportunities, access to job placement assistance, and information from non-profit clean energy advocates.
When: Wednesday, September 8, 2010. Resource fair begins at 5:30PM (CDT), Program begins at 6:00PM (CDT)
Where: Intermediate District 287 South Education Center
7450 Penn Avenue South
Richfield, MN 55423
Throughout the August recess, the Congressman is addressing issues important to our community.
This week the Congressman will be focusing on a series of events and meetings that will address job creation and economic opportunity.
Government Job and Internship Fair ... Careers in Public Service
Friday, October 22, 2010
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Coffman Great Hall, Ground Floor
Coffman Memorial Union Bldg
University of Minnesota
300 Washington Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Welcome to the seventh annual Government Job & Internship Fair website sponsored by the Minnesota Colleges and Universities Career Services Association.
Government Agencies
The Job and Internship Fair allows government agencies to meet with candidates and alumni from the 30 participating Minnesota 4-year colleges and universities and participating regional colleges.
Candidates
The Government Job and Internship Fair allows candidates to pursue professional opportunities and internships in all levels of government. The job fair is open only to students and alumni from participating colleges and universities. To register select Register Online.
What: 12th Annual NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS' RIGHTS CONFERENCE
When: October 15 & 16, 2010
Where: National Labor College, Silver Spring, MD
Brochure: Conference brochures will be mailed to you in the next few days and will include registration forms. An electronic version is also attached for your convenience.
FAQs: View attached FAQs file for answers to frequently asked questions.
More Info: Visit www.peggybrowningfund.org, call 267-273-7990, ext. 2, or email mmoffa@peggybrowningfund.org.
he National LGBT Bar Association's Annual Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference is designed to achieve a sense of community and inclusion for LGBT candidates within the legal profession's recruiting efforts. By participating in this career fair, candidates will talk directly to LGBT-friendly recruiters from law firms, government agencies, LGBT rights groups, and legal departments.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Miami, FL
Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Click here for more information.
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Following a review by the NALP Recruiting Section and the Ethics & Standards Advisory Group, updated versions of all NALP OCI forms have now been posted at www.nalp.org/forms. These forms include an Open Letter to Law Students, which schools are encouraged to share with their students; the NALP Travel Expense Reimbursement Form, which is especially helpful for students to use when expenses will be shared by several employers; the OCI Student Evaluation Form, an optional form that can be distributed by schools; the Employer's Interview Outcome Form for schools to distribute to employers later in the fall; and the Law School Career Services Request Form, which can be distributed by schools to employers invited to interview on campus in 2011-2012.
The University of Minnesota's Career Development Network (CDN) has created this excellent website for graduate students: Graduate and Professional Students' Guide to Career Planning. Check it out and visit the Career and Professional Development Center for more information specific to legal employment.
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From the Minnesota Justice Foundation:
Through the Law School Public Service Program, your school encourages every student to volunteer 50 hours of law-related service during law school. This program is administered by the Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF). Volunteer work will make you more marketable because you will gain practical legal experience by interviewing clients; conducting research; drafting memoranda, pleadings, and other legal documents; performing fact investigation; assisting clients in completing legal forms or representing clients in court. Students who complete the program will receive special recognition.
Stop by the MJF office to find the volunteer project right for you.
MJF offers volunteer opportunities with more than 150 public interest law agencies, including legal services providers, nonprofit organizations, government offices, and private firms pro bono projects, and offers opportunities in a wide variety of substantive areas. MJF works with you to ensure that your volunteer placement matches your interests and time constraints. Fall semester positions go live on our website August 1st. They go fast so make it a priority!
Have you been volunteering in a law-related public service project?
If so, make sure that you notify MJF of your volunteer service hours. Even if you did not arrange your service project through MJF, any law-related volunteering will count toward the 50 hours needed to complete the program. This includes hours you gave that exceeded clinic or work study requirements.
If you are volunteering, please log your hours! To log your hours, visit the MJF website at http://mnjustice.org/ and follow the link on the left hand side. If your volunteer position is not listed, contact your MJF staff attorney, Andrea Nordick, at uofm@mnjustice.org.
Social Media Law Student posted this helpful list of search tools.
OnlineUniversiteis.com recently published a list of "100 Niche Search Engines Every College Student Needs".
Click here for the entire article.
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For feds, more get 6-figure salaries:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-12-10-federal-pay-salaries_N.htm
Or maybe you are unsure how to get hired?
https://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/how-to-switch-careers-uncle-sams-appeal.html
Government recruiting young talent:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111603573.html
The Loyola Patent Law Interview Program is a two-day interview program held in Chicago each summer that brings together patent law employers and law students from across the country to interview for summer associate positions and post-graduate employment. The 2010 Patent Law Interview Program will be held on Thursday, July 29 & Friday, July 30 at the Embassy Suites Chicago - Downtown/Lakefront at 511 North Columbus Drive in Downtown Chicago.
For more information, visit their site at Loyola Patent Law Interview Program. Also, see your CPDC counselor who can help you prepare.
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Want to change from a small firm to a big firm? Litigation to transacation? Read some advice on making a change.
http://www.nylj.com/nylawyer/crossroads/09/120809.html?hbxlogin=1
If you have been laid off from your firm or your organization, your well meaning friends and family may say things like: "things happen for a reason," "you will be better off" or "take this as an opportunity." It is hard to take those to heart, but read the below article and see if are able to find that silver lining.
Hope for a Silver Lining
Current legal market offers attorneys an opportunity to figure out what they want to do outside of a big firm.
Here is a short article on things to think about if you are planning to open your own practice.
http://www.nylj.com/nylawyer/crossroads/09/111009.html?hbxlogin=1
Here are the handouts from today's program on Federal Government Hiring. Feel free to make an appointment with your counselor to discuss opportunities.KSA Handout.pdf, 2009 Government Presentation Handout.pdf, and 2009-10_NALP_Federal_Opportunities_Guide.pdf.
The American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics (ASLME) Third Annual Student Health Law Conference hosted by Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday, October 16, 2009 from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
This conference, which is attended by law students from law schools throughout the country, seeks to expose law students to the myriad career paths for attorneys in health and life sciences. The conference provides an introductory session on health law, panels on a variety of employment opportunities in health law, and a networking reception with the conference speakers. In the past, over 180 law students from dozens of law schools as far as the west coast attended the conference. In the current market, I would expect an even greater attendance. Career paths that will be represented include academia, compliance, private firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, drug and device companies, health insurers, and hospitals. Speakers for this year's conference have been chosen for their health law expertise. They know the hiring process both as prospective employees and as employers. They are well suited to provide support and guidance to the next generation of health attorneys during these tenuous economic times.
For more information about the conference, please visit the ASLME website http://www.aslme.org/Calendar
Department of Homeland Security's Office of the General Counsel - two employment programs:
The DHS Office of the General Counsel's 2010 Attorney Honors Program - please note that Honors Program applications will be accepted online from 8/15/09-9/21/09. More information is available here: https://pslawnet.org/uploads/2010_DHS_OGC_Honors_Program_Info.pdf.
The DHS Office of the General Counsel's 2010 Summer Law Intern Program - please note that SLIP applications will be accepted online from 8/15/09-9/21/09. More information is available here: https://pslawnet.org/uploads/2010_DHS_OGC_Summer_Law_Intern_Program.pdf.
The theme of the July issue of Law Practice Today is "Suddenly Solo." Offering information for those who choose to open a practice and those who may be suddenly thrust into that arena, the issue is available free at www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/home.shtml.
University of Minnesota alum Nena Street provides excellent tips for pre-1Ls.
"Waiting for law school to start this fall and wondering what you should be doing to prepare? Here are my top 7 tips for using your pre-1L summer to prepare for law school success."
For the entire post, visit Prepare for Law School Success During Your Pre-1L Summer.
Thanks Nena!
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Are you wondering how to begin your job search? Check out this article in the July issue of Hennepin Lawyer, by two of our very own, Dana Bartocci and Vic Massaglia.
View and print in PDF format: Open Letter to Law Students (PDF)
As employer members of NALP, we have developed this letter to give students additional insight into employers' perspectives on the recruiting process. We think the following suggestions will help you interview more efficiently within the broad provisions of the NALP Principles and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities, and particularly the "General Standards for Timing of Offers and Decisions."
For the entire letter at NALP's website, click here.
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As a public service, NALP, the National Association of Legal Career Professionals, and ALI-ABA, the American Law Institute / American Bar Association, have teamed up to offer Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times — a 75-minute presentation by Marcia Pennington Shannon and Susan G. Manch of Shannon & Manch LLP, who generously donated their time and talent to this special project to assist lawyers and graduating students who are currently seeking employment.
To view this great video, go here.
Thank you to our colleagues at Touro Law.
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The National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Bar Association is a national organization of LGBT judges, lawyers, law students and other legal professionals committed to promoting diversity within the legal profession. Each year, the LGBT Bar hosts the only national career fair and legal education conference. Last year, the career fair featured 169 recruiters and over 590 students from across the country.
WHEN: September 10-12, 2009
WHERE: Brooklyn, NY
*For more information visit LGBTbar.org/Annual
Thank you to our friends at Barry University School of Law Career Services .
New Free ABA Publication Offers Success Strategies for Women Lawyers of Color and Law Firms
(This posting is from a NALP bulletin article)
Building on its 2006 research study, Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession has published a new 16-page report entitled From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms . Based on a qualitative scan of policies, programs, and strategies undertaken by firms as well as on confidential one-on-one interviews and informal dialogues with women of color partners in national law firms, this new report suggests key success strategies both for firms and for individual women lawyers of color. The report can be accessed as a free PDF from a link on the ABA Commission on Women's homepage (www.abanet.org/women) or by going directly to www.abanet.org/women/woc/VisiblySuccessful.pdf. (The 2006 research study, Visible Invisibility , is available from the NALP Bookstore at a cost of $40 plus shipping for members or $50 for nonmembers.)
WetFeet is up and fully functioning for all U of M - Twin Cities students!!
For anyone who isn't aware of this tool, WetFeet is a fantastic resource for advice and information on careers in business and industry. The site includes articles, videos, and 100+ page "insider guides" that are completely downloadable and printable. Normally these guides retail for around $30 a copy if you were to buy one off of amazon. This is a wonderful, information-rich resource - so please check it out for yourself and promote it widely with your students.
To access WetFeet:
Go to https://www.lib.umn.edu/articles/ejpass.phtml?id=wetfeet
Or access WetFeet via the University of Minnesota Libraries Web site at http://www.lib.umn.edu/ --- select the letter “W� under Indexes and Databases A-Z.
You can access instructions here: http://www.lib.umn.edu/site/moreinfo.phtml?id=4889 http://internshipprograms.com/
Is Public Interest Law Right for You?
By Jennifer Wimberly, program associate at the Florida Bar Foundation in Orlando, Florida.
"If you went to law school because you wanted to “help people� when you graduated, there’s a good chance that public interest law is the right career choice for you. However, there are several important points to consider before you accept a public interest job.
How comfortable are you with regular client contact? More importantly, how comfortable are you with having regular contact with low-income clients? Most public interest law clients have incomes at or below the Federal Poverty Level. For 2007 that meant a single mother with two children had a total monthly income of $1430.
If you are interested in legislative or policy work and you are not interested in hands-on client work and litigation, you need to find out exactly what your duties will be before you accept a public interest law job. Look for a job where you will be regularly conducting research and writing memos on public policy issues. Otherwise you may find yourself miserable in a job where you must regularly meet with indigent clients and maintain an active litigation caseload." The entire article is located at http://www.abanet.org/yld/tyl/sept08/wimberly.html
Check out these 10-minute workshops offered by the University of Minnesota. Although the legal job search as well as the legal profession as a whole have many nuances, you will be able to glean useful, universal career and professional development advice.
* Topics include
Resumes, CVs, & Cover Letters
Interviewing
Job Search Strategies
Job Fair Tips
Graduate/Professional School
Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
Transition to Employment
Transitioning from Student to Professional
* Please consult the Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC) for specific advice regarding your legal job search and career development strategies, documents, salary negotiation, etc.
Late last June I had the opportunity to attend the US Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps Career Services Conference in Washington D.C. We had a packed agenda and learned a lot. Here are some of the topics that were covered:
* Professional & Personal Rewards of Service with the JAG
* Life of a New Army Judge Advocate
* An Overview of Practicing Law in the Military
* Application Process
* Overview of International and Operational Law Practice in the Army JAG
* Career Progression
We have a binder of print material from the conference in our office. Also, visit Army JAG for more information.
A JAG representative will be visiting the Law School this fall.
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Interested in learning more about international law? Then check out the International Law Students Association.
"The International Law Students Association is a non-profit association of students and lawyers who are dedicated to the promotion of international law. ILSA provides students with opportunities to study, research, and network in the international legal arena. The organization's activities include academic conferences, publications, the global coordination of student organizations, and the administration of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition."
The CPDC also has information at its website for you to review.
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Jeff Lipshaw, a professor at Suffolk Law School, provides thoughts about choosing a ligation or transactional practice.
"A reader who is interning in a NYC corporate law firm, and about to enter law school, saw my earlier post alluding to the creative possibilities in transactional work, and sought advice about choosing between transactional work and litigation work. I'm happy to share some thoughts.
1. Mostly I will be talking about big firm practice, but I should issue a disclaimer. There's big firm practice, and there's mega-firm practice. The reason it's important to make the distinction is because I'm looking backwards at a career in which many of the fulfilling aspects came later, after I did my time in the trenches (both in litigation and corporate). So there is a substantial period of learning how to chop the wood before a new lawyer gets to build, much less design, the house. My perception is that period is shorter in big firms outside of the financial centers. You will probably take on more responsibility more quickly at a big firm in Detroit than Chicago, in St. Louis than Los Angeles, in Salt Lake City than New York."
Visit Professor Lipshaw's entire post at Legal Profession Blog.
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Criminal Justice Degrees Guide has identified 100 Blawgs (law blogs). I found this site helpful for it is organized by various legal topics of interest. Explore.
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From Ross Guberman's Legal Writing Pro site:
Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, 2nd Edition, by Kimm Walton, 2008.
* The long-awaited second edition of this bestseller has finally arrived! This essential and very readable handbook is now significantly expanded to over 1,300 pages. Kimm Walton's informal and infectious style, wit, and humor remain, however. She covers every aspect of the job search, from exploring practice areas to conquering the large firm without stellar grades.
Note that we have copies of this comprehensive text in the CPDC.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Secret to Being Happily Employed for the Rest of your life
Chapter 2: Figuring Out What the Heck the Job of Your Dream Is
Chapter 3: Getting the Most Out of Your Career Services Office
Chapter 4: The Most Important Element of Your Image
Continue reading "Best Selling Legal Career Guide Updated and Expanded" »
FAQ from email: How do I find the "hot" practices? A question for another time is whether, having found the "hot practice," you would rather sort lint than do the work...
Identifying “hot� or “hottening up� practices isn’t rocket science. Students and lawyers must pay attention to the news – not just Britney and sports – but the actual news that covers the economy or politics or human rights or whatever you care about. Pay attention to the economy in the city or state in which you hope or plan to work. Finally, abandon all magical thinking about how law practice works. For example:
1. Real Estate Development If you want to work for real estate developers in 2008, you must create Plan B. If it isn’t clear why this is so, Google "Subprime Mortgage," read the last 10 weeks of the Wall Street Journal or The Economist and then listen to NPR for a week.
2. Structured Finance With some layoffs already appearing, early 2008 may not be the best time to have Structured Finance as a first career goal. Certainly the work will continue, but at a sharply reduced rate. If a summer or a first year associate is picking practice groups, there are many others which will last through and beyond any recession that may happen. (litigation, tax, ERISA, intellectual property)
3. Subprine Practice - Alternative Energy - Technology Careful readers of legal newspapers, newsletters or other materials, might find reference to firms that have created “Subprime Practices Groups,� Alternative Energy and/or Technology groups. Why? Because smart lawyers are always trying to see around the corner in the economy. Getting in on the ground floor is a good idea, and smart law students always look carefully at where the economy is heading and they try to get to the front of the line. Smart law students express interest (based on some research) in these areas.
Holding on to a practice area that is in a steep decline, either because the business has gone or the partner who was generating 90% of your work has departed without associates is nothing but magical thinking. From my headhunter days: A wonderful firm (and I call it wonderful because of what its management did) lost an international trade partner who left with his book of business and none of his five associates. The firm, to its eternal credit, and offered them oil and gas regulation work. Four of the five said “Gosh. I’ve been waiting all my life for oil and gas regs to appear on my desk.� The fifth, who had just bought a condo and had a new wife who had just quit her job, was the lone holdout. “I want to do international trade and only international trade,� he insisted. He was out of the firm in three months and was unemployed for a period of time.
In a shaky economy, students and lawyers should be focused in professional development, skill building and networking and paying obsessive attention to the economy, to new businesses and new industries.
Although I don't advocate using the Internet solely for those seeking employment, I do suggest it be a part of students and clients strategy to find a job. Career expert Richard Bolles asserts that only 4 to 10% of job seekers land a job via the Internet. He does, as I, advocate the net be used extensively in the research stage of the career development process.
Here are more (I posted a similar article earlier in the year) websites I'd like to pass on to you.. The first one listed include "70+ [Internet] Tools For Job Hunting" and is a terrific resource.
http://mashable.com/2007/07/21/job-hunt
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com
http://www.quintcareers.com
http://iseek.org
http://www.mnwfc.org/jobseekers.htm
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/jobs/
Career expert Richard Bolles as well as law firm recruiters suggest that "[w]herever possible, you must research the organization [firm]...before going in for an interview.�? For employers, your efforts will reflect your interest and understanding of the organization. For you, it will help you determine if they are a good fit for you.
Topics to Research
• Areas of Practice
• Location of offices
• Firm Size
• Biographies of lawyers - be discreet here
• Clients they are representing
• Cases they are working on
Where to Look
Employer's Website - Their 'Mission Statement' - bios, 'About the Organization', etc.
NALP Directory/NALP Form - The annual NALP Directory of Legal Employers, www.nalpdirectory.com, is the most widely used directory in legal recruiting. The 2006-2007 edition includes information on more than 1,700 employers nationwide and is an invaluable tool for job searchers, career counselors, and legal recruiters alike. The CPDC has a hardcopy of the directory if you are interested.
Martindale - The Legal Personnel Locator offers free access to data on an extensive network of key non-lawyer staff members, including management personnel, librarians, marketing professionals and paralegals.
American Lawyer - The American Lawyer covers the most significant legal business stories and the most important legal news stories. Often the two overlap. Corporate governance, bankruptcy, and the Supreme Court, are all topics that we address through our special perspective.
Daily News
Newspapers, radio, and TV
University Faculty/Staff Members - You will be surprised how in touch these individuals have with the legal and business communities.
Online job searching (as well as responding to job ads) is typically a
passive activity and a small percentage of one's time should be spent
using this strategy to find an actual position. The candidate's goal,
in my mind, is to get him or herself in front of potential colleagues
and/or employers to learn and to promote his or her abilities. Am I
saying don't use this strategy? No. 'You can't win the lottery without
buying a ticket', and adding an online strategy to your search may
increase one's chances. Heck, I got my previous job through an ad that
I responded to online. But it certainly shouldn't be your only method.
* Using online resources can help you understand the various legal
markets, learn about practice areas, and find people who are doing the
work you want to do (your future colleagues).
Continue reading "Online Job Search Strategy and Resources" »
I recently spent time at Maxwell Air Force Base, in Alabama, attending the Corps Career Services Officer Conference hosted by the Judge Advocate General (AFJAG). The purpose of the conference was to inform law school career service professionals about the training, recruiting, and the day-to-day life of an AFJAG member.
We had the opportunity to tour the city of Montgomery, the air base, AFJAG School, and the base legal department. There were many speakers varying in age, length in service, and deployment experience. We met with brand new JAGs who had just completed Commissioned Officer Training and their JAG training as well as with many seasoned professionals, one of whom was a Brigadier General. Topics of the sessions included the JAG, the armed services in general, recruiting and accessions, opportunities, and the realities of deployment.
I found the conference to be extremely helpful in learning about legal opportunities in the military. Of course, it's not for everyone, but if you are interested in learning more, feel free to contact me. As many of you know, I was in the Air Force for many years and would be happy to talk to you about my experience at the conference as well as my time in the military. http://www.jagusaf.hq.af.mil/
Happy New Year and welcome to 2007. We hope you had a wonderful holiday break.
Here are five resolutions to consider making for your personal career development:
1. If you don't already know, decide what you want to do, where, and for whom you want to do it. "This is the number one reason people have trouble finding a new job. They don’t know what they want. Take the time to figure it out, and you'll be way ahead of the rest of the crowd."
2. Work on your resume and cover letters. Do these marketing tools accurately and strongly promote your skills and experiences? Do they reflect what you have to offer a law firm or potential employer and why you would want to work for them?
3. Build relationships with "new" people who work for employers you'd consider working with. Who are your future colleagues? Find them now! Join school-related clubs, professional/industry associations, and go to their meetings. Volunteer and/or perform informational/investigative interviews.
4. Retain or rekindle relationships with people from your past. "Stay in touch (or get back in touch) with old friends, school mates, colleagues, neighbors, long-lost relatives, etc. Let them know about your job hunt and help them with theirs." Ensure they all have a copy of your resume and know what you are looking for (and where).
5. Keep track of your accomplishments and the people who can provide a recommendation. Be organized and follow-up where appropriate. Remember that career development is a life-long activity,
The CPDC has many resources available to help you accomplish all of the resolutions above. Make a resolution to visit us often this year.
1 - Posting based on and quoted from http://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/article_new_years_resolutions.shtml
PSLawNet, NALP's Public Service Law Network Worldwide, is a network of over 170 law schools and more than 11,000 law-related public interest organizations in the U.S. and around the world.
Through its online database, PSLawNet provides a comprehensive clearinghouse of public interest organizations and opportunities for lawyers and law students. Users can perform customized searches of public interest opportunities around the world, ranging from short-term volunteer and paid internships to full-time jobs, fellowships and pro bono opportunities.
PSLawNet facilitates a sharing of public interest resources and expertise by:
* Sponsoring the NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini Conference, an educational meeting for law school public interest advisors
* Appearing on and initiating a variety of panels and programs on public interest issues at other conferences nationwide
* Presenting annual Pro Bono Publico awards to formally recognize law students for outstanding pro bono commitment
* Publishing an annual edition of The Comprehensive Fellowship Guide - The Ultimate Resource for Lawyers and Law Students, containing the most extensive information available on post-graduate fellowships
* Providing information on a wide variety of public interest events, job fairs, and other resources through links on our website.
Curious about what it's like to be The Lawyer representing clients in the office and/or in court? Can't quite fathom what a banking regulator, divorce lawyer or real estate finance practitioner might do all day?
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) provides the answer, and it's free to students. CLE is required in all but a handful of states, and you can find programs for virtually all practices and both Ethics and Law Practice Management live and on the web.
WHO PRESENTS CLE? In addition to commercial providers, some sponsors are international, national, state and local bar associations and their sections; specialty bars (MN Intellectual Property Association, Minnesota Women Lawyers), U of MN Institutes and the U of MN alumni association.
WHERE CAN I FIND CLE? Live CLE can be at a bar association office, in the Law School or at events (dinners with speakers on legal subjects). Some public and private employers provide CLE for their attorneys through in-house training programs Commercial providers, bar associations and law schools also offer CLE webcasts.
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER?
1. To learn about practice from people who are doing the work. Because so much of law school is theoretical, you can use CLE to supplement theory with exposure to practical problems.
2. To explore areas that interest you before you use up three credits or commit to an employer to do work about which you may know virtually nothing. This may be the ultimate 'try before you buy."
3. To prep for your summer or post-JD employment. If you know what you will do in your first job, why not supplement what you have learned in school, in Clinic or in your previous employment? Your employers will be impressed that you have invested your own time in your career.
4. To meet lawyers. If you go to live CLE, you will meet lawyers, who traditionally swarm law students who are smart enough to identify themselves at the doughnut breaks.
Continue reading "CLE (Continuing Legal Education) answers a BIG question" »
Many lawyers and law students express interest in eventually working for a corporation as in-house counsel. The attraction of this type of position is premised on satisfying work and a long-term relationship with a single client (and no client development responsibilities) combined with more "reasonable" hours. A recent New York Times article, "The Lure of the In House Job", (NYT, 6/16/06) explores this phenomenon. It can be found at the following link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/16/business/16legal.html
Whatever the advantages of working in house, remember that being the only lawyer in the room carries burdens as well as boons. You still need to be a solid lawyer, but you also need to think much more clearly about your client's needs as a business.