It’s easy to get trapped in the dichotomy of “Litigation or corporate?” when considering the type of legal career you want, but there’s a big world of options out there!
Read on for advice about a variety of legal jobs, including: summer jobs, internships and externships; judicial clerkships; law firm jobs; public interest careers; in-house roles; solo practice; and even a few outside-the-box options.
Enjoy!
Summer Law Jobs, Internships, and Externships
- How to Make a Good Impression at Your Summer Law Job Right on the heels of law school exams comes a new set of challenges: how to make a good impression at your summer job. Here’s some general advice that’s applicable to all kinds of work situations.
- Tips for Applying for Internships and Externships There comes a point in many law students’ careers where he or she chooses to pursue an internship or externship in the field of law he or she is most interested in. What is the difference between an internship and an externship, and how do you decide if you should pursue either? Hopefully, the following information will be helpful.
- I Got Really Bad Grades Last Semester, Can I Still Land a 1L Summer Job? Yes! The answer is an overwhelming yes!! Immediately block out all the pretentious buzz and chatter that has told you otherwise, because building your confidence and accepting this truth is the first step to landing a job this summer.
- Getting Ready for Your BigLaw Summer Job If you’re a law student pursuing the BigLaw summer job experience, then you’ll want to check out this post.
- Tips for Legal Writing at Your Summer Job Use these tips to effectively use legal writing in your summer job.
- Help! It's Already Summer and I Still Don't Have a Summer Job! Panicking about your nonexistent summer job? Take a deep breath, calm down, and read this to figure out some steps you can take!
- Caution! Don't Restrict Your Job Search to the OCI Process! OCI's are just one of the many job-hunting methods you can take advantage of. Here are three options that law students overlook when they rely exclusively on OCI.
- Getting a Jump on the 1L Summer Job Search Many students arrive at law school feeling uncertain about what they want to do with their law degree and often need some time, self-assessment, and experience to figure it out. Still, it’s not too early to begin thinking about your career goals and, on a smaller scale, your post-1L summer job.
- 5 Tips For Rescuing Your Law School Summer Job From Disaster Sometimes summer associate positions don't go as planned. We have five tips to consider if things aren't going well, and you're looking for a way to turn it around.
- Why You Should Consider a Judicial Internship Judicial internships are often overlooked by first year students. You don’t get paid and sometimes they are more work than what you’d be doing in a firm. I know my internship was very challenging, even more so than most of my classmates who had the same position with other judges.
- Podcast Episode 24: Job Search Basics for 1Ls Although it's only December, today we're looking ahead to the summer. We know a lot of you may be stressing out about this so we've got some useful tips and information about the basics of a 1L job search.
- Podcast Episode 54: How to Evaluate Your Summer Legal Job Experience We will talk about about how to evaluate your summer legal job experience, and how to make sure you leave on good terms. As your summer law job is drawing to a close, here are some ways to ensure you learn as much as you can from the experience.
- Podcast Episode 66: Tips for a Successful Law School Internship or Externship Today we’re talking about how to have a successful law school internship or externship experience. For most law students, these jobs are their first experiences in the legal workplace (or maybe in any professional workplace). Be sure you’re behaving like a responsible professional, and you’ll set yourself up for success in any internship or externship!
- Podcast Episode 94: How to Succeed at Your Summer Legal Job (With Sara O'Connor) Summer law jobs can come with a lot of pressure, and you want to make a good impression and set yourself up for success. Tune in for a preview of life as a summer associate or intern, along with tips for getting the most out of the experience (including a job offer).
- Podcast Episode 108: Handling Summer Associate Offers (With an Ex-BigLaw Recruiter) Today, we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about the process of getting, or not getting, an offer at the end of your time as a summer associate. Tune in for some great information on how to end your summer successfully and navigate the offer process thoughtfully and respectfully.
- Podcast Episode 140: OCI Strategy (w/Sadie Jones) We’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about OCI strategy. If you’re not sure how or where to bid, what to put on your resume, or how to explain tricky parts of your background, this is the episode for you!
- Podcast Episode 143: Understanding Work Assignments (w/Sadie Jones) We’re talking again with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about how to make sure you’re getting the information you need to do a good job on any work assignment.
- Podcast Episode 147: Top Summer Associate Mistakes and How to Fix Them (w/Sadie Jones) Today we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about the top mistakes summer associates make — so you can avoid making them, or fix them if you happen to make them.
- Podcast Episode 152: Top OCI Mistakes To Avoid (w/Sadie Jones) Today, we’re talking with Sadie Jones, an ex-BigLaw recruiter, about the top OCI mistakes to avoid – from the actual on-campus interviews through the callback process.
- Podcast Episode 155: Top Callback Mistakes to Avoid (w/Sadie Jones) Today we’re continuing our series of “What not to do” episodes with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones, and we’re talking about callback interviews.
- Podcast Episode 164: No Offer After OCI? Here's What To Do (w/Sadie Jones) We’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about what to do if OCI didn’t go as planned, and you didn’t end up with a summer associate offer for your 2L summer.
Judicial Clerkships
- How to Ace Your Judicial Clerkship Interviews In this post we share all our tips for nailing your judicial clerkship interviews!
- Your Judicial Clerkship Applications Are In…Now What? At this point, your application is in, but doesn’t mean it’s time to rest on your laurels! You can still improve your chances of getting the clerkship you want. Here's how.
- What Is It Really Like to Be a Judicial Clerk? What does a law clerk actually DO every day? Is it something you would enjoy, or just another box to check? We have the scoop!
- The Most Critical Thing to Do Before Your Judicial Clerkship Interview Congratulations! You’ve got a judicial clerkship interview. But now what can you to maximize your chances of getting the job? Read our advice here.
- How to Get a Judicial Clerkship The process of getting a judicial clerkship isn’t for the faint of heart. The process has changed in a few key ways over the last few years, and we explain how it works and how you can best position yourself to successfully find a clerkship.
- Expand Your Options: An Exploration of the Different Types of Federal Clerkship and State Clerkship Options Looking for a clerkship but not sure what all of the options are? Even if a Federal Clerkship isn't on the horizon for you, there are other possibilities, and we're looking at lots of options.
- Judicial Clerkships: An Overview A judicial clerkship can be a great way to begin your legal career. It’s important that you have an idea of what the work entails and why it’s a valuable experience so you’re able to make an informed decision about whether it’s something you want to pursue.
- Podcast Episode 44: How to Get a Judicial Clerkship Judicial clerkships are high sought after positions for law students. Today we are talking with special guest, Fairuz Abdullah, Associate Director of Public Interest Programs and Judicial Clerkships in the office of career and professional development at UC Hastings, about how to get a judicial clerkship!
- Podcast Episode 176: Talking About Judicial Clerkships with Kelsey Russell Today, we’re talking with Kelsey Russell, a writer for the Law School Toolbox and a recent federal judicial clerk, about clerkships.
Law Firm Jobs
- How to Ace Your Law Firm Interview It’s law firm interview season! We welcome a highly-experienced law firm associate who has conducted numerous summer associate interviews to shares six tips for making sure you stand out during the callback process (and avoid disaster).
- 5 More Ways to Ace Your Law Firm Interview If you missed part one of our series on how to ace your law firm interview, hop on over and read it. Today, our anonymous law firm associate is back, with five more tips for making sure you don’t screw up the callback process!
- Corporations 101 - A Quick Look at Upperclassmen Courses Here is a quick overview of Corporations, a law school class you may be interested in taking during your upperclassmen years.
- (All I'm Saying Is) Give Law Firms a Chance Sure, law firms get a bad reputation, but that doesn't necessarily mean that a firm won't be the perfect fit for you.
- Why I Left Biglaw In this post, Alison discusses her journey through Biglaw: why she joined, what it was like, why she left, and the lessons she learned along the way.
- Ahead of the Curve: What Are Big Law Recruiters Really Looking For? Are you thinking ahead to getting that dream job in big law? Here are some tips from a former big law recruiter that might help set you apart from the pack.
- Law Firms are Hiring Your Qualities, Not Your Skills Most employers expect that they will need to train brand-new attorneys in the specific tasks that need to be handled on a daily basis. Read more to learn what traits law firms are hoping to see in applicants -- and how to display them in an interview!
- A Quick Look at Personal Injury Law The best way to make a decision about what type of law you're interested in is to be informed and gain experience in those fields. Here is a quick look at personal injury law.
- Employment Law 101 - A Quick Look at Upperclassmen Courses It can be difficult to figure out the type of law you want to devote yourself to when there are so many options. In your upperclassmen years, you get to choose electives that fit your interests so that you can learn about a type of law that you may want to practice. One of my electives in my 2L year was employment law. Here is a quick overview of this course so you have a general understanding of employment law before you take it.
- Finding the Best Law Firm For You The competition to secure a post-graduation legal job can be intense. As a result, you may feel obligated to accept any job available even though it’s far from an ideal position for you. Even at the beginning of your legal career, you should start thinking about the qualities you want your workplace to promote. As you’re searching for your first legal job (or considering a change), consider whether any of these workplace qualities are a priority for you.
- Podcast Episode 3: Mastering the On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) Process In this episode, we talk about improving your resume and cover letter, how to figure out what firms to bid on in OCI, how the process typically works, and more!
- Podcast Episode 4: Callback Tips for BigLaw Summer Associate Positions Today, we’re discussing the next step in the on campus interview process – callback interviews. Topics covered include what are firms looking for in a callback, advice on scheduling interviews, and more!
- Podcast Episode 55: An Overview of BigLaw On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) We will discuss BigLaw OCI, or on-campus interviewing. This is the annual rite of passage where thousands of law students try to secure BigLaw summer associate positions for the next summer. In this episode, we talk at a high level about all of the aspects of OCI, and you can listen to our earlier OCI episodes for a deeper dive into the specifics of callbacks and initial interviews.
- Podcast Episode 85: Surviving as a Summer Associate and New Firm Lawyer (with Grover Cleveland) We talk with Grover Cleveland, a Seattle lawyer and speaker and the author of the bestselling career advice book for new lawyers, Swimming Lessons for Baby Sharks: The Essential Guide to Thriving as a New Lawyer. We discuss how to survive as a summer associate and a new associate!
- Podcast Episode 108: Handling Summer Associate Offers (With an Ex-BigLaw Recruiter) Today, we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about the process of getting, or not getting, an offer at the end of your time as a summer associate. Tune in for some great information on how to end your summer successfully and navigate the offer process thoughtfully and respectfully.
- Podcast Episode 111: Resumes and Cover Letters (with an Ex-BigLaw Recruiter) Concerned about your job applications? Our podcast guest has reviewed thousands of legal resumes in her life and is here to answer some frequently asked questions on the dos and don’ts of resume and cover letter preparation.
- Podcast Episode 116: Life as a Small Firm Associate (With Jeremy Richter) In this episode we're talking to a practicing attorney about life as a young associate. If you're trying to figure out what you might be able to expect in your first few years after law school, this is the podcast for you!
- Podcast Episode 132: What's BigLaw Really Like (w/Sadie Jones)? We’re talking about what it’s actually like to work in BigLaw, with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones. It’s generally accepted that in BigLaw, you’re expected to bill a ton of hours and work long nights in exchange for a hefty paycheck, but is that all there is to it? Learn more of the nuanced ins-and-outs of life working in a large law firm.
- Podcast Episode 159: The Secret Life of Law Firms (w/Sadie Jones) We’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about the secret life of large law firms. If you think you want to work in a large law firm someday, don’t miss this episode as we dive into the unique culture of BigLaw.
Public Interest Careers
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic -- How Do I Become a Public Interest Attorney? Are you becoming an attorney for the sake of your ideals rather than your salary? Public interest attorneys can literally change the world. If you're interested in becoming one of them, this is the post for you!
- Podcast Episode 58: Non-Profit Law and Social Entrepreneurship (with Guest Adrian Tirtanadi of Bayview Hunters Point Community Legal) We will discuss doing good works with Adrian Tirtanadi, founder of Bayview Hunters Point Community Legal, a non-profit legal startup in San Francisco. This is a great episode for anyone who is interested in how access to legal services can change a community and for everyone interested in entrepreneurial non-profit or public interest law.
- Podcast Episode 75: Learn about Structured Negotiation and Disability Rights Law (with Lainey Feingold) Today, we’re excited to have attorney and author Lainey Feingold here with us. She is a long-time disability rights lawyer and developed a technique called Structured Negotiation that is the subject of her book, “Structured Negotiation: A Winning Alternative to Lawsuits,” which was recently published by the ABA. Structure Negotiation has been used with well-known organizations including major banks, Walmart, the city of San Francisco, and Major League Baseball to address accessibility issues in physical and virtual environments, outside of court.
- Podcast Episode 101: Preparing for a Career in Public Interest Law (With Ashley Matthews of Equal Justice Works) Public interest is a competitive field to break into, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges. If you’ve decided you want to pursue a career in public interest law, this episode is a must-listen!
- Podcast Episode 118: Learn About Animal Law With Pamela Hart at ALDF Interested in animal law? Or even just in pursuing a public interest career? Listen here for advice from Pamela Hart, Director of the Animal Law Program at the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
- Podcast Episode 153: Working For Gun Violence Prevention (w/Allison Anderman) We’re talking about public policy work and gun violence prevention with Allison Anderman, the managing attorney at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Working In-House
- What's It Really Like to Be an In-House Attorney? We Ask An Expert In-house attorneys work directly for a corporation, representing it on some or all of its legal matters. In the past, attorneys usually worked for several years at a law firm before transitioning to in-house roles, often with a client of their firm. Today, it is becoming more common for lawyers to snag in-house roles straight out of or soon after graduating from law school.
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic: How Do I Become an In-House Attorney? Do you want to get an in-house position, but think that it's out of reach for a recent graduate? Or are you a post-graduate looking to transition? Here are some tips that could make your in-house dreams a reality!
- How Can You Become an Entertainment Lawyer? One of the most enviable fields in the legal world, entertainment law, sparks almost as much attention among law students as the celebrities who comprise the client base. Reputably a near-impossible industry to enter, it may be wise to take a few steps to test-drive the industry before you sign up for that entertainment concentration. Like Hollywood, entertainment law is not always what it seems.
- How to Develop a Career in Technology Law and Policy This blog posts outlines some of the steps you can take as a law student to set yourself up for a successful career in the exciting field of technology law.
Solo Practice
- Catapulting Into a Career in Solo Practice In the case of Elizabeth, not passing the bar exam on the first try was a blessing in disguise.
- Podcast Episode 154: Building a Better Law Practice (w/ Jeremy Richter) Today we’re excited to welcome back Jeremy Richter, attorney and author of the new book, Building A Better Law Practice, recently published by the ABA. He has some practical tips for young lawyers to help you build a successful and satisfying law practice.
Outside-the-Box Thinking for a Legal Career
- Thinking Outside the Box to Find Employment How do you avoid becoming part of the considerable percentage of graduating law students who do not have a job? Think outside the box!
- I Told the Truth, and It Turned Out Okay The follow-up to the post about hitting rock bottom as a young lawyer is inspiring.
- Emerging Legal Careers: The Ever-Expanding JD Advantage Market This is the third post in a multi-part series designed to explore how the legal market is changing and introduce you to some of the options it presents for future law graduates.
- What I Wish I Knew Before Going to Law School Everyone heads into law school with an arsenal of unique skills. Here, several lawyers detail what skills and knowledge they wish they'd had before attending law school.
- When I Hit Rock Bottom as a Young Lawyer The job market for young lawyers is scary. Here is one person's story on how she struggled to climb up from the bottom of the totem pole.
- What to Do the Summer Before Your LLM There are a lot of things to think about before you start your LLM program, especially if you're an international student! Here are some things to do (and avoid!) during the summer before you start.
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic Dreaming of becoming a lawyer but not for a law firm? There are alternatives! Here are some things you should do to start on the path to an alternative legal career.
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic: How Do I Become a Government Attorney? Are you interested in pursuing government work after law school? Here are some things you can do to help yourself in that job market, and what you might expect if you're able to get one of these jobs.
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic: How Do I Become an In-House Attorney? Do you want to get an in-house position, but think that it's out of reach for a recent graduate? Or are you a post-graduate looking to transition? Here are some tips that could make your in-house dreams a reality!
- What's Your Alternative? Uncovering Alternative Career Paths for the Law Firm Skeptic -- How Do I Become a Public Interest Attorney? Are you becoming an attorney for the sake of your ideals rather than your salary? Public interest attorneys can literally change the world. If you're interested in becoming one of them, this is the post for you!
- How Lawyers are Fighting Revenge Porn Revenge porn has, unfortunately, become a more prevalent way for some people to get back at their exes. If you're interested in how lawyers can (and do!) fight this practice, and how you could pursue this field as a lawyer, check out this post!
- Interview with Kathleen Hunker, J.D. We interview Kathleen Hunker, a senior policy analyst with the Center for Economic Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Her untraditional legal career in the policy field taught her some valuable lessons about law school life, the bar exam, and career choices, and we share this with you.
- Emerging Careers For Law Graduates: The Intersection of Law and Technology This is the first post in a multi-part series that will consider how the legal world is changing with the emergence of new technology, highlight practice areas experiencing sustainable growth, and explore some of the most popular jobs in the ever-expanding JD Advantage market.
- Emerging Careers For Law Graduates: Hot Practice Areas We're looking at a few practice areas that are not only hot at the moment, but are also likely to maintain a strong presence in the market well into the future, including marijuana law, elder law, and healthcare law.
- Podcast Episode 86: Resources for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Today, we’re taking a little bit of a detour to talk about entrepreneurship. Or, maybe it’s not such a detour, given the number of lawyers who end up creating solo practices or small firms, or who leave the law entirely to start new businesses!
- Podcast Episode 91: From Lawyer to Entrepreneur to Mayor! During our talk, Rachel Hundley doesn't just offer some great practical tips for being active in your local community, she also provides an inspiring example of someone who felt a calling and pursued it—more than once, undeterred by various obstacles—where there’s a will, there’s a way!
- Podcast Episode 109: Life as a Woman Entrepreneur With Meg Keene of A Practical Wedding In this podcast we talk about the path to entrepreneurship, challenges of running a business as a woman and mother, not to mention the challenges faced by the partner of a law student/lawyer! Tune in to hear more from Meg Keene.