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Bright Colors, Conservative Office: Nail Polishes for Spring
I’m so excited that it’s finally spring! Even though it actually snowed on Monday in Chicago–but still! Spring is almost here and I’m so ready for nicer weather. One of the fun things I like about Spring is that I get to slowly transition into lighter, brighter makeup–including nail color! Obviously how light and bright you can go depends on your work setting. Generally, it’s safe to go for pastels or lighter neutrals as you ease into spring. However, some law firms are so conservative that any colorful nail polish is a no-go. Sad! And of course, you probably shouldn’t wear colorful nails in court until you know the culture…
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Social Media Mistakes
I remember when Facebook came to campus (omg does that make me sound old? lol); I was what they call an “early adopter.” Soon our college administration started having sessions to warn us about Facebook and what not to do. The litmus test was always, “would you be ok with your grandmother seeing this?” I always would roll my eyes because ascribing to the life norms of a woman decades older than me doesn’t make sense. It’s important for everyone to be aware of the impact social media can have and how a comment/picture/joke can go wrong if you’re not careful. Here are some mistakes I have seen students do…
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Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: How to Approach Legal Practice
The other day I was trying out a new workout DVD and the instructor encouraged/yelled at us to, “get comfortable with being uncomfortable!” and that hit me with a sudden realization that this is the perfect way we should approach our legal practice—especially when it comes to being in awkward situations; whether they be networking, teaching, or participating in public forums. The idea of embracing discomfort means that we seek out things that challenge and push us so that we can take our skills and practice to the next level. In my case, I really wanted to increase my public speaking skills because I am transactional attorney 95% of the…
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How to Network With Higher Income Brackets
It is common to feel like an outsider within the legal profession because we often have to network and work with people that have always been in higher income brackets than what we have experienced. It is just statistics that we enter this profession having to navigate a system that involves working and connecting with a richer crowd—richer in both finances, resources, and in experiences that are better appreciated by the status quo. For example, when a colleague from a wealthy family is able to backpack through Europe, a hiring partner may see that as valuable life experience. In contrast, our life experiences that may consist of working part-time jobs to help our…
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Culture Conflict: Leaving the Home
A few weeks ago we discussed the dropout rates and the obstacles Latinas face in finishing high school. It is a real problem for our community, but thankfully it is improving because Latinas are starting to attend higher Ed at a rapidly growing pace. This fantastic news! However, even when Latinas are making strides in graduating from high school, they have an obstacle placed before them when it comes to earning their college degree. The obstacle being: Will my family be OK if I attend school away from home? Many young Latinas that have been accepted into four-year Universities feel pressured (consciously or subconsciously) to forgo an education at their preferred school…
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Easing into Fitness.
When I started my first job out of law school, I suddenly realized I had so much time on my hands. Yes, I worked 9 to 5, but it was steady work with weekends free. Completely different than law school, where I had an unpredictable schedule of classes, studying, meetings, etc.; plus, I didn’t have to block off huge chunks of my time to commit to studying for finals. Life after law school felt so much more unrestricted-it was great! However, I quickly realized that if I wasn’t careful, then I would be wasting hours watching t.v. and eating mindlessly. Instead, I decided that I finally was going to commit…
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A Rock and Hard Place: Negotiating Salaries as Women
When I was a 2L, my Women’s Law Society brought in a group called WAGE to talk about salary negotiations. It was an eye-opening experience and I’m so grateful that WLS opened my eyes to the wage gap and helped us learn skills to push back and feel confident in negotiating our salaries. When I started my job and received my offer, I knew I didn’t have much wiggle room because our salaries were based on our Union contract, but I still made it a point to see the COO so that he could explain to me the reasoning behind the offer. Mostly, I just wanted to feel comfortable and…
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Try Out Tips for Moot Court.
One of my goals when I started law school was to participate in my school’s very prestigious mock trial program. It just seemed like the path to success. The day I tried I out, I had no experience doing mock trial; I had no attorney mentor or upperclassman to provide insight; and I didn’t dress the part. Surprise, surprise–I did not make it. I was disappointed because I knew that participation in this program would be so beneficial. In fact, participating in any law school trial advocacy or moot court is a great way to increase your skill set, and it also builds connection between you, alumni, and other members of…
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Violence Against Women, Religion, & Power
As we near International Women’s Day, I wanted to review Jimmy Carter’s latest book on violence and women called A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power. First, regardless of your political opinion regarding the Carter administration, I really recommend reading this book because, if anything, it provides real statistics regarding the state of women in the world and the violence they encounter. That being said, I think everyone should read this because it presents complicated, ancient, and horrifying problems in simple terms with concrete examples of ways to improve said problems. It’s an easy read in that every chapter is concise and you’re not inundated with policy or…
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Executive Presence: Gaining Respect at Work
About a year ago, I started noticing an odd trend at work. People would ask for my advice on how to move ahead on a project; I would give them my advice; and then they would hurry off to get a second opinion, as if they didn’t trust what I had to say. Once I realize that this kept happening, I got a little annoyed. On the one hand, I see the value in getting a second opinion, but if you are constantly re-confirming what I’m telling you then stop wasting my time and just get your first opinion from someone else, you know? Obviously, that is not the right attitude…