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Networking Basics: The Importance of Follow Through
As the new school year starts there will be a lot of opportunities to network and meet members of the legal community. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to interact with so many new people–especially when you’re brand new and may not have a clear networking goal (other than “find a job”). But it’s vital that you make yourself part of the legal community and get into the habit of cultivating new contacts. As a new law student–or an upperclassman that really wants to up their game–here are some things to focus on: One. Participate. While obviously studying and getting used to your new program is necessary, don’t avoid all networking…
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Game On: Actions Steps to Take Now to Land a Full-Time Attorney Position
When I started law school I didn’t really know how I was going to get a job. I just assumed that closer to my graduation, I’d start applying for entry level positions. LOL. Of course, soon I learned about the importance of externships/clerkships and back then the “rule” was that where you summered your rising 3L year was where you’d likely get an offer from and you’d be set by the time you took the bar. LOLLOLOL. Cue the recession. But honestly, with or without the recession, I wouldn’t have known how intricate and long-term legal job applications can be; your interview process can begin a year from your start…
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Finding Mentor: Using This Summer to Find the Mentor You Need
If you’re a current law student by now you should have settled in nicely at your summer gig. It can be easy to lose focus in the day to day of assignments and deadlines of what your big goal for the summer should be–securing a job (or a job lead for next summer/semester). While that is the main goal, there is something else to work towards, especially if you’re breaking into the field, and that is finding a mentor that may help guide you in your budding career. How do you find a mentor?! That is the million dollar question. If you are me, a kind law professor takes pity…
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Grow Your Circle: The Benefits of Being an Active Alumna
A common theme I hear from attorneys of color is the disconnect they feel from their law school. It’s a disconnect I have often felt. While the school never feels purposefully unwelcoming, it’s always very obvious that this is a space that’s not necessarily for us. For most of us, it’s all about getting our JD and bouncing. And because we never felt like that space was for us, we often don’t take the time to come back, in meaningful ways, to make sure the students after us have a better experience. I get why–you have a real job, real friends, family, responsibilities that take priority. Duh. But I fear…
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The Vital First Steps to Take to Find Your Mentor
We’ve discussed before how awkward networking can be when you’re new to the profession. We’re told so often to “network!” during school, but it can be a foreign concept. Actually, to me it always felt icky that we’re going to these events to “make contacts,” which is often code for “what can this person do for me?” See? Gross. Instead, when I flipped this concept to make networking feel more reasonable for me, I found that I really enjoyed it. It can still be a little nerve-wracking to go to an event, unsure if I’ll know anyone, but it’s very rare when I go to something and feel like the…
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Battling Isolation and Loneliness as a New College Student
Can I tell you how hyped I was to start college? I was so excited! I had the full “traditional” American experience at a four-year university and absolutely loved it. Yet, I would see some students around me who hated it and I just didn’t get it. What’s not to love? There’s so much freedom and new experiences and friends and parties and learning etc etc. I didn’t get how people could feel lonely or dislike college—and then I went to law school and was like oh. I get it. The loneliness and feelings of detachment that many students of color experience when they start college smacked me in the…
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Ending Your Internship with the Necessary Follow-Through
It’s incredible how fast ten weeks goes by! If you’re an intern you’re probably just one or two weeks away from wrapping up your summer gig. Believe it or not, there is a good way and not so good way to end your internship. The not-so-good way is that you leave your office without a way to maintain a connection. Even if you don’t like the agency or have decided it’s not the practice area for you, the legal community is small and you should always make it a point to grow your professional network system and many students fail to do this right at the end of their stint.…
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Learning to Love Networking
The number one piece of advice all students receive to help land a job is to network. I’ve spoken before how unnatural networking has felt for me. It’s awkward and weird and it feels odd to try to make superficial connections just in case one day in the future they can help me. It feels icky. I think for many this runs counter to how we normally tend to socialize—in fact there are many articles on what women do wrong while networking that tries to shame us from doing what comes naturally to us. FYI, I just googled “things men do wrong while networking” and one (1!) article appeared…. Anyway,…
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Be Fearless: Try Out for Moot Court
I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I think it’s super beneficial to remind all students the importance of trying out for moot court and other trial advocacy teams. I’ve spoken to so many rising 1Ls that don’t even attempt to try out and that is such a disservice to yourself. I know not all of us will be trial lawyers (myself included), but these opportunities provided by your school aren’t made to create trial lawyers–they are so much more than that! Here’s what you lose out on when you don’t participate in these activities: one. Connections. You meet countless practicing attorneys and judges through these programs. You can gain mentors…
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Throwback–Posts You May Have Missed in Our First Year
For those new followers (or just for those that would like a refresher), here are some of the earlier posts from Latinas Uprising that are worth a revisit–especially as a new school year starts and many others will begin new jobs in the weeks to come! How would you/do you react when you’re mistaken (sometimes on purpose) as the interpreter? Different shoe options when working in conservative law offices (side note: wedges forever!) The best way to study in law school is to Study How You Study! The importance of being an active alumna, even if (or especially if) you didn’t feel very welcomed at your educational institution. How to…