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The Quintessential JD Preferred Career: An Interview with Valerie Chianuri
By Diana LaMorie • May 30, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers
Hot off the heels of our 2-part interview with a high caliber legal recruiter in March and April, my list of accomplished Ms. JD interviewees grows with Valerie Chianuri (another fellow BLS alumna), Senior Director of Exusia Inc., a global technology consulting company. Valerie has had the quintessential JD Preferred career, holding cutting edge roles in the fields of entrepreneurism, privacy and payments law (and beyond). No matter what field you are in, her story is an inspiring one and makes the case for alternate uses for a JD better and more succinctly than I can in a year’s worth of blog posts. ***************** Tell…
The Barred Life: A Series of Indefinite Length - Part I
By Jannet Matthew • May 30, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues, Features, •Advice on Passing the Bar Exam
PART I A Personal Thing, but a Family Affair I’m a December graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles and took the February 2018 California Bar Exam. The month is May but I've been an emotional wreck since February. I write this post sitting two days away from knowing my fate and an alien feeling has come over me - my emotional wreckage is finally settling. The closer I’ve gotten to the result date, the more I let go of my anxiety, fear, numbness, and desire to control. This is a major breakthrough I'm profoundly proud of because I've…
From Paralegal to Associate: How to Handle Stress During the First Year as an Associate
By Nadia Ennaji • May 29, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues
It is no secret that the schedule of an attorney is a hectic one. Balancing a personal life with the pressure of billable hour is a tricky job. The typical day of an attorney starts around 8:30 am and rarely ends until 7:30 pm. Add to this the commute to and from home. And with the new technology, are you truly ever disconnected from work? All of these contribute to higher than normal stress level in the legal profession. The first year of a new associate is even more difficult, as there is the continuous pressure to adjust to the…
Drive Your Journey: Facebook as a Pathway to Increasing Your Brand Presence
By Delania Barbee • May 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers
A recent Pew Research Center study shows that the majority of U.S. adults are on present on Facebook, and three-quarters of those adults visit Facebook every day. This makes Facebook a great online platform for building a brand. So, what should you do to maximize your use of Facebook? Below are several suggestions: Create a page. If you are familiar with Facebook, you are likely aware that there is a difference between a profile, which is where you allow people to be added as “friends”, and a profile, which people follow by “liking” the page. Pages are not just reserved…
Accident Attorneys: Which Do I Need?
By Dennis Hung • May 22, 2018 •Careers
When you need legal representation, you need an attorney who specializes in the field. When you've been involved in an accident, you may need an attorney who specializes in accidents, but there are many areas within this field, so how do you know which one you need? Types of Accident Lawyers Many types of accidents encompass more than one area, so you may need an attorney who has multiple specialties. The most common types of personal injury accidents are: Vehicle accidents, which are by far the most common, slip and fall, dog bites, defamation of character, medical malpractice or negligence,…
Interview with Asst. Gen. Counsel Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • May 17, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m pleased to introduce Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard, Assistant General Counsel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law Graduate, Bobbi-Sue is a mental health advocate, an experienced in-house counselor, and sports law champion. She is also the founder and host of Leveling The Playing Field podcast. “Are you ready for some questions? A Ms. JD party!” Excuse the cheesy Monday Night Football knockoff, but welcome, Bobbi-Sue! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. Let’s jump in! You’ve had such a diverse legal background, working initially as a sole practitioner to general…
Are Young Women Lawyers Still Enamored With Law Firm Jobs?
By Susan Smith Blakely • May 16, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector
There was a time when most young lawyers --- male and female alike --- found law firm jobs desirable. The pay was good, the hours were manageable, and the upward mobility and financial rewards were inviting. But, is that still true today? According to today's article on the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) online Issues Blog, it may no longer be true for young women lawyers. Based on statistics from the Colorado Supreme Court's Attorney Regulation Counsel, the article identifies a "trend" away from law firm jobs for young women law graduates in that state. Those…
15 Ways (Some Appropriate) to Answer the Question “How Do You Do It All?”
By Claire Parsons • May 13, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
I spoke on a panel for a bar association event a few weeks ago. Though I was there to talk generally about lawyers as leaders in the community, the well-meaning moderator unexpectedly asked only me and the other female panelist the dreaded question: “how do you do it all?” The other panelist, who was clearly a tactical genius, quickly directed me to answer first. Having no time to fume or react emotionally, I just answered it. It was only later when several women from the audience independently asked me if I could believe the question that the frustration set in.…
Swimming Lessons for Baby Sharks: Practical Advice for New Lawyers
By Grover E. Cleveland • May 07, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector
Help me help you: Do you have a tip for Limiting Interruptions? Just send an e-mail here or tweet to @babysharklaw. Easy! I will compile a roundup for a future column. I thank you, and your fellow lawyers thank you! Q: I find myself putting off boring tasks until the last minute – and then things get really stressful. Any suggestions for getting over procrastination? A: To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, “You can have results or excuses, but not both.” Granted, our topic is not weightlifting, but the maxim still rings true. Procrastination can be self-destructive – but we all know that. And while…