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Profile: Community Prosecutor Sharla Jackson
By Jessica Nwokocha • March 15, 2012 •Careers
“I find that I can try a case, put a bad guy in prison for life, go home and bake cookies and knit socks.” -- Sharla JacksonI had the pleasure of interviewing Sharla Jackson, Senior Assistant District Attorney and Zone 5 Community Prosecutor for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Atlanta, GA. ADA Jackson is a native of Miami, Florida. She graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and then went on to attend the University of Miami Law School, earning her J.D. in 1990. After passing the bar, ADA Jackson’s first job in…
Raising the Bar: Pulling out the stops in a rough economy
By Julia Spitznagel • March 13, 2012 •Careers
In today's economy, it's becoming increasingly difficult for lawyers to find jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, projected employment statistics for lawyers suggest that the numbers of new graduates looking will exceed the number of jobs. I've been asking friends what they've been doing in the meanwhile to find employment. Hanging your own shingleAccording to the BLS, 26% of lawyers are currently self-employed. Self-employment gives new lawyers an opportunity to make a name for themselves and gain experience. However, the lawyer won't have the resources that an established firm could provide, and will not have guidance on avoiding the pitfalls…
Personal Branding Corner: Treat Your Clients/Customers/Prospects Like You Treat Your Pet
By Katy Goshtasbi • March 05, 2012 •Careers
When we work with clients on developing their natural talents as part of their personal brand, we see trends. Personal branding is about the emotional quotient you trigger to get clients/prospects in action to get to know you and work with you. The best emotion to trigger is joy. We ask clients what daily activities bring about that sense of joy for themselves. We ask for two reasons: 1) so that they can do the activity over and over again for their own benefit AND 2) by doing this activity and having joy/happiness, you develop a strong personal brand and attract…
Ms. JD International: State Department, Part II: Civil Service Careers
By - - • March 03, 2012 •Careers, Law School, Pre-Law
Office of the Legal Adviser Naturally, ladies holding JDs interested in a career in international law will look at the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser, “L.” The attorneys in L advise the Secretary of State, and all State bureaus and personnel on legal matters that arise in the pursuit of the Department’s mission, the development and execution of US foreign policy. As I described in my last post, L is divided into regional and functional bureaus that loosely correlate to the main bureaus at State. The Office of East Asian/Pacific Affairs in L counsels diplomats and civil servants…
Tips from the Top: Laurel Bellows
By Sonia Coleman • February 15, 2012 •Careers
Tips from the Top: Laurel Bellows Laurel Bellows, a principal of The Bellows Law Group, P.C. in Chicago, represents executives in the United States and internationally. Laurel is an experienced business lawyer counseling senior executives and corporations on employment matters, employment and severance agreements, executive compensation and workplace disputes. Her expertise in executive compensation matters also includes mid-level management compensation and benefit plans, and matters involving incentives, pensions, retirement and workforce restructuring. Bellows is currently president-elect of the American Bar Association. Her one-year term as president will begin at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting in August 2012. She…
Win a Ticket to From Burnout 2 Breakthrough: March 9th in Chicago
By Gretchen Duhaime • February 15, 2012 •Careers
I am super pleased to announce that one lucky woman from the Ms. JD community will be attending this fun CLE workshop in Chicago absolutely FREE! We encourage practicing attorneys, non-practicing attorneys, and law students to apply.My co-presenters and I created this event for you. You with the brilliant mind and passionate heart. You went to law school to make a difference, didn't you? Did you know there are ways to make that difference, while still making a living, besides pro bono work?It's true. There are lawyers all around the U.S., and the world, finding ways to be themselves, and…
Steve Jobs: “Don’t Lose Faith; Don’t Settle”
By Nancy Glazer • February 13, 2012 •Careers
Perhaps you’ve heard the replays of the speech Apple’s former CEO Steve Jobs, now deceased, gave to Stanford University’s commencement class of 2005. He stated,“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you…
Ms. JD International: State Department, Part I
By - - • February 02, 2012 •Careers, Law School, Pre-Law
State Department, Part I: Student Opportunities The State Department, perhaps the pinnacle of all things international, has fantastic professional opportunities for internationally-minded law students. The three core opportunities for students are: the Student Internship Program, STEP (Student Temporary Employment Program), and SCEP (Student Career Experience Program). Law students can extern during the semester in at State headquarters in DC for credit or intern at an embassy abroad. The Office of the Legal Adviser, otherwise known as “L,” offers a very small number of externships and paid summer internships specifically for law students, but law students interested in international law should…
Personal Branding Corner: Are You An Authentic Leader?
By Katy Goshtasbi • January 30, 2012 •Careers
Have you ever taken a good hard look at the way people around you are leading? Are the male leaders fitting the stereotype of a strong leader you'd want to follow? What about the women leaders? Are the women leaders "owning" their leadership position or are they sending mixed messages? The problem that often occurs is that men lead like men and women try to lead like men, too. Sadly, when women lead like men, they often forget to use their natural leadership skills. Each gender has a natural talent that lends itself to authentic leadership. However, women often ignore…