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To be a Woman and to be “Workplace Ready”
By Ava Lee • April 18, 2018 •Ms. JD, Conference, Ms. JD Book Reviews, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, •Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, •Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, Myths & Truths, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
For a man, the common mantra is “seize the day.” For a woman, the common mantra is “act accordingly.” Women are conditioned to believe their self-worth is based on following rules and being "good." The ideal woman projects grace, cooperation, and compliance. She tailors herself to be acceptable and pleasant. She accommodates and sidesteps her wants for the greater good. Unfortunately, this outlook can leave one professionally stagnant. Being assertive, firm, and steadfast are required to achieving personal and professional objectives. But these traits are often downplayed by women for fear of being rejected or worse, "unlikeable." I remember my first day at work. I was a fresh graduate…
Selfie with no Filter: the 1L Life - Resource Gems
By Britt Wiegand • March 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
Whew! This semester is flying by. Spring break is now over, appellate brief season is upon the 1Ls, and finals are on the horizon. Because everything has been so busy, I’ve come to appreciate those golden eggs of information even more than I did before. As a 0L and 1L, I wasted a lot of time looking for and using various resources, but there have been a few I repeatedly use and to which I continually return. So, this post is dedicated to a few of my favorite (and best!) resources. Whether you’re heading to law school or are currently…
#Ms.Cyberlaw: Q+A with Amanda Levendowski
By Ani Torossian • March 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
Today’s interview is with Amanda Levendowski, who is currently a clinical teaching fellow with the Technology Law and Policy Clinic at New York University School of Law. She is a graduate of NYU, where she completed both her undergraduate studies and her law degree. Before returning to NYU Law, she worked as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Cooley LLP focusing on copyright, trademark, Internet and privacy Law. She is also a Wikipedia editor. Hello Amanda! Before we enter law territory, my inner bookish nerd cannot refrain from asking you about your Dystopian Book Group. How did this…
Straight From The Source: An Interview with Meredith Cohen from Momentum Search Group (Part 1 of 2)
By Diana LaMorie • March 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
Recruiters are the unsung heroes of a JD’s career. Vastly underrated and underappreciated if you ask me. My current and prior jobs were both obtained through recruiters. I would go so far as to say that if you are not in touch with recruiters, then you are not in touch with your career. Who else can give you the immediate scoop on the marketplace, your relative position in it, your earnings potential, what roles are out there for you, etc. … for free? With a glance at your resume and a five minute chat about your work history, a recruiter…
From Paralegal to Associate: How to Survive your First Year on the Job – Part I
By Nadia Ennaji • March 26, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
You have survived and graduated from Law School … You have survived and passed the Bar. Congratulation!! What amazing achievements. After the rush of excitement settles down, you realize that now, lays yet a new challenge ahead of you: your first job as an associate attorney. What can you do to survive your first year on the job? I have done some research, and adding to it my own personal experience, I am sharing what I found out. I have divided the article into two Parts. In part one I will discuss the first few weeks into a new job. …
“So You Want To Be a Corporate Lawyer?” Episode 3 of the Ms. JD Pre-Law Mentoring Hangout
By Joseph Kemp • March 19, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Curriculum and Classroom Dynamics, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
On this episode of the Ms. JD Pre-Law Mentoring Hangout created by the illustrious Ms. JD Pre-Law Program Director, Genevieve Antono, aspiring attorneys came together with a current law student, Alexi Thomas, and former corporate lawyer, Van Ann Bui, to discuss what it means to practice corporate law. We covered many topics from securing a coveted law firm associate position to what a typical day in the life of a corporate lawyer is like. The insight offered by both Van Ann and Alexi expanded my knowledge further on what it means to be a corporate lawyer - even having done extensive…
Shifting Sides – Advice for Those Considering Non-Practicing Roles at Law Firms (Part 1 of 2 Posts)
By Michele Moorman, Esq. • March 05, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Each year I have the pleasure of speaking with many lawyers who are considering transitioning to a non-practicing role at a law firm. I always encourage practicing lawyers to take the time to research these roles and do all they can to understand how they differ from legal practice. This will be Part 1 of a two-part post on this topic. This post will cover general information about how the work and experience can differ from practice. Part 2 will provide detail about the interviewing process, specific resources you can consult and sample questions to ask as you decide whether…
The Big Picture
By Diana LaMorie • February 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
In last month’s post, I began with an introduction to my own professional journey in a ‘JD Preferred’ career in Compliance. This month, I’d like to discuss the concept in a much broader context. To lay the foundation for future posts (which will be more fun to read, I promise), I’ve got to get some dry information out of the way first here. Bear with me! JD Advantage I didn’t know this until I started doing research for this column, but apparently, this is a thing now. Starting with the law school Class of 2011, a new term of art…
What’s It Like to Work in Corporate Law?
By Jacob Maslow • February 05, 2018 •Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
Corporate law – the big cat territory. If you have money on your mind, this is probably the field of law you hope to get into. But what's it really like to work in corporate law? Big Law firms often take in junior classes each year, and by the end of the two years, most are gone. Why? It's a cutthroat world, and you need a thick skin to survive. Is it like this at every firm? Of course not. But just like any other field of law, corporate law has its benefits and drawbacks. One drawback? The long hours.…