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Come to the “SITIE” of Seattle!
By Rachel Sindorf • April 18, 2019 •Careers, Legal Academia, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Curriculum and Classroom Dynamics, Other Law School Issues, Issues, •Mentoring and Networking
Innovate Your Summer in the "SITIE" of Seattle! This is an open letter to all my Ms. JD law school colleagues. I would like to invite you to enroll in Seattle University School of Law’s Summer Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (SITIE), in Seattle, Washington. As one of the student co-founders of the forthcoming Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental & Innovation Law, and a past student of the Immersion Course, I am excited to help spread the word about a new academic collaboration between the law school and attorneys at many of Seattle’s most cutting-edge technology companies, including Microsoft, The Allen Institute for…
Know Before You Grow: Marijuana versus Hemp
By Stephanie Carr • March 30, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Other Career Issues
Growing a cannabis law practice requires a working knowledge of the legal and botanical differences between marijuana and hemp so practitioners can interpret current laws and anticipate future laws. The following is a simplified, step-by-step guide to understanding their relationship and key differences. This information will be the primer for future posts about legal opportunities in the cannabis field. Step One: All in the Family If you’re a bourbon aficionado or have the pleasure of calling yourself a Kentuckian, you know that all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. The same logic applies here: both marijuana and…
The Role Client Company Culture Plays in Your Legal Practice
By Jenny Patten • March 29, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues
Over the next few months, my column will explore the role that company culture plays in a successful legal practice. I know…culture. Before your eyes glaze over, though, hear me out. An entire body of literature and best practices exist on the powerful role culture can play in business. Here, we’ll focus on exactly what company culture can mean to you, as counsel, and how focusing on this aspect of your company or client organizations can reap great benefits for your practice. Chances are, if you are in-house, you may have come across your company’s mission, vision and values, or a quixotic set of…
5 Easy Ways to be a Giver When Networking
By Stephanie Hanna • March 28, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
One of the most common mindset mistakes when networking is approaching relationships as a “taker” -meaning, you are solely focused on your goals and what you can receive from a relationship, instead of thinking about the value that you can add. When I work with clients on this mindset shift, a very common question is “But what do I have that is of value that I can offer when networking?” Here are 5 easy ways you can be a giver (and add real value) when networking. Keep a list of helpful articles. Start compiling a list of good articles on…
Interview with Krista Hiner, Esports Attorney & Bar Officer - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • March 22, 2019 •Ms. JD, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
Please welcome Ms. Krista Hiner, Esports Attorney at ESG Law and Officer of the Esports Bar Association. A graduate of William Mitchell College of Law, Ms. Hiner formerly was a Partner at Peterson Logren, & Kilbury, P.A., an employment law firm, before joining ESG Law in 2017. Ms. Hiner has served as a contributor to ESPN, spoken at esports conferences across the country, and is an avid gamer. Thank you so much for taking the time to connect with me, Ms. Hiner. What drew you to the world of esports? What aspects of your work most excite you? Ms. Hiner: I…
International Women’s Day
By Susan Smith Blakely • March 08, 2019 •Careers, Other Career Issues
Today is International Women's Day. I hope you are celebrating being a woman or having a wonderful woman at your side. Today we remember that we have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go in terms of equal opportunity, equal pay, implicit bias, and respect. Even equal protection comes to mind as we are reminded of the recent disclosures by Senator Martha McSally--- women are not protected adequately within the military ranks any more than they are protected in society at large. Sexism is still baked in the cake of our culture, and we…
Young Women Lawyers: Beware of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 27, 2019 •Careers, Other Career Issues
Mental illness and substance abuse are big problems in our profession today. I call attention to these issues whenever I get the opportunity to speak to lawyers, young and older. I did it at the event for the launch of my new book at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago on February 4th and also two days later at a program for law students in Michigan. I implored them to be careful personally and to be vigilant on behalf of colleagues. I noted at both events that the American Bar Association (ABA) has identified an initiative to address these issues and…
Do Women Lawyers and Other Women Leaders Have to Be Nice?
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 13, 2019 •Careers, Other Career Issues
A lot has been written in the last few days about what makes a good woman leader. Those discussions have been within the context of the political arena, which is not too surprising because the Speaker of the House of Representatives is a powerful woman, and the roster of persons announcing to run for POTUS in 2020 is full of powerful women. So we have read here how Amy Klobuchar, Senator from Minnesota and proclaimed presidential candidate, is perceived by some of her staff as "not nice" and even "mean." And today we read here that Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, uses her…
LinkedIn Success in 3 Easy Steps: Networking Edition
By Diana LaMorie • February 10, 2019 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Despite my good luck with career opportunities through LinkedIn (which I've shared in Part 1 of this 'LinkedIn Success' series), I haven't been the most engaged user other than keeping my profile current. I've only recently unlocked the key to the site's full potential. It goes beyond just job hunting; it's networking in the palm of your hand. I now log in to LinkedIn more often than I do to Facebook. My LinkedIn newsfeed is full of cool articles about cutting edge companies doing socially positive work, inspiring stories, and notices about my colleagues' promotions and job changes. It's a…