Ms. JD is seeking an Editor-in-Chief!
By Danielle Allison • May 07, 2019 •Ms. JD
Ms. JD seeks a passionate Editor-in-Chief to research, plan, write and edit web content. As the Editor-in-Chief for Ms. JD, you will help edit, organize and manage Ms. JD’s website content. The Editor-in-Chief will be responsible for planning, creating, editing and publishing information on Ms. JD’s website. The successful candidate is a skilled writer and researcher, with an eye for detail and an understanding of the special requirements of web writing. The goal is to produce creative web content to appeal to our community. While not required, this position may be particularly beneficial for those with an interest in attending law school or interested…
Chicken or the Egg: The issue of retention starts with perspective.
By Kim Tran • April 30, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues
Why can't we retain our female and minority lawyers? Last month I told you I would share my story first. The story of why I choose to stay, when a disproportionate number of lawyers like me choose to leave the traditional practice of law. I am a female minority lawyer practicing in BigLaw. I have been in practice for 12 years. I started in a smaller firm and made my way steadily through bigger more established firms. In my city, there are few lawyers like me practicing in the larger law firms. There are plenty, however, that opened up their…
The Mental Load: I Couldn’t Care Less About My Job
By Amy Bowen • April 29, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Issues, Other Issues
Caring drives success in any endeavor. And caring, by its nature, requires emotional investment. While some career guidance cautions that “emotional investment is normally a stigma you want to avoid in the workplace”, an authentic caring-based approach to your substantive work, your relationships with colleagues, and your personal goals can not only steer you clear of the emotional turmoil caused by acting in discord with your true instincts, but also pay off in spades. Caring helps a lawyer empathize with clients to provide meaningful insight and guidance. Caring leads to identifying and inventing deeper and more creative arguments and solutions.…
How I Speak Up!
By Nicole Williams • May 05, 2019 •Law School, Internships and Clerkships
“Nicole, although your year-end review showed that you were among the top producers for the Georgia Families 360 program, we are unable to offer you a salary increase. We hope that you will continue to advocate for the adoption assistance, foster care, and juvenile justice population as you have done this year so successfully.” Wow. There I was, the third year in a row, not receiving the salary increase that was “guaranteed” to me when I interviewed for the position. As an outreach care specialist, I was tasked with calling healthcare facilities, juvenile correctional facilities, and families to ensure they…
The Happy Lawyer: A Year-Long Experiment
By Kate Miceli • May 05, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, •Mentoring and Networking, Other Issues
My last year of law school, I took a seminar class called “The Happy Lawyer”. The concept was simple; ten law students, one dean, and one professor read six books about happiness and discuss them over dinner throughout the school year. Full disclosure, I took this class because it was at the dean’s house (who doesn’t want to see their law school dean’s house?) and was taught by one of my favorite professors. The happiness and mindfulness aspect of the class was secondary at best. Over the course of the year, we read six books including; Happiness: A Very…
I Asked For A Raise
By Gissell Rodriguez • May 05, 2019 •Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest
Hi Ms. JD! Have you ever had to ask your boss for a raise? I found myself in that situation during my second year of work. As is customary in our office, I met with my boss for my year end evaluation. I was told I had done an excellent job and was given an end of year bonus. I was excited but forgot to inquire about an hourly raise. I followed up with my office manager and was told I would not be receiving an hourly raise because I had been given a year-end bonus. I was grateful for…
Something Blue: Have no shame in your networking game
By Molly Timko • April 29, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Back home in Niagara Falls, I learned that it was somewhat shameful to get a job or any other advancement opportunity due to “having connections.” Perhaps this is due to some deeply rooted “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality mythology that seems to exist in my hometown. Nevertheless, I have since come to accept that this is simply not true. Networking is integral to achieving career success in virtually any field, and this is especially true in law school and the legal profession. Believe me, I understand that networking events can be awkward and downright painful, even for individuals from…
Screening for Culture: What to Know Before You Go (In-House)
By Jenny Patten • April 29, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
As a continuation of my short series about in-house practice and culture, this month’s column focuses on how and why company culture is important in an in-house job search. While compensation structure, job duties, and commute may be good threshold evaluation criteria in assessing a potential opportunity, culture fit is an often-overlooked aspect of an in-house legal position that can make or break your success. I understand this may seem like a “first world” consideration. I graduated from law school at the beginning of the recession and remember the stress and anxiety of trying to land a job that allowed…
Speaking up…leaning in and speaking in….to bring a different perspective….
By Yeshesvini Chandar • May 05, 2019
I identify myself to be an Indian, Kiwi as well as an Australian. My life story predisposed me to be one who would speak up from a young age. I was born and raised in New Delhi, India in a multicultural milieu. Hailing originally from the South but living in the North, growing up we learned to celebrate diversity in the cultural traditions, language and cuisine of our friends and neighbors. I spoke Tamil, Hindi and English. In addition, I learned French at school and visited France on cultural exchange as a teenager. Leaving home at seventeen, I travelled to…