Corporate Legal Work-The Perks and the Downside, the Ins and the Outs, and the Methods
For law students considering alternatives to firm practice, corporate counsel positions are often appealing. For years, in-house counsel often was not viewed as ''real'' lawyers or top-notch legal minds. As business competition has changed in the past decade, however, so has management's view of the role an attorney can play in the management team. For reasons of both cost-efficiency and crisis prevention (as opposed to damage control), corporate legal departments have gone through a major metamorphosis. Business and legal management are now trying to create the most productive, cost-effective legal environment in which a corporation can operate. Along with the changes in the roles and duties of in-house counsel have come changes in the environment in which they work. Once considered cushy, Monday through Friday, nine-to-five jobs with steady salaries, good benefits, bonuses, and job security, corporate counsel positions have become increasingly competitive. MORE
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Government Jobs-The Ins and Outs, the Ups and Downs, and the Methods
The government, at the federal, state, and local level, is in a constant state of change. New legislation can produce new programs and new legal responsibilities. Legal staffs may then be reorganized or augmented to meet these responsibilities. At the same time, priorities shift, financial resources are reallocated, agency responsibilities can diminish, and legal staffs may be reduced. Thus, while the basic outline of the government's legal establishment remains constant, elements of the substructure expand and contract in response to a broad range of political and public demands. MORE
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Beyond Borders-International Legal Employment
International legal employment is extraordinarily diverse, ranging from jobs with multinational corporations to law firms to Peace Corps-related activities. Foreign legal experiences extend from living in Seoul and working for a South Korean law firm to living in Los Angeles and flying out to IBM branch offices throughout the world. Traveling abroad is common. Law students with unique foreign language skills and with experience living abroad may have an advantage in getting hired. MORE
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Acting Judicially-The Ups and Downs and Ins and Outs of Judgeship
Judging is often not the first career option a law student considers. Most judges are not appointed to the bench until after many years of practice. Thus, attorneys who ultimately obtain judgeships usually begin their careers with other goals in mind. However, considering early on the possibility of judging can enable an attorney to gain the experience necessary to obtain an appointment. Judges are needed at all the court levels described in the previous section regarding judicial clerkships. In addition, many state and federal agencies employ judges to adjudicate various issues. The process of appointing judges is as varied as the court to which they are appointed. MORE
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Judicial Clerkships-The Ups and Downs and the Ins and Outs
The tradition of young lawyers serving as law clerks to experienced members of the judiciary is a long and important one. The impact of judicial clerkships on the careers of attorneys can be seen in a review of the biographies of prominent members of both the bench and the bar. A clerkship experience provides a unique perspective on judicial decision-making, and in many ways, serves as a capstone experience for a student's legal education. MORE
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Life at a Law Firm-The Ups and Downs and the Ins and Outs of Both Large and Small Firms
Even before law school begins, many students dream of working at a law firm. Most law firms offer relatively high salaries, interesting work, prestige, and the opportunity to flex legal muscles in a courtroom setting. Three ''official'' categories of law firms exist: large firms, having 251 or more attorneys; medium-sized firms, having 51 to 250 attorneys; and small firms, having fewer than 50 attorneys. However, these designations are purely arbitrary. For example, a firm in New York City might have 300 attorneys and only be considered a medium-sized New York firm, while a firm in Salt Lake City might have 100 attorneys and be considered a large Salt Lake firm. Law firm stereotypes have followed these general preconceptions: large law firms are competitive, impersonal, high paying, prestigious, and hour-intensive with gradual opportunity for client contact and real responsibility for cases. Smaller law firms are collegial, family-oriented, low paying, and mentor-accessible. Additionally, small-firm attorneys work reasonable hours and have added responsibility, increased client contact, and greater opportunity for partnership. Although these stereotypes may contain a grain of truth, in the final analysis these descriptions are just broad generalizations. Law firms are as varied as the attorneys that practice in them. Small firm ''sweat shops'' exist where the partners seem only to care about their share of the profits, as do large firms that place family, community, and social obligations high on their list of priorities. Medium-sized firms may have characteristics of both large and small firms. Thus, it is important to look beyond the common stereotypes before deciding which law firm fits your career goals. MORE
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Breaking Away from the Norm-Nontraditional and Non-Legal Careers
Although definitions may vary, a traditional law career is generally defined as one that requires as prerequisites a Juris Doctor degree and bar certification. Obviously, this definition covers only a very small number of jobs-thousands of jobs fall under the ''nontraditional'' or ''non legal'' career umbrellas. A nontraditional job deals with legal or quasi-legal issues on a regular basis. For example, although a politician is not actually practicing law and does not need bar certification to work, a law degree helps him or her draft clear, effective legislation. MORE
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Public Interest Practice-The Ins, the Outs, and the Methods
The term ''public interest law'' is often used to refer to legal areas that focus on and affect public interest issues. Public interest practice includes those organizations representing the public either as attorneys for governmental units or as attorneys for nonprofit organizations. This is a diverse sector of the legal services market and encompasses virtually every area of substantive legal work, including advocacy to influence public policy or legislation. MORE
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