How To Become A Lawyer

Transcription

1 Alumni Resources Guide Office of Professional Development and Career Strategy The George Washington University Law School - 1 -

2 Table of Contents CAREER SERVICES FOR GW LAW ALUMNI...3 STATE BAR SECTIONS...5 STATE BAR ASSOCIATIONS...9 INTERNET RESOURCES...20 LEGAL TEMPORARY AGENCIES...26 NETWORKING AND INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING...34 EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWS...38 SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ASKED BY EMPLOYERS...42 JOB SEARCH CORRESPONDENCE...47 SAMPLE COVER LETTER SAMPLE COVER LETTER SAMPLE RESUME SAMPLE RESUME SAMPLE RESUME

3 Career Services for GW Law Alumni The Career Center is pleased to assist GW Law graduates contemplating a job change or seeking employment. We welcome inquiries from graduates and hope you will contact us if we can assist you. Our services for graduates include: Career Consultations: The Career Center s staff members are available to meet in person or to speak with graduates by phone. We are happy to discuss resume and cover letter preparation, interviewing tips, job search and career-related resources, job search strategies, networking, informational interviewing, and any other issues of interest to graduates. There are two fully-dedicated alumni counselors who are available to assist you. Keri A. McCoy, Esq. Director, Alumni Career Development Meridith Jacobs, Esq. Alumni Career Development Counselor To schedule an appointment or mock interview either in-person or by phone, please contact the Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy at You may also contact us via at gwlawcareers@law.gwu.edu. Clerkships: The Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy assists students and alumni who are interested in pursuing post-graduate judicial clerkships. Sheila Driscoll, the Director of Clerkships, can be contacted by phone at (202) or sdriscoll@law.gwu.edu. The Judicial Clerkship website is available at this link: Job Postings: Job notices for graduates are posted through the Symplicity system ( Updated regularly, the listings include openings received directly from employers and vacancies from selected legal newspapers, periodicals, job newsletters, and various websites. The service permits users to search by a variety of parameters including location, employer name, employer type, job type, level of experience sought and posting date. Most listings are for graduates with a minimum of 0-5 years of experience, with the majority in the 0-3 year minimum range. For your password please contact the Career Center at or via at gwlawcareers@law.gwu.edu. LinkedIn and Facebook: Get LinkedIn with the George Washington Law Alumni Association and become a fan of GW Law on Facebook. Mock Interviews: The Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy is available to conduct mock interviews. This is strongly recommended for anyone who has an upcoming interview. The Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy believes in a proactive approach to interviewing. You can never be too prepared! Prior to the interview, it is helpful if you could provide a copy of all of your application materials as well as the job posting if applicable. We also recommend that you provide any information that you have about the format of the interview and the individual(s) with whom you will be interviewing

4 Networking Events: Every GW Law Alumni Event is an opportunity to network, and they're a lot of fun too! Check out our Law Alumni Event Calendar to see what's coming up. If you're interested in helping coordinate an alumni event in your area, check out ways to get involved locally. Online Alumni Community: Our Alumni Community lets you reconnect with classmates and find new resources within the GW Law Alumni family. Join groups based on your interests and location, search the online directory, access Leadership Directories, the Vault Career Insider, NALP Directory of Legal Employers, and more. Login or Register for the Alumni Community today! Reciprocity: Some law schools, through a process called reciprocity, permit graduates of other law schools to visit their career services offices and/or to subscribe to their graduate job newsletters. Schools that grant reciprocity may offer it only during certain times of the year (typically between December and July). In addition, reciprocity may be offered only for a finite period of a few months or less, and other restrictions may be imposed. Please note that it can be difficult to obtain reciprocity in major metropolitan areas. To request reciprocity, please contact gwlawcareers@law.gwu.edu or Resource Library: The Career Center s extensive resource library is available to graduates. Resources include directories for private and public sector employers; practice area specific resource sheets; videotapes; detailed employer-provided information; salary surveys; application forms; and publications about career options, job search strategies, and networking/informational interviewing. Westlaw and Lexis: These services remain available to alumni for a limited time after graduation. Please contact the Jacob Burns Law Library at eservices@law.gwu.edu for details. Westlaw has a Careers tab, with a number of links to advice on managing your career. Lexis offers extensive on-line databases for job hunters, including Martindale-Hubbell

5 State Bar Sections - 5 -

6 California State Bar Sections Antitrust & Unfair Competition Business Law Criminal Law Environmental Law Family Law Intellectual Property Law International Law Labor and Employment Law Law Practice Management and Technology Litigation Public Law Real Property Law Solo and Small Firm Taxation Trusts and Estates Workers' Compensation Contact information for these sections can be found at: District of Columbia Bar Sections Administrative Law and Agency Practice Government Contracts and Litigation Antitrust and Consumer Law Health Law Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Intellectual Property Law Corporation, Finance and Securities Law International Law Courts, Lawyers and the Administration of Justice Labor and Employment Law Criminal Law and Individual Rights Law Practice Management District of Columbia Affairs Litigation Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Real Estate, Housing and Land Use Estates, Trusts and Probate Law Taxation Family Law Tort Law Contact information for these sections can be found at: Maryland State Bar Sections Administrative Law Health Law Alternative Dispute Resolution Immigration Law Animal Law Intellectual Property Business Law Construction Law Judicial Administration Labor and Employment Law Consumer Bankruptcy Legal Education & Admissions to the Bar Correctional Reform Litigation Criminal Law & Practice Negligence, Insurance & Worker's Comp. Delivery of Legal Services Real Property Elder Law Senior Lawyers Entertainment & Sports Law Solo & Small Firm Practice Environmental Law State & Local Government Law Estate and Trust Law Taxation Family & Juvenile Law Young Lawyers Contact information for these sections can be found at:

7 Massachusetts State Bar Sections Access to Justice Business Law Civil Litigation Criminal Justice Family Law General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Health Law Immigration Law Individual Rights & Responsibilities Judicial Administration Juvenile & Child Welfare Labor & Employment Law Practice Management Probate Law Property Law Public Law Taxation Law Contact information for these sections can be found at: New Jersey State Bar Sections Administrative Law Banking Law Bankruptcy Law Business Law Casino Law Certified Attorneys Child Welfare Law Civil Trial Bar Construction Law Criminal Law Dispute Resolution Elder and Disability Law Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Environmental Law Family Law Federal Practice and Procedure Fidelity and Surety Law Health Law Immigration Law Individual Rights Insurance Law Intellectual Property Law International Law and Organizations Labor and Employment Law Land Use Law Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Rights Local Government Law Military Law and Veterans Affairs Minorities in the Profession Municipal Court Practice Product Liability and Toxic Tort Public Utility Law Real Property Trusts and Estate Law Solo and Small-Firm Taxation Law Women in the Profession Workers Compensation Contact information for these sections can be found at: New York State Bar Sections Antitrust Law Section Business Law Section Commercial & Federal Litigation Section Corporate Counsel Section Criminal Justice Section Dispute Resolution Section Elder Law Section Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section Intellectual Property Law Section International Section Judicial Section Labor and Employment Law Section Municipal Law Section Real Property Law Section Senior Lawyers Section Tax Section - 7 -

8 Environmental Law Section Family Law Section Food, Drug & Cosmetic Law Section General Practice Section Health Law Section Torts, Insurance & Compensation Law Section Trial Lawyers Section Trusts and Estates Law Section Young Lawyers Section Contact information for these sections can be found at: Pennsylvania State Bar Sections Administrative Law Section Intellectual Property Law Section Aeronautical & Space Law Section International & Comparative Law Section Business Law Section Labor and Employment Law Section Civil Litigation Section Municipal Law Section Criminal Justice Section Public Utility Law Section Education Law Section Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section Elder Law Section Solo & Small Firm Practice Section Environmental and Energy Law Tax Law Section Family Law Section Workers' Compensation Law Section Contact information for these sections can be found at: Virginia State Bar Sections Administrative Law General Practice Antitrust, Franchise & Trade Regulation Health Law Bankruptcy Law Intellectual Property Law Business Law International Practice Construction Law & Public Contracts Litigation Corporate Counsel Local Government Law Criminal Law Military Law Education of Lawyers Real Property Environmental Law Taxation Family Law Trusts and Estates Contact information for these sections can be found at:

9 State Bar Associations - 9 -

10 California State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations Afghan American Bar Association California Applicants Attorney Association California Association of Black Lawyers California Attorneys for Criminal Justice California DUI Lawyers Association California Lawyers for the Arts California Public Defenders Association California State Bar Association California Women Lawyers Conference of California Public Utility Counsel Consumer Attorneys of California Federal Bar Association of Orange County Iranian American Lawyers Association Italian American Lawyers Association Latina Lawyers Bar Association Veterans Bar Association Local Associations Alameda County Bar Association American Immigration Lawyers of Northern California Amador County Bar Association Arab American Lawyers of Southern California Asian Pacific Bar Association of Los Angeles Association of Business Trial Lawyers-San Diego Association of Corporate Counsel-San Diego Association of Defense Council of Northern California Association of Defense Council of Southern California Bar Association of San Francisco Bay Area Association of Muslim Lawyers Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom Beverly Hills Bar Association Butte County Bar Association Capitol City Trial Lawyers Century City Bar Association Charles Houston Bar Association Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Contra Costa County Bar Association El Dorado County Bar Association Fresno County Bar Association Glendale Bar Association Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association, Inc. Japanese American Bar Association of Greater LA John M. Langston Bar Association

11 Kern County Bar Association Korean American Bar Association of Northern California Korean American Bar Association of Southern California La Jolla Bar Association Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Los Angeles County Bar Association Marin County Bar Association Monterey County Bar Association National Bar Association Region IX Nevada County Bar Association North County Bar Association Orange County Bar Association Orange County Trial Lawyers Association Palo Alto Area Bar Association Pasadena Bar Association Placer County Bar Association Queen s Bench Bar Association Riverside County Bar Association Sacramento County Bar Association San Bernardino County Bar Association San Diego Consumer Attorneys San Diego County Bar Association San Fernando Valley Bar Association San Joaquin County Bar Association San Luis Obispo County Bar Association San Mateo County Bar Association Santa Barbara County Bar Association Santa Clara County Bar Association of Silicon Valley Santa Cruz County Bar Association Santa Monica Bar Association Solano County Bar Association Sonoma County Bar Association South Asian Bar Association Northern California South Asian Bar Association Southern California South Bay Bar Association Southeast District Bar Association Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association Stanislaus County Bar Association Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association Tahoe-Truckee Bar Association Tom Homann Law Association Ventura County Bar Association Western San Bernardino Bar Association Wilshire Bar Association Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Women Lawyers of Sacramento Women Lawyers of Santa Barbara Yolo County Bar Association

12 District of Columbia Voluntary Bar Association Websites American Association of Jewish Lawyers the U.S. International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists American Hellenic Lawyers Society American Immigration Lawyers Association, D.C. Chapter Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area Bar Association of the District of Columbia Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Young Lawyers Section D.C. Bar Sections D.C. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Defense Lawyers Association Energy Bar Association Family Court Trial Lawyers Association Federal Bar Association Capitol Hill Chapter Federal Bar Association, D.C. Chapter Federal Communications Bar Association Gay and Lesbian Attorneys of Washington Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association (GWAC) Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia Inter-American Bar Association, D.C. Chapter International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association Iranian-American Bar Association, D.C. Chapter Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL), D.C. Chapter National Lawyers Guild, D.C. Chapter Native American Bar Association of Washington, D.C. South Asian Bar Association Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Vietnamese American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area, Inc. Washington Bar Association Washington Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division Washington Council of Lawyers Washington Foreign Law Society Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association Women s Bar Association of the District of Columbia g_lawyers.html s/sectionsites.cfm es/voluntarybars.cfm

13 Maryland State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations Maryland State Bar Association Federal Bar Association, Maryland Chapter The Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland Maryland Hispanic Bar Association Maryland State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Maryland Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association Maryland State s Attorneys Association Maryland Association for Justice, Inc. Women s Bar Association of Maryland com Local Associations J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association Anne Arundel County Bar Association Allegheny County Bar Association Baltimore County Bar Association Bar Association of Baltimore City Frederick County Bar Association Harford County Bar Association Howard County Bar Association Montgomery County Bar Association Prince George's County Bar Association St. Mary's County Bar Association Washington County Bar Association

14 Massachusetts State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations Bar Association of Massachusetts Municipal Attorneys Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys Massachusetts Bar Association Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association Massachusetts District Attorney Association Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts Women s Bar Association of Massachusetts Local Associations Boston Bar Association Boston Patent Law Association Essex County Bar Association Franklin County Bar Association Hampden County Bar Association Lawrence Bar Association Norfolk County Bar Association Worcester County Bar Association

15 New Jersey State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations New Jersey State Bar Association New Jersey Association for Justice New Jersey State Institute for Continuing Legal Education New Jersey Women Lawyers Association Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers-New Jersey The New Jersey Defense Association New Jersey Intellectual Property Association Local Associations Bergen County Bar Association Burlington County Bar Association Camden County Bar Association Cumberland County Bar Association Essex County Bar Association Gloucester County Bar Association Hudson County Bar Association Hunterdon County Bar Association Mercer County Bar Association Middlesex County Bar Association Morris County Bar Association Ocean County Bar Association Passaic County Bar Association Salem County Bar Association Somerset County Bar Association Union County Bar Association

16 New York State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations New York State Bar Association New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers New York State Defenders Association New York State Trial Lawyers Association Women's Bar Association of the State of New York Injured Workers Bar Association New York Criminal & Civil Courts Bar Association Puerto Rican Bar Association-New York South Asian Bar Association of New York Local Associations Association of the Bar of the City of New York New York Women s Bar Association Albany County Bar Association Brooklyn Bar Association Brooklyn Women s Bar Association Bronx Bar Association Broome County Bar Association Capital District Women s Bar Association Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association Central New York Women s Bar Association Cortland County Bar Association Delaware County Bar Association Dominican Bar Association Dutchess County Bar Association Bar Association of Erie County Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Law Association of Greater N.Y. Lewis County Bar Association Metropolitan Black Bar Association Nassau County Bar Association Nassau County Women s Bar Association New York City Bar Association New York County Lawyers Association Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association Oneida County Bar Association Onondaga County Bar Association Ontario County Bar Association Oswego County Bar Association tml

17 The Puerto Rican Bar Association Queens County Bar Association Richmond County Bar Association Rockland County Bar Association Rockland County Women s Bar Association Saratoga County Bar Association Schenectady County Bar Association Suffolk County Bar Association Tompkins County Bar Association Warren County Bar Association Westchester County Bar Association y/warren-county-bar-association.html

18 Pennsylvania State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations Pennsylvania State Bar Association Asian American Bar Association of the Delaware Valley Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Pennsylvania Association for Justice Local Associations Allegheny County Bar Association Bar Association of Lehigh County Beaver County Bar Association Berks County Bar Association Bucks County Bar Association Cambria County Bar Association Carbon County Bar Association Centre County Bar Association Chester County Bar Association Cumberland County Bar Association Dauphin County Bar Association Delaware County Bar Association Erie County Bar Association Franklin County Bar Association Lackawanna Bar Association Lancaster Bar Association Middle District Bankruptcy Bar Association Monroe County Bar Association Montgomery Bar Association Northampton County Bar Association Philadelphia Bar Association Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association Schuylkill County Bar Association Washington County Bar Association Westmoreland Bar Association Women s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania York County Bar Association

19 Virginia State Bar Association Websites Statewide Associations Virginia Bar Association Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Virginia Women Attorneys Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Virginia Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Local Associations Alexandria Bar Association Fairfax Bar Association Greater Richmond Intellectual Property Law Associates Henrico County Bar Association Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. Loudoun County Bar Association Metropolitan Richmond Women s Bar Association Newport News Bar Association Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association Old Dominion Bar Association Prince William County Bar Association Bar Association of the City of Richmond Roanoke Bar Association Virginia Beach Bar Association Northern Virginia Black Attorneys Association ion.com/

20 Internet Resources

21 Capitol Hill The Brad Traverse Group: A listing of government related jobs on the hill, campaigns, and in government affairs. Contact the Career Center for login information. Congressional Research Service - National Conference of State Legislatures - Opportunities in Public Affairs: For login information please contact the Career Center. Roll Call: This site includes news and events on Capitol Hill as well as a job search engine. Contact the Career Center for login information. U.S. House of Representatives Employment Opportunities: This website has listings of available positions in the House of Representatives. U.S. Senate Placement Office: The Senate placement office posts a weekly listing of employment opportunities in the Senate. The office also compiles a resume bank that offices use to fill vacant positions. Clerkships OSCAR -- Online System for Clerkship Application and Review: The website in which federal judges post clerkship openings, and applicants can apply online. Federal Judiciary Home Page: US courts' website, including employment vacancies and a list of federal judicial vacancies. Senate Judiciary Committee Judicial Nominations and Confirmations: Learn who has recently been nominated or confirmed on the bench. Just the Beginning Foundation: Information on minority judges, including biographies and information on clerkship and internship opportunities for minorities. So You Want to Be a Law Clerk?: Advice, tips, and information on applying for clerkships. Vermont Law School's Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures: Information on state hiring procedures; contact the Career Center for a password. State and Local Government on the Net: Links to most state judicial systems. General Job Search Sites with Attorney Listings American Bar Association Career Center Job Board: Association of Corporate Counsel: Searchable database of in-house counsel opportunities Attorney Jobs: Has jobs nationwide and abroad, covering legal and law-related job opportunities