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Looking for work in a new city can be hard. The best thing to do is to use the resources you have at your fingertips.
Kyle Morrison, JD'13
I knew coming to law school that I wanted to work in New York City. When OCPD had a New York trip scheduled for Spring Break, I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the New York legal environment. Before we went, I looked up some of the organizations we were going to be able to meet and sent my resume to them so that I could possibly interview with them while I was on the trip. Upon arrival, I was told that I could interview with the New York City Law Department, and furthermore, understanding that I would only be in town for a few days, the hiring department was very accommodating with accepting my writing sample and references.
I was fortunate enough to work there this previous summer, specifically in the Workers' Compensation division. It was a great experience to be able to take the legal knowledge and skills I learned in the classroom and apply them in a real world setting. As a summer honors intern, I wrote summations, appeals, and rebuttals. I visited the board with other attorneys in the office and was able to conduct depositions of physicians under the supervision of other attorneys in the office. The division was small, which allowed me to gain experience working with all of the attorneys, who were all helpful and friendly to work with, and provided me with general career advice.
Additionally, the Law Department hosted a ton of social events so that we were able to see New York City while acquainting ourselves with other interns in the program. We went on tours of Grand Central Station, the Great Neck Police Training Facility and City Hall. Personally, I feel as though public service is another great way to familiarize one's self with a new city, while networking with individuals to learn more about other job opportunities in that city. Simply, you can learn about the legal environment and what makes a city unique and a great place to live.
Looking for work in a new city can be hard. The best thing to do is to use the resources you have. Indiana Law has alumni in all 50 states, and they can help get you in contact with people. Also, the office offers invaluable advice on both resumes and interviewing. OCPD is therefore a great place to start creating a game plan. Finally, using the JD GPS project as a way to build your network of contacts is another good idea. In the end, working in a new city is an achievable goal if you use the resources that are available.
Whether students are considering a legal career in New York or Washington, DC, or simply looking for an extraordinary spring break experience, they should take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Cale O'Bryan, '13
My 1L spring break with the OCPD was one of my favorite experiences as an Indiana Law student. Every year the OCPD arranges tours and small group meetings with various legal departments in both Washington, D.C. and New York City. Both trips are optional experiences designed to give students exposure to both attorneys and legal careers in the DC and NYC job markets. The finale of both trips is an exclusive Indiana Law alumni cocktail event, where students can interact with law school graduates who have established careers in these premiere cities. Participating students not only benefit by broadening their legal networks, but also from the opportunity to observe practicing attorneys with inspiring legal careers.
Both trips follow a structured schedule, but allow great flexibility for students. I chose to partake in the NYC trip, which began after the conclusion of the DC trip. This was my first experience traveling to the Big Apple. I was fortunate to stay on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with my old college roommate and travel by subway to the arranged meeting spots. Most of the law school events took place in Midtown Manhattan, enabling participants to visit Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building. Assistant Dean Michael Keller served as the host for the trip, guiding us around the city and introducing us to the working professionals. We met with dozens of attorneys, representing firms, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits. Our tour included legal employers such as the New York Law Department, New York State Attorney General, Human Rights Watch, the General Counsel's offices of Condé Nast and The New Yorker, as well as Allan & Overy International Law Firm. Several of the students who were adamant about working in New York received interviews during their visit and were offered summer internship positions.
I highly encourage Indiana Law students to participate in the OCPD Spring Break trips. Whether students are considering a legal career in either of these cities or simply looking for an extraordinary spring break experience, they should take advantage of this unique opportunity.
The legal profession class helped me find a job after my first summer.
Tim Conroy, '13
The legal profession class helped me land a job after my first summer. A key part of the class required us to interview five law school graduates practicing in different areas of the law. In early February 2011, I interviewed a federal judge in Indianapolis. She talked about her experiences that led up to her current position, including her time spent as a Criminal Court Judge in Indianapolis. The interview went well, and I found our conversation to be very insightful as I began to think about my own career path. After the interview was completed, I thanked her and left.
A couple of weeks later, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office (Indianapolis) listed a summer internship on the Symplicity jobs page. Because I had not yet found a job for the summer, I applied. In late March, I received an email from the recruiting coordinator inviting me to their office for an interview.
Because I remembered that the federal judge had been a criminal court judge earlier in her career, I asked her for her opinions on the Prosecutor's Office and some interviewing tips. I again found her information to be very helpful, and I was confident heading into my interview.
A few days later, I drove up to Indianapolis for my interview. I met with my interviewer, and things seemed to be going well. She asked many of the same questions that I had been asked during my mock interview with the OCPD staff. As the interview ended, however, I received a big surprise. The interviewer told me that the federal judge had written a letter of recommendation on my behalf. I was hired on the spot.
It doesn't really matter which city you end up working in for the summer. IU is bound to have ... alumni [there] who are waiting and willing to pass on their experiences and give advice...
Jon Levy, '13
Since I am originally from Chicago, I figured I would spend the summer working in the city and gaining as much legal experience as possible. I took a summer externship with the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st Division. The hours were very flexible and this was the key to my networking.
Earlier in the school year, I asked David Main for a list of alumni in Chicago that worked in law firms and government positions that I had interest in. In this economy, the most valuable asset that we as law students have besides our education is our ability to network with IU alums. When the summer got underway, I began emailing them slowly with the intention of either meeting them for coffee somewhere in the city (near their office) or speaking to them on the phone about their experiences. The only other rhyme to my method was going through the list alphabetically.
I sent out about five emails a day for the first few days to start, giving a brief introduction of who I am, what area of the law I was interested in and seeing if they would be interested in meeting with me briefly for coffee or lunch. Obviously I offered to pay.
I heard back from most within the first few hours of sending out an email. My email to meeting or at least phone call ratio was about 50%. Pretty good considering that they had absolutely no reason to speak with me other than that they were alumni and I was reaching out. The alumni I met with were some of the nicest and most sincere attorneys that I currently know in Chicago. They offered advice on Chicago, their firms, how to get the most out of law school, and most of them even offered to hand my resume directly to their recruiting coordinators. Many were very happy to reminisce about their law school days and especially liked to hear gossip about Dean Fromm and Dean Robel, topics that you absolutely have to brush up on before beginning the networking process.
Between early July and Mid-August, I met with over 30 IU alums in varying positions and firms. I never ended up paying for coffee and those that took me to lunch were generous enough to buy.
Although most alums were willing and happy to give advice, I connected with some better than others and try to maintain as much of a relationship as I can. Every month or so, I send them an email and update them about my life and ask how everything is going. Very casual and simple, and based on the responses they seem to genuinely appreciate student outreach. Also, if you happen to find yourself visiting Chicago or are in the city for any other reason, dropping them a line for coffee is always encouraged. Attendance at official IU alumni events, like the cocktail hour during fall break, is an absolute must since many of the people you network with are bound to be there. Hopefully, more events like this will happen in the major alumni centers because everyone who attends enjoys them immensely.
It doesn't really matter which city you end up working in for the summer. IU is bound to have at least a handful, if not more, alumni who are waiting and willing to pass on their experiences and give advice to their successors. Whether you are trying to pass along your resume in hopes of finding work or just trying to meet your future network, these individuals are one of the best ways to get your name out into the legal world.
Read how I skipped the "typical" 1L summer experience by splitting time working and travelling abroad.
Meg Burton, '13
As an undergrad at Clemson University, I spent four months studying abroad in Australia. It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life, so when I learned that there were study abroad opportunities available in law school, I knew I wanted to take advantage of them. However, one of my concerns when deciding whether or not to study abroad was that I would miss out on the "typical" legal experience summer 1Ls get. I was worried that by taking classes, I would not get the same work experience that all my classmates would.
My solution was to split my summer. Through the month of June I worked three days a week at a Bankruptcy Law Firm, and the remaining two days a week volunteering at Lowell District Court in the Probation Department. I took these two positions in an effort to get legal experience generally, firm experience more specifically, and observe some court proceedings. During the months of July and August I went to London as part of the USD Study Abroad program and took classes in International Litigation and International Entertainment Law.
Most of the other IU students I went abroad with had a similar arrangement: they worked during half their summer, and then studied abroad for the other half. The key is finding a job that is going to allow you to be flexible, and making sure that your employer understands the situation. Even in looking for a job, I made it clear that I would only be working for about a month or so. Neither of my employers had a problem that my summer internship would be so short, and we were able to work out a flexible schedule that met all our needs.
Splitting my summer was the best choice for me. I got a lot of very beneficial work experience. I drafted motions, did legal research, and attended court proceedings: basically all the tasks of a typical 1L summer job. In addition, I got the incredible experience of studying abroad. While studying abroad I got to take interesting classes for credit, get an international perspective on the study of law, meet great new people, and explore great new places.
I truly believe that studying abroad for any period of time is an incredible learning experience. More importantly, studying abroad does not preclude you from getting work experience during your 1L summer, as long as you are flexible with your time and willing to make it work. I urge students interested in study abroad to take advantage of the programs here at Maurer.
Never has the sharing of ideas and experiences been more important in the life of a law student.
Mario Treto, '12
We live in a time where the legal job market is competitive; the days of having numerous job opportunities have changed and students are becoming more and more dependent on the available resources law schools provide. Students often turn to their law school's career center to provide direction and focus to their respective career searches. The Maurer School of Law has directed its resources to the Office of Career and Professional Development, where new ideas and resources are continually being implemented.
We often forget that the wheel does not have to be reinvented. We stand on the shoulders of alumni and other fellow law students who have conducted their own job searches, interviewed with numerous employers, and ultimately reflected on those experiences. This column will be those student's thoughts expressed in written word.
Throughout the year, we will update this portion of the website with different students' perspectives on issues related to career and employment topics. This column is candid; we want students to showcase their genuine experiences and sentiments. Perhaps you may read this column and take away a specific student's experiences with a particular employer. Or, perhaps, you may read someone's innovative and creative way of looking for a job and use a similar approach in your own job search strategy. Or, finally, you may read this column to see other student's experiences at the law school. Nevertheless, I hope that you enjoy the time and energy that each of these students has put into telling a part of their story. We all have something new to learn with each piece.
Enjoy!
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