The Skills Needed to Practice “New Law”
By focusing on expanding and strengthening their skillsets, lawyers can make sure they remain relevant in the profession and have access to more opportunities for success.
Category: Professional Development
Why Law Students Should Embrace the Power of Personal Relationships
Law school can feel like a pressure cooker. From grappling with the Socratic Method to studying for the bar exam, every law student experiences actual stress over those three years. However, one of the reassuring things about being a law student is that there is an obvious key
Engage in the future: What’s on the horizon for professional development?
As law students consider various pathways for their legal careers, regardless of where they end up, they will actively pursue, participate in, benefit from, and further develop as an attorney through professional development. For many, professional development (PD) is the means through which law students can actively guide their career paths, starting in
What you didn't learn in law school: A short guide to succeeding as a lawyer
You finished law school and passed the bar. You will be working in a firm, in-house, for the government, or on your own. Now what? How do you translate academic success into career success? How do you get clients, sell yourself, and work with clients?
Collaboration will drive your success, law students—here’s how to do it
There’s been a lot of discussion about the future of the legal profession, and the type of lawyer you will need to be in order to succeed in it. Some law schools are embracing this in fits and starts, while others are lagging behind, so it falls to law students to identify
Create, don’t copy, your career skills
You’ll be more confident—and successful—if you find the lawyering style that works best for you.
How young lawyers can tackle time management challenges in their practice
Juggling all of your daily responsibilities can be difficult for lawyers at any stage of their careers, but it can be particularly challenging for young lawyers who are new to the practice.
Vulnerability happens: Turning a moment of stress into success
Unless something has changed dramatically since I was in law school, the course offerings don’t include Vulnerability, Failure, or What to Do When You’re Not on Your A-Game along with the usual Torts and Contracts. Law students and new lawyers are expected to succeed, but chances are, you will encounter a situation in your career that just doesn’t go according to plan.
Living the life of a lawyer: A primer for new attorneys
The people most disappointed with law school and the legal profession are those that decide to become a lawyer based on loving legal television shows. The second most disappointed group are those who believe they will be arguing before the Supreme Court to save the world from their preferred form
Simply irresistible: How to be the best job candidate you can be
Your qualifications have caught an employer’s attention. Now you have to convince the employer that you are the candidate that best fits the organization’s needs. Presenters of this webinar, "Interviewing: Becoming an Irresistible Candidate", discuss interviewing techniques: how to prepare, make a positive first impression, and present with confidence. The panelists
Video: What to do (and not to do) during an interview
Recent law school graduates and experienced interviewers led a discussion of interview skills and pitfalls at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego during the American Bar Association's midyear meeting in February 2016. They demonstrated common mistakes and shared a few of their own unexpected interview experiences.
Working relationships with attorneys can take you to the next level
Developing working relationships with attorneys at your internship can make a real difference in your success after law school. Attorneys operate at the center of the robust legal industry. They are walking, talking small businesses regardless of whether they are self-employed, employed by the government, in- house at a company,
Ask the Hiring Attorney: What does it mean to 'be professional'?
When we talk about professionalism, we’re talking about a few things, all of which work together to demonstrate that you are trustworthy and competent.
The importance of gaining practical legal skills
One of the best ways to stand out among your peers is through demonstrated practical ability. As a law school graduate, you will be highly marketable if you can “hit the ground running.” You can fit this description by acquiring as many practical legal skills as possible during school.
Sue your inner critic, get a higher salary
One crucial skill that is not (but should be) taught in law school is how to powerfully present the case that you would be an asset to your prospective employer and that you deserve a higher salary. This is a skill that is left out from the other valuable technical skills
Are millennial lawyers less civilized?
Numerous jurisdictions are recognizing and lamenting the deterioration of civility in the legal profession. Some may be tempted to attribute this decline in courtesy to the influx of newly minted millennial attorneys to the profession.
Don't wait until you're in practice to practice
It’s the ages-old issue – who am I and what should I be doing with my time? For the youth, I should be having fun. I will work later. For the high school student, I can work later. I should have fun now. For the college student, I will be employed later. I should have fun now. For the newly hired, I will have my own demands later. I should have fun now. Do you see where this is going?
How to get the most out of your TIPS membership
The Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) offers a variety of opportunities for you to get involved and to meet and work side-by-side with some of the best tort, trial and insurance lawyers in the country. The TIPS Standing Committee on Outreach to Law Students (SCOLS) provides leadership and
Building your online presence
Becoming a lawyer today requires a handle of the Internet that previous generations of lawyers never had to deal with. LinkedIn, Avvo, websites, social media – lawyers need to be familiar with all of it. Whether you’re researching opposing parties on social media or looking to market your firm online, familiarity with
Resolve to advance your career this year
The start of a new year is a perfect time to reflect on past accomplishments and to commit to changes that will take your practice to the next level. DLA Piper partner Christina L. Martini recently wrote about the importance of new year’s resolutions on the Ms. JD blog. But
How to boss like a boss
Horrible bosses aren’t always horrible people. Supervising others well can be a difficult skill to master, and it certainly isn’t taught in law schools. Following a few simple best practices can help you build a collaborative, supportive relationship with your support staff that will make the practice of law easier,
Payoff pitch: Hit a home run by being different
I started attending New York Law School in 2011 with the mindset of wanting to work in the sports law industry. I saw “Jerry Maguire” the summer before I started law school, and I thought to myself that being a sports agent was a viable career choice to make. After more
Five Tools to Help You Become a More Confident Public Speaker
For most people, few things are more stress-inducing than having to speak in front of a group. We all know the old adage that most people fear public speaking more than death. Unfortunately, law students are not immune from these nerves. Whether it is the proverbial 1L oral
How to be a star performer in the legal world
By Pamela Lucy Pierson PAMELA BUCY PIERSON is the Bainbridge Mims Professor of Law at the University of Alabama of Law in Tuscaloosa. Successful scientists were found to have adopted nine work strategies. They’ll be just as helpful in your legal career. Professional athletes who find themselves no longer affiliated with a team,
Want employment and career advancement? Write down your road map
You want meaningful employment and career advancement. The question is how to use your time in law school most effectively to achieve your goals. In the current period of challenging market changes, law students secure meaningful employment by differentiating themselves from other law students. The problem, Indiana law professor Bill Henderson
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