Career Services Officepresents

EVENING /SECOND CAREER STUDENTS:

How to make the most of your experience

How Do I get Legal Experience when I already have a full-time job?

• Evening students face a special set of challenges– Typically employed full-time on with a busy course load, seeking

legal experience– Generally unable to devote summers to legal employment– May be in a position that pays more than a first year associate and

need to consider a temporary trade down in salary.

• Legal employers expect you to graduate law school with practical legal experience– Employers want to know that you can apply the skills that you

developed in your law school classes– That when you are hired, you can hit the ground running

Options for Evening Students• Clerk for a Firm Full-Time while in School• Pro Bono & Public Interest Opportunities

– Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Project– Legal Aid ( Nassau, Suffolk & NYC)- Weekend Arraignments– The Resolution Assistance Program ( RAP) with the Housing Part of the Civil Court of

NYC

– Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts • Research Assistant for a Professor• Project Work

– Take CLEs– Write an article for a bar association publication or law-related website– Volunteer to research an issue for the local bar association– Draft a journal article or note– Volunteer for attorneys or professors

• Explore Opportunities with your current employer• Externships/Clinics

The Resume• Review CSO Resume/Cover letter Tips Handout• As a non traditional student you may want to modify your presentation to highlight and

emphasize the special skills and experience that will most interest potential employers.• Typically limited to 1 page, unless you have a great deal of “relevant” experience.• Special Tips for Evening Students

– List your Education 1st

• Important if you have substantial non-legal work experience and are looking for a legal position.

• Extracurricular activities and academic honors in law school should be included in this section

• Discuss Transferable Skills in your job descriptions– List words with which lawyers can identify ( negotiated, taught, advocated, etc..)

• List Licenses and Professional Affiliations

The Cover Letter

• One Page.

• First example of your writing skills so it needs to be flawless!

• Avoid “Dear Hiring Partner”-find a name

• Indicate why you are interested in that employer and why they should be interested in you

• Tailor it to the specific employer –or at least to the type of employer you are writing to

The Horror that is the Interview

• An interview can make or break a job offer

• You must know what the employer does and how you fit in

• Be prepared! Have an interview prep session with a CSO counselor

Typical Interview Questions

• Why did you decide to change careers and attend law school?

• Why are you enrolled in the Evening Division?

• Why aren’t you participating in more activities such as law review or moot court?

• How will your past education or experiences benefit you in the practice of law?

• What are your transferable skills?

• How will you feel being supervised by someone who may have graduated college or law school after you?

RESOURCES

• CSO Blog• JACOB (symplicity)• Martindale.com• PSLAWNET.ORG• Job Fairs• Informational Interviews• Bar Associations ( Network, CLE’s…)• Alumni Office• Reciprocity